NLEE/Brother Brennan Centre Event:

Bringing Teaching to Life in the Outdoors Spend one night/one day exploring how to deliver curriculum in an outdoor learning environment.

Date: evening of Friday May 13 and all day Saturday May14, 2011
Place: Brother Brennan Environmental Centre
Cost: $55  (meals and accommodations included)

 For more information go to: www.brotherbrennancentre.ca  or contact Gail Cummings at 739-5151 or gailcummings@esdnl.ca 

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Bringing Teaching to Life in the Outdoors

INFORMATION

Come learn to teach about and through nature.  Reconnect with other teachers.  Get more ideas for schoolyard learning.  Nature is a powerful teacher and sensory rich authentic learning environment.    The schoolyard is a field trip at our fingertips. It is a place not only for science teaching, but also is a wonder place for poetry, for social studies explorations and for art.  Nature brings learning to life, connects students with the world around them, and engages them in their learning.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Educators (www.NLEE.ca) and the Friends of the Brother Brennan Centre are excited to be teaming up to present “Bringing Teaching to Life in the Outdoors”. This will be a one night/ one day workshop devoted to exploring ways to take students outdoors while teaching prescribed curriculum, and how to weave environmental education throughout the curriculum. Accommodation and all meals will be provided so that participants can dedicate themselves entirely to the workshop.

When?
The workshop will take place from the evening of Friday, May 13 until 4pm Saturday, May 14, 2011. Registration will be from 6 pm on Friday.

Where?
The workshop will be hosted at the Brother Brennan Environmental Education Centre (BBEEC), located off Salmonier Line and reached by driving 13 km of woods road. To reach the BBEEC from the Trans Canada Highway, take the St Mary’s Bay exit (Route 90 Salmonier Line, approx. 47 km from St John’s) and drive 9 km towards St Mary’s Bay. Turn right onto Vineland Road (a dirt road which is just before a gatepost topped with stone lions) and drive 7 km. Take the fourth right which is signposted for “The Bother Brennan Centre”. Drive 5.5 km and look for a big sign about wind turbines at which turn right into the Centre’s driveway. Please be aware that it is necessary to limit your speed on the dirt road and 13 km seems longer than it is, so keep an eye on your vehicle’s odometer. If you think you are lost call the centre at 682-7986.

About Brother Brennan Environmental Education Centre

The BBEEC can accommodate 70 people and is designed for school groups. However in order to make the learning environment as effective as possible registration is limited to 30 participants plus volunteers. There are bunkrooms, mostly for 6 people and a limited number of rooms for 2, and shared washrooms with showers. Some sharing of bunkrooms will be required so, if you know, please state who you wish to share with, otherwise a room be will assigned for you. We will do our best to give you a private room if that is requested, but we can’t guarantee it.

How Much?
All facilitators and most of the cooks are donating their time to keep the cost to just $55 per person.

What to bring?

1. Sleeping bag or sheets/covers (for bunk beds) and a pillow. If you like to read in bed you may want a small bedside lamp or flashlight
2. Personal wash/grooming items & towel
3. Indoor shoes or slippers
4. You will spend significant time outdoors so bring appropriate clothing and boots.
5. Sunscreen and bug repellant – depending on weather
6. Cuttings of plants/weeds/trees from your school yard

Notes: If you wish to have wine/beer with your evening meal, feel free to bring it. You may want a comfortable folding chair for relaxing.