Discovery’s Vision: Nature education for ALL children!

Discovery Professional Learning Division is a network of Early Childhood Professionals that are committed to providing an inspiring, nature-based, comprehensive professional development system that is for educators, by educators.

Visit Our Discovery Professional Learning Website
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Our Goals

  • Our goal is to ensure each educator has the tools, skills, and dispositions necessary to be a part of the growing number of professionals that provides nature-based, high quality care and learning to children in Ontario.
  • We are committed to collaborating with inspired educators that want to improve their early learning environments and are committed to the long-term outcomes of children in high quality settings.
  • We provide dynamic, engaging, and hands-on learning experiences that evolve and build capacity in Ontario to meet the changing needs of all children with extra support needs and their families.
  • We are committed to the process of collaboration and intend to constantly inform our learning experiences with the most up to date research-based theory and practice skills.
  • We intend to collaborate with community stakeholders, both within and external to childcare to ensure each Professional Learning experience provides a holistic learning experience that will enlighten and improve each educators’ practices and career path.

We look forward to learning alongside you and collaborating in critical reflection. As noted by the Ministry of Education, “this process is imperative to the improvement of our early learning settings in Ontario” and, “A process of critical reflection, learning, and growth is the basis of high-quality programs that continuously improve and create contexts that are meaningful for the children and families/ caregivers they serve.

We encourage educators to be researchers, to try new ideas and test theories. When educators engage in continuous learning and questioning, exploring new ideas and adjusting practices, they achieve the best outcomes for children, families, and themselves” (Ministry of Education, 2014c.).

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What is a Forest School?

A forest school is an outdoor education model that focuses on using outdoor spaces to help children learn personal, social and technical skills. To put it simply, forest schools take the learning outside.

Why a Forest School? Forest School Kindergarten