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The Schoolyard Network2023-08-31T11:18:17-04:00

Welcome to Tremont’s Schoolyard Network

Over our 50+ years connecting people and nature, we have often heard teachers say things like…

”I’ve never seen my kids so excited!” and

“I really bonded with students in ways that could never have happened in a typical school day.”

Similarly, we hear students say,

“I wish school could be like this ALL the time.”

We think it can.

Schools across the country are moving to more experiential models of teaching and learning, often combining place- or problem-based education frameworks with various versions of outdoor classrooms. These methods can provide real-world applications for school content while addressing students’ and teachers’ social, emotional, and physical needs.

As an education center that has been providing experiential outdoor learning opportunities for over half a century, we applaud this movement and want to support it by bringing teachers, administrators, and outdoor educators together to tackle challenges of pedagogy, share resources, and talk logistics.

The Schoolyard Network provides a collaborative space where we model best experiential-learning practices through professional development sessions, hearty discussion, and shared success stories.

Join this community to meet like-minded educators, share and pick up tips, and energize your teaching.

As part of this network, you will receive information about professional development opportunities, resources, and upcoming virtual meetings. There is no cost to join or attend monthly meetings and no attendance obligation. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Little girl holds a magnifying glass to her eye while smiling at the camera

Ask questions, share resources, and build camaraderie with other educators in the Schoolyard Network Facebook group. Group members are the first to know about special discounts and program offerings for educators!

“I sometimes have the mindset that explorations outside have to be big excursions, tied to a million academic standards, but these activities were incredibly simple and got my students to look at their space differently. Thank you all at Tremont for inspiring us to get out there and try!”

“The next outdoor trip was to do some ‘sound mapping.’ We were able to go to the tiny green space right outside my classroom to do [it]. They were incredibly excited to try their ‘new skill’ outside. I explained the activity. I set boundaries for where they could sit but I didn’t even have to ask them to be quiet. They were completely engaged.”

“The biggest joy I had was hearing their excitement for being outside.”

“This has been a little sanctuary. It has been a positive place to come together and enjoy sharing ideas in such a crazy time. The staff truly values connecting ideas, teachers, and students.”

What happens during monthly meetings?

These calls provide opportunities for deepening relationships, networking between and within schools, and demonstrating techniques. Each month we touch on a couple of professional development topics and lesson ideas, and we collect ideas and resources from the group. Finally, we always make time for questions and sharing successes. Often one teacher will have a specific question that another teacher or teachers can answer!

Example topics:

  • Winter friendly outdoor explorations
  • Community Science and tracking natural events
  • Equity in the classroom (and online!)
  • Practical routines for student-centered teaching
  • Journaling for learning

Learn more about anticipated topics covered during meetings by clicking on the events above!

The Schoolyard Network is supported through funding from

This community is free to join to ensure accessibility to all educators. However, facilitating such programming comes at a cost. If you are interested in supporting this effort, or collaborating with Tremont and the Knox County Health Department, please contact [email protected].

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