Outdoor Classrooms: Nature-Based Teaching and Learning for Educators and Parents

From Overgrown Land to Outdoor Learning: Inside W.I.S.E. Forest School in Japan

What happens when you look at an overgrown piece of land and see possibility?
In this special Tour & Talk episode of The Outdoor Classrooms Podcast, I’m joined by Robert from W.I.S.E. Forest School in Wakayama, Japan, for a conversation about creating a place where children can learn, explore, take risks, and build a relationship with the natural world.
Through photographs of the W.I.S.E. environment, Robert takes us behind the scenes of the space—sharing how it began, how it has evolved, and how the children themselves continue to shape it.
We talk about child-led learning, Forest School philosophy, sustainability, appropriate risk, learning through the seasons, and the intersection of Robert’s British roots with his work in Japan.

Most importantly, we explore a question at the heart of every outdoor classroom:
How do we create spaces that aren't simply made for children—but can truly become theirs?
Whether you have access to a forest, a playground, a courtyard, or one small patch of green, Robert's story is a beautiful reminder that outdoor learning doesn't begin with having the perfect space.
It begins with seeing possibility.

W.I.S.E. Forest School
W.I.S.E. (Wakayama International School of English) Forest School opened in spring 2024 in Kimiidera, Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture, as Japan's first and only all-English "British International Forest School" incorporating a British curriculum.
Based on W.I.S.E.'s philosophy of "high-quality English education at an affordable price," we go beyond the boundaries of an English school to learn English not just by learning English itself, but by broadening our perspective globally and learning many things practically through English.
In a nature-immersed environment, you can be free and true to yourself. We aim to be a "one-of-a-kind" presence that nurtures not only English proficiency but also individuality, confidence, the ability to survive in modern society, and independence.

Meet Rob Sensei
Rob is from England, the UK, and has travelled the world extensively since 2009. He has taught English and Geography in UK primary schools and various other countries.
He majored in BA Geography with honors at university and earned a Master's degree in Environmental Science from graduate school in England.
From childhood to now, Rob has loved nature through fishing, camping, mountain climbing, conservation and education. He chose "Forest School" as a place to pass on his extensive knowledge and experience to the next generation.

Connect with Robert & W.I.S.E.
Website: W.I.S.E. Forest School
Instagram: @w.i.s.e._english_wakayama


Outdoor Classroom Resources & Links:
🌿 Our Children's Library: 4 Types of Teaching Gardens Booklist (PDF) (halfway down the page)
🎓 Outdoor Classrooms Teacher Certification Program
🌸 CIRCLE Membership Community

Connect with Victoria:
Website: www.outdoor-classrooms.com
Email: Victoria@outdoor-classrooms.com
Instagram
Facebook

Sponsorship Opportunities:
If you believe in the power of outdoor learning and nature-based education, we'd love to partner with you. Sponsoring the Outdoor Classrooms Podcast helps support educators while connecting your organization with a passionate community of teachers, school leaders, and families.
Contact Victoria at victoria@outdoor-classrooms.com to learn more.

Subscribe to the Outdoor Classrooms Podcast
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast, leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and share this conversation with a fellow educator or parent. Your support helps more people discover the transformative power of nature-based education.

Please take a moment to leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, and rate or comment on Spotify. Your support makes a big difference in helping the show reach more educators!

September in the Outdoor Classroom: Notice, Adjust, Simplify, Repeat

September is full of new routines, new children, and plans that don’t always work quite the way we imagined.
But what if that doesn’t mean something is going wrong? What if September is simply giving us information?
In this episode of the Outdoor Classrooms Podcast, Victoria explores how small systems can make teaching outdoors easier, more sustainable, and more child-centered. From transitions and clothing to materials, boundaries, and the role of the adult, you’ll be encouraged to look at what’s really happening before adding another rule, activity, or solution.

You’ll also hear one important question to bring into your outdoor classroom:
Is this a child problem—or could it be a systems problem?

Your September invitation is simple:
Notice. Adjust. Simplify. Repeat.
Small steps. A little each day.

Outdoor Classroom Resources & Links:
🎓 Outdoor Classrooms Teacher Certification Program
🌸 CIRCLE Membership Community

Connect with Victoria:
Website: www.outdoor-classrooms.com
Email: Victoria@outdoor-classrooms.com
Instagram
Facebook

Sponsorship Opportunities:
If you believe in the power of outdoor learning and nature-based education, we'd love to partner with you. Sponsoring the Outdoor Classrooms Podcast helps support educators while connecting your organization with a passionate community of teachers, school leaders, and families.
Contact Victoria at victoria@outdoor-classrooms.com to learn more.

Subscribe to the Outdoor Classrooms Podcast
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast, leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and share this conversation with a fellow educator or parent. Your support helps more people discover the transformative power of nature-based education.

Please take a moment to leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, and rate or comment on Spotify. Your support makes a big difference in helping the show reach more educators!

The Seasons of an Outdoor Classroom: How to Adapt, Grow & Teach Through Change
What happens when you plan the perfect first day in your outdoor classroom…and then it rains?
In this episode, I’m taking you into the Secret Gardens Outdoor Classroom, where our first day back became a lesson in pivoting, noticing, and embracing what the season gives us.
We’ll explore how changing weather, falling leaves, messy gardens, and shifting seasons can become part of the curriculum—and why an outdoor classroom is never truly finished.

In this episode:
Turning unexpected weather into learning
Finding curriculum in seasonal change
Embracing the “messy middle”
Seeing your space through an Educator’s Lens
Growing your outdoor classroom through small steps

And one question to take with you:
What is this season asking of your outdoor classroom?

Start where you are. Notice what’s changing. Take one small step.
A little each day.

Outdoor Classroom Resources & Links:
🌿 Our Children's Library: 4 Types of Teaching Gardens Booklist (PDF) (halfway down the page)
🎓 Outdoor Classrooms Teacher Certification Program
🌸 CIRCLE Membership Community

Connect with Victoria:
Website: www.outdoor-classrooms.com
Email: Victoria@outdoor-classrooms.com
Instagram
Facebook

Sponsorship Opportunities:
If you believe in the power of outdoor learning and nature-based education, we'd love to partner with you. Sponsoring the Outdoor Classrooms Podcast helps support educators while connecting your organization with a passionate community of teachers, school leaders, and families.
Contact Victoria at victoria@outdoor-classrooms.com to learn more.

Subscribe to the Outdoor Classrooms Podcast
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast, leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and share this conversation with a fellow educator or parent. Your support helps more people discover the transformative power of nature-based education.

Please take a moment to leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, and rate or comment on Spotify. Your support makes a big difference in helping the show reach more educators!

Episode #215: Look Up: What Teaching Outdoors Can Teach Us About Attention, Screens & the Culture We Create

What if one of the greatest gifts of teaching outdoors is simply learning to pay attention again?
In this episode, Victoria begins with an ordinary moment: sitting on the couch, surrounded by screens, and feeling frustrated that "together time" didn't actually feel very together. Then came the uncomfortable realization: she was looking at a screen too.
That small moment opened a much bigger question: What culture are we participating in - and is it the culture we actually want to create?
With nearly half of American teens reporting that they are online almost constantly, our relationship with screens, attention, and connection is worth examining. But this isn't an episode about blaming technology - or anyone else.
It's about looking at what we model.
Victoria explores how our everyday habits shape the culture children experience and why outdoor classrooms offer something increasingly valuable: a place to slow down, look up, notice, wonder, and practice paying attention to the world around us.

In this episode, you'll explore:
What our frustrations can reveal about what we value
The connection between screens, attention, and presence
What children learn by watching the adults around them
How everyday routines quietly create classroom culture
Why outdoor classrooms can become places to practice attention
The difference between telling children nature matters and modeling it
How to do a simple "culture audit" of your outdoor teaching practice
Why meaningful change can begin by changing just one thing

You don't have to eliminate screens or completely reinvent your classroom.
Start by noticing.
Look up. Pay attention. Change one thing.
Because the small choices we repeat become our habits. Our habits create our culture. And we create the culture.

Outdoor Classroom Resources & Links:
🌿 Our Children's Library: 4 Types of Teaching Gardens Booklist (PDF) (halfway down the page)
🎓 Outdoor Classrooms Teacher Certification Program
🌸 CIRCLE Membership Community

Connect with Victoria:
Website: www.outdoor-classrooms.com
Email: Victoria@outdoor-classrooms.com
Instagram
Facebook

Sponsorship Opportunities:
If you believe in the power of outdoor learning and nature-based education, we'd love to partner with you. Sponsoring the Outdoor Classrooms Podcast helps support educators while connecting your organization with a passionate community of teachers, school leaders, and families.
Contact Victoria at victoria@outdoor-classrooms.com to learn more.

Subscribe to the Outdoor Classrooms Podcast
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast, leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and share this conversation with a fellow educator or parent. Your support helps more people discover the transformative power of nature-based education.

Please take a moment to leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, and rate or comment on Spotify. Your support makes a big difference in helping the show reach more educators!

The Power of Being in the Room: Why Nature-Based Educators Need Each Other

Have you ever felt like you’re swimming upstream as a nature-based educator?
You believe in getting children outside. You see the learning, confidence, curiosity, and connection that happen there. But when you’re constantly explaining—or even defending—why this work matters, it can be easy to start questioning yourself.
In this episode of the Outdoor Classrooms Podcast, I’m exploring the power of being in the room with people who understand the work you’re trying to do.
Inspired by conversations in our Teaching Beyond Walls Capstone Course, we’ll talk about finding the language to articulate the value of nature-based education, moving from defending our practice to advocating for it, and the idea of borrowing courage from others when our own confidence wavers.
Because maybe the answer isn’t to swim harder.
Maybe it’s time to find your people.

In this episode, we explore:
Why nature-based educators can feel isolated and begin questioning their practice
How being in the right room changes what we believe is possible
Finding the words to communicate the value of outdoor learning
Moving from defending your practice to advocating for it
The power of “borrowed courage”
Why community is essential for sustaining this work
How the CIRCLE Community creates space for nature-based educators to learn, share, question, and grow together

If you’ve been feeling like you’re doing this work alone, this episode is your invitation to get in the room.
You don’t have to have all the answers. You don’t have to be the expert. And you don’t have to swim upstream alone.
Find your people. Get in the room. And when you do, hold the door open for the next educator.

Outdoor Classroom Resources & Links:
🌿 Our Children's Library: 4 Types of Teaching Gardens Booklist (PDF) (halfway down the page)
🎓 Outdoor Classrooms Teacher Certification Program
🌸 CIRCLE Membership Community

Connect with Victoria:
Website: www.outdoor-classrooms.com
Email: Victoria@outdoor-classrooms.com
Instagram
Facebook

Sponsorship Opportunities:
If you believe in the power of outdoor learning and nature-based education, we'd love to partner with you. Sponsoring the Outdoor Classrooms Podcast helps support educators while connecting your organization with a passionate community of teachers, school leaders, and families.
Contact Victoria at victoria@outdoor-classrooms.com to learn more.

Subscribe to the Outdoor Classrooms Podcast
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast, leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and share this conversation with a fellow educator or parent. Your support helps more people discover the transformative power of nature-based education.

Please take a moment to leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, and rate or comment on Spotify. Your support makes a big difference in helping the show reach more educators!