This is a Self-Paced, On-Demand Online Training with rolling enrollment.
COMING May 15th, 2025
Today's nature educators need activities that work.
Each online lesson features a specific spotlight on Forest Education as it relates to your students, their 'nature journey', your program design/structure, your goals and outcomes and much more.
We use worksheets, response & reflection journaling,
quizzes and info-graphics to support your learning.
The course is augmented with pre-recorded skills videos, gear lists, audio stories and other content relevant to becoming a 'Forest Educator' .
You can move through the curriculum/lessons sequentially, or you can pick and choose the lessons or activities that are most needed or useful to you.
Completion Certificates are available.
This course is specifically created for all of the following Forest Educators-
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Classroom Teachers
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After School Group Leaders
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Homeschool Program Educators
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Naturalists
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Environmental Educators
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Summer Camp Counselors
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Nature Day Camp Leaders
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Museum Program Facilitators
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Boy/Girl Scout Troop Leaders
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Forest School Staff & Educators
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Nature Art Workshop Leaders
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Educational Daycare Providers
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and anyone who works with youth.
What will you learn?
Forest Curriculum & Design
Student Centered Learning
Curriculum Centered Learning
Lesson Planning & Daily Rhythm
Clarity in Goals & Objectives
Program & Activity Assessment
Skills & Tool Inventory
The "Recipe" for Transformation
Program Safety & Hazards Plans
Adaptations & Crisis
Relationships & Community
Welcome, Orientation & Departure
Developing a Program 'Sixth Sense'
(Worksheets, Forms & Lists PDFs)
Forest Skills & Activities
Leading Challenges, Crafts & Games
Tracking Skills- Ten Step Exercise
Tracking Skills- Follow the Leader
Nature Awareness- Quiet Movement
Nature Awareness- Sensory Exercises
Animal Studies & Journaling
Tree Studies & Journaling
Bird Studies & Journaling
Tracking Studies & Journaling
Plant & Wildflower Studies & Journaling
Weather Studies & Journaling
(Video, PDF and Audio Resources)
Nature Crafts & Handwork
Ancient Tools for Modern Youth
Seasonal Gathering & Materials Prep
Stone Tools & Digging Sticks
Gifts of the Trees- Woven Willow Trays
Woodcraft Basics- Wooden Pendants
Leathercraft- Making Deerskin Pouches
Natural Fibers- Cordage & String Skills
Fire Building Skills- Magnesium Methods
Knot Tying-Paracord Survival Bracelets
Willow Craft- Trays & Tongs
The Art of Fire- Coal Burning Bowls
(Video, PDF and Audio Resources)
"Every part of this course is designed with one goal: To be powerfully USEFUL to you, the educator, and your organization, and your students. I've made every effort to give you tools that builds confidence and inspires you to bring a unique experience to your children, teens or adults."
- Ricardo Sierra
Getting Certified
If you need or want a certificate of completion for your course work, please fill out the worksheets & journals for each section and send them to ricardosierra@foresteducator.com
◊ Worksheets
◊ Reflective Journals
◊ The Name you want used in the certificate
We will review your work, and then send you a certificate PDF for you to download, print and use as needed.
"Ricardo helped us grow our North Wind Wilderness Program from a cool idea to a functional and running business. Our classes are in demand, and we are doing more of them. The tools that were delivered to us during our program have been absolutely invaluable!"
Blake Southard | Founder | Rewilding Minnesota | Minnesota
"Working with Ricardo is one of the most inspiring and instructive experiences I have ever done. To say that he puts out 110% while mentoring is an understatement. His passion to share his experience and knowledge is so contagious that you leave each session bursting with enthusiasm, hope, ideas and plans. If you get stuck in your process, Ricardo is always available to help you through to the next step. This personal attention is worth it's weight in gold."
Cory Stevens | Founder/Director | Paleo Play Forest Skills For Kids | Alberta, Canada
The Forest Educator trainings are where I am sharing the formula or 'recipe' we have used at Hawk Circle for over 35 years, to achieve powerful results for children, teens & adults. This formula works because it follows the natural patterns of our ancestor's connection with the natural world for thousands of years. It offers tools for transformation, mental health, creativity and leadership, all things that educators everywhere can use right now."
-Ricardo Sierra
Hawk Circle
Wilderness Education Director
The Becoming a Forest Educator Online Course has ongoing rolling admissions. You can register and begin learning at any time (after the course launch on May 15th, 2025)
◊ Click the green box to register!
◊ Participants get Lifetime Access to Course curriculum and any live 'Ask Me Anything' sessions.
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How do I know if I am going to be a good fit for this program?If you are an educator or program director or founder who wants to see your work grow in terms of impact, income and ease of delivery will benefit from this program. It will set you up to see improvements immediately as well as in the long run, so you can do what you love easier and better. If you are unsure and would like a 'no-obligation' consult to discuss your program needs and details, please contact Ricardo at RicardoSierra@foresteducator.com and we can find a good time to talk and answer your questions.
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Do you have any live question and answer sessions?Great question! Ricardo is planning a monthly Ask Me Anything zoom session for participants to join and ask specific questions and get live, immediate answers. However, we don't have dates & times for these sessions set up yet, so the best way to get that info is to get on our Forest Educator Community Mailing List, found at the bottom of every page on the ForestEducator.com website. This is where we will be posting the details for joining our calls. If you DO have immediate questions that can't wait for the live sessions, please email Ricardo or send him a message on social media, (also found on our website) and he will get back to you as soon as possible.
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What if I only have a couple of areas where I need help?This online program can be taught sequentially, moving through each module and lesson, and eventually covering all of the shared content. However, you are also welcome to pick and choose which sections are the most helpful or needed by you or your school/program, and that is fine as well. So you can search through the various lessons and find what you need!
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Do I need to have five years of experience or can I participate as a first time educator?The short answer to this is, you don't need any previous experience at all to get a TON of value from this program. If you are just getting started, this is a course that can help you get off to a great start and get up and running with a minimum of issues and stress. You may go through many sections that are unfamiliar to you if you are new, but that is okay. You can always come back and revisit the materials and info later, as well. If you DO have some nature education experience, then you will probably find that the material covered and lessons and resources to be important, and fit needs or questions that you may have been having already. And you may find ideas and issues that are still new and pertinent to your program or students as well.