Teacher Professional Development
Effective Outdoor Learning (EOL)
June 17–18, 2025 or July 9–10, 2025
9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Are you a classroom teacher, specialist, or special education teacher working with K–12 students? If so, join us this summer and learn how to become familiar with your schoolyard and to use it as a rich learning environment with your students. This 2-day workshop kicks off a year-long program with Litzsinger Road Ecology Center (LREC) as you gear up to use your schoolyard spaces to meet your curriculum goals.
Key components of the program include:
- Support from LREC staff in developing outdoor teaching and learning skills
- Free field trips to the ecology center once each season
- Monthly activities on your schoolyard
This workshop is for teachers NEW to LREC and is offered free of charge.
Please note: This is a 2-day workshop and participation is required on both days.
Contact leslie@lrec.net for more information about this exciting opportunity.
Nature-Based Learning: Outdoor Explorations with PreK
This workshop is not offered in 2025
This workshop is designed for PreK teachers who want to discover how easy it is to use their schoolyard as a rich learning environment.
Key components of the program include:
- Support from LREC staff in developing outdoor teaching and learning skills
- Free field trips to the ecology center once each season
- Seasonal activities on your schoolyard
This workshop is for teachers NEW to LREC and is offered free of charge.
For Returning Teachers:
Sustainable Schoolyards (SS)
June 24–26, 2025
9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Do your students want to make the world a better place? Do they want to find ways to improve the natural environment? Join us this summer to learn how to nurture student involvement and voice as you implement a habitat improvement project on your campus. LREC will provide staff support, lesson plans and resources throughout the upcoming school year as you put this plan into action. Participating teachers will receive native plants for their project through the LREC Plant Grant.
This workshop is open to current LREC Teacher Partners who have completed Effective Outdoor Learning (EOL) or Nature-Based Learning (NBL) in previous years.
The Missouri Botanical Garden offers additional teacher professional development opportunities. Learn more.