Resource person: Jess Henry, Assistant Director of Education - learn@vandusen.org

Description:

Join us in the spring Garden for Iconic Trees of Vancouver & Forest Bathing Workshop teacher professional development day, centered around the many ways trees can connect to curriculum, as well as the opportunity to explore how time in nature is connected to student, and teacher, wellness.

Morning Workshop: VanDusen education staff will introduce the basics of tree identification, featuring iconic native species found here in southern, coastal BC, alongside other trees in our collection from around the globe. Many of these trees can be found in your schoolyard or neighbourhood, in local parks and often, along our city streets. 

The morning session will provide participants a chance to gain and practice tree identification skills, have fun with STEM activities and games, and explore ideas for incorporating personal and cultural storytelling about trees with your students in outdoor, place-based learning. Activities will center around the intricate role trees play in local ecosystems and human cultures. 

Afternoon Workshop: After a relaxed lunch (see below), we will head into the Garden to enjoy a guided Forest Bathing session, also known as the Japanese practice of shirin-yoku, to explore how time in nature can promote connection and wellness in yourself, and your students (SEL). This session will include dialogue about how to bring this practice into your outdoor time with your class, tips and adaptations for setting yourself and your students up for success, as well as creative problem-solving around potential considerations and limitations for this activity. 

Tara Tiger Brown is a certified forest bathing guide trained in Japan, the birthplace of shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) and a PhD candidate at UBC researching health outcomes from nature-based therapeutic practices, including a clinical trial on forest bathing in Vancouver. She is a certified Sustainable Development Educator and GLOBE teacher and advocates for community science for real-time environmental measurements. Her previous contributions include developing STEAM curriculum for K-8 educators, collaborating with libraries across Los Angeles to provide free hands-on learning for youth, and researching peer learning through digital mediums at UC Irvine. Tara's approach to guiding a forest bathing experience combines traditional methods with contemporary research to foster deep connections with nature. Backed by her ANFT and INFOM certifications, Tara offers transformative sensory journeys that are evidence-based and promote overall wellness. 

This is a full-day program running from 9am-3pm. Lunch is not provided; you are invited to bring a packed lunch, or you may purchase lunch from the Garden Café (located in the Visitor Centre) during the 1 hour lunch break.

This is an all-weather program, travelling along both paved and non-paved trails through the Garden. Some trails may have slope, steps or uneven ground (grass or wood chip).Please let us know in advance how we can better welcome you to this event with any inquiries or concerns regarding accessibility or accommodation at the Garden.

Available spots: Available

Price: $70.00 Taxes not included

Notes: Cancellation policy: For cancellations with 1 week notice, a credit will be applied to your account. Less than a week's notice, no credit will be given. No new credit will be issued if the cancelled course was purchased using prior credit. Credits must be used within 1 year from the date of issue. Please notify us of your cancellation in writing to learn@vandusen.org

Prerequisites: In order to register for a class, you first need to open an account with Amilia, our online registration portal. Note that your membership account does NOT give you this access. You must open a separate account in Amilia. Follow this link to create your account: https://www.amilia.com/en/Signup Please save your Amilia account user name & password for registration in future classes.

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