Shelley Moore: Inclusive and Competency Based Learning in Nature

Teach Outdoors

Shelley Moore is the author of One Without the Other: Stories of unity through diversity and inclusion. Her website blogsomemoore.com has numerous resources and information about her endless work in this complex field of inclusive education and competency-based learning. Shelley also consults throughout BC, Canada and across north America.

Shelley's Social Media Info:

blogsomemoore.com

@tweetsomemoore

We asked the Twittersphere if they had questions for Shelley about inclusion and outdoor learning. We tackled 4 questions:

1)Alyssa Stapleton asked: "How might the universal design principles be adapted for outdoor learning opportunities? What might planning for outdoor learning for all learners and inclusivity look like at different levels within an educational and school setting? How does collaboration with learning support teachers and school-based teams look like in this context?"

2)Josie Zahn: "What dream team!! Outdoor learning is fantastic for all students. The only issues I’ve had have been around safety… For example, little ones who aren’t aware of the boundaries (when there’s only one adult) and sensory issues (wet feet, rain) … and preplanning helps these!"

3)Shannon Mills but actually hers is more of a comment. She says that: "In our cohort we have 3 students who have autism and all thrive during outdoor learning. We visit the forest every day and it is a part of the day they most look forward to. They get very disappointed if there is a wind warning and we can’t go. Get outdoors. It’s the best."

4)Anna Dutke asks: "Any tips or advice on writing their special education goals/objectives so that they can be worked on in an outdoor classroom environment? Or examples of how teachers have incorporated data collection in an outdoor classroom? I often hear time and data collection as being barriers."

Other Things Mentioned:

Book: A Stone Sat Still by Brendan Wenzel

Anna Dutke: Outdoor educator in Minnesota – twitter: @ADutke

Novelty Nature Note:

Did you know that the hippopotamus milk is pink?!

Shelley lives on Bowen Island and part of her reconciliation journey was to get to know her new place a little better. It’s part of the Squamish territory and is named Nex̱wlélex̱m. Shelley also mentioned Glass Coral Reef. It was thought that glass coral only grew in one place north west corner of Vancouver island. But it has been recently discovered on the north west corner of Bowen island. Shelley is about to live in a UNESCO marine heritage site!