Professional Development Workshops

ReForest London through its Trees for Teachers program offers the unique opportunity to participate in one or both of two (2) free professional development workshops for all teachers and educators.

Through the Trees for Teachers professional development workshops, teachers will receive all the resources and requisite skill-development to confidently and fully participate in the Trees for Teachers program. As well as be given a toolkit that arms teachers with an arsenal of additional lesson plans, activities, and community connections to better engage and foster the learning spirit in their students.

There will be two (2) unique in-person professional development sessions, From Nature to Nurture, and Grow With Me: Seed to Seedling held in August and September 20223. All workshops will be hosted at the Westminster Ponds Centre; a budding environment and sustainability centre in the heart of London, Ontario. Teachers can choose to participate in as many workshops as they choose, with workshops being two (2) hours in length.

Topics covered include:

  • Social emotional learning
  • Outdoor classroom development
  • Urban forestry hiking
  • Sustainability in the classroom
  • Tree planting
  • Seedling growing
  • And more!

Workshops

All workshops are held in-person at the Westminster Ponds Centre. Pre-registration is required as spots are limited to provide an interactive and personal development opportunity. Learn more about the individual workshops by clicking the button below.

Please Note:

  • To participate in the Schoolyard Tree Planting activity there is a mandatory requirement to attend the From Nature to Nurture Professional Development workshop.
  • Priority for participation in the Seedling Growing Kit activity will be given to those that attend the Grow With Me: Seed to Seedling Professional Development workshop, but attendance is not mandatory

From Nature to Nurture

Social and emotional learning is an integral part of education and student development. Through integrating the learning experience with nature, teachers will learn how to help their students acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities; manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals; feel and show compassion for others; establish and maintain supportive relationships; and make responsible and caring decisions.

In this in-person workshop, Teachers will learn and apply the requisite steps to undertake the process of a schoolyard planting from start to finish with their class. Through the process, teachers will use activities to cultivate student learning in various curriculum areas including math, art, science, physical education, French, and more, with social and emotional learning at the foundation. Upon completion, teachers will be equipped to fully participate with their students in the Schoolyard Plantings part of the Trees for Teachers Program.

In this workshop you will:

  1. Learn how to use Free mapping software to create site plans with your students
  2. Participate in site design and learn how to test a site to determine the best tree species for it
  3. Become confident in leading a schoolyard planting using the Reforest London Planting Rules
  4. Receive resources and guidance on how to smoothly navigate the process and seamlessly integrate preparation activities into our classroom.

As a participant, you will gain:

  • Participation in the schoolyard planting activity in the Trees for Teachers program.
  • Knowledge of incorporating cartographic technology into the classroom
  • An activity calendar with curriculum connections, laying out a schoolyard planting from start to finish
  • Hands-on experiential learning opportunities
  • Additional classroom resources on aftercare for your trees.

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Grow with Me: Seed to Seedling

The Westminster Ponds Centre’s Seed Hub presents a unique professional development opportunity to utilize the growing of seedlings as a powerful multi-subject learning tool for the classroom. Through this professional development, teachers will be equipped with creative tools and methods that will engage students, improve learning retention, and bring clarity to the assessment of environmental education in the classroom.

Teachers will participate in a workshop with indoor and outdoor elements, designed to illuminate the power a simple seed has to drive student learning. The interactive workshop guides teachers through applying the life-cycle of a seed to their unique classroom situation while making direct curriculum connections to meet assessment goals.

Participation affords you:

  • Practical skills for incorporating environmental education into the unique context of your classroom
  • Access to adaptable lesson plans and unique resources that are grade-appropriate and fit your students
  • Hands-on learning opportunities
  • Networking with other teachers that value environmental education
  • Prioritization for the Seedling Kits in the Trees for Teachers program.

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Teacher Professional Development

“What a fun, informative, and engaging workshop! Definitely one of the best professional development sessions I have ever attended! Great facilitation, great opportunity to network with other teachers, and many great cross-curricular lessons to bring back to my classroom! Thank you!What a fun, informative, and engaging workshop! Definitely one of the best professional development sessions I have ever attended! Great facilitation, great opportunity to network with other teachers, and many great cross-curricular lessons to bring back to my classroom! Thank you!”
-Amanda Truelove, Grade 6 Teacher, Knollwood Park Public School