Over the last three decades education in the U.S. has become increasingly standardized, pushing progressive and other traditions to the margins. On a global scale we are experiencing an assault on nature manifest most clearly in the phenomenon of erratic climate change. What lessons can be gleaned by returning to nature? How do alternative, education projects seeded in nature, mediate learning and personal and social transformation?  How do a "return" to nature and the seeding of nature-based education projects challenge existing educational arrangements that are dehumanizing, sterile, and mechanistic? And how do these impact learners as they become formal and informal leaders in groups and organizations?

 While "wilderness" is conceptualized as a physical space, we explore via dialogue how it is also a spiritual place and praxis imbued with creative possibility for education, leadership, and beyond. Grounded in progressive traditions (Dewey), the idea of nature as fundamental to education has been practiced by Indigenous communities for thousands of years. Rather than regard nature as an object of consumption or nature as being in opposition to humanity, nature is considered as integral to our humanity, sustenance, and development.

This event will feature a screening of School's Out: Lessons From A Forest Kindergarten which has been recieving awards at film festivals across the nation as well as a informal disucssion led by CES & WCAHSS faculty. 

"a powerful and beautifully crafted documentary that illuminates who children are, what's important to them, and what should be important to us as educators."
-Salvatore Vascellaro, Graduate Faculty, Bank Street College of Education

"One of the most powerful, paradigm shifting movies for me at this year's festival was School's Out. It dramatically changed what I thought about early childhood education.School's Out has certainly influenced how I will raise my children."
-Lisa Tessarowicz, Board President, Rocky Mountain Women's Film Festival

" ... the movie is a provocative jumping-off point for discussion precisely because the schooling it documents seems inconceivable to American parents and educators."
-Emily Bazelon, Slate Magazine

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School's Out: Lessons from a Forest Kindergarten is part of Wilkinson's 2015 Interstices, titled ReWILDing which features Cheryl Strayed, author of New York Times bestselling memoire, WILD: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail.

For more information on events associate with Interstices visit http://www.chapman.edu/wilkinson/about-wilkinson/wilkinson-events/creativity-workshop.aspx