Little House in the Forest
Little House in the Forest
About
There is nothing I enjoy more than seeing sparks of imagination and happiness emanating from a young child in his or her element.
Director / Lead Educator: Amy Plant
"There is nothing I enjoy more than seeing sparks of imagination and happiness emanating from a young child in his or her element. Having a role in supporting a child's play and joyful learning within nature, is a great honor for me."
Amy spent much of her childhood paddling in streams, skipping though bluebell woods, and playing among the trees with her friends in the English countryside. She is a qualified Level 3 Forest School Leader with over 25 years experience working with children and adults, internationally as an educator / community artist/activist. Her other qualifications include a Batchelors and a Masters degree in the Fine Arts (with a focus on arts education and fiber arts). Amy believes in continuous self education and has certificates in Community Leadership, Teaching Artist training, the Reggio Emilia approach, Waldorf puppetry and play based education in the early years.
Throughout her career she has created numerous inquiry and process-based projects with young children in art gallery education environments, school settings, the outdoors, and on public art programs around the world. For five years she worked as a teaching artist at Friday Harbor Elementary School.
Amy has held a life long passion for alternative pedagogy and has undertaken many creative research projects on the subject, some of which were commissioned by agencies such as the British Council. Disenchanted with her own mainstream schooling, she was inspired to start a school, immersed in nature and freedom, that celebrates the wonder within children and the multitude of ways they express their ideas, questions and passions..
Co-educator: Nick Gavin
Nick has been with Little House in the Forest since summer 2022. Before joining us he worked at Camp Orkila on Orcas Island for 2 years as an outdoor educator. He has a masters in Education and taught math before discovering his passion for supporting children in outdoor learning adventures. Not only is he super playful and patient, Nick has a multitude of wonderful skills he shares with the learners, including cooking on the camp fire, building shelters and inventing fun games in the woods.
Co-educator: Katherine Hales
Katherine will be joining us in September 2023. She has been a Forest School educator since 2015 and loves nothing more than sharing the wonder of nature and joy of discovery with children. She received her BA in Environmental Studies from Western Washington University, is a certified Forest Kindergarten Teacher through Cedarsong Nature School, and has completed Forest School training with the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada (CNAC) and the Eastern Region Association of Forest and Nature Schools (ERAFANS).
Katherine has lived most of her life in the Pacific Northwest and has a deep love for the rain and all that grows from it, in particular the ferns, mosses, lichens, and fungi that add texture and color to our world. When she's not in the forest, Katherine freelances as an editor for independent authors.
Intern: Storrie Arnold
Storrie attended a Waldorf school and is very familiar with the landscape and flora and fauna of the island. She has been playing and learning with us since summer 2021. Storrie is working towards gaining a qualification in early childhood education. The children love her fun, gentle and supportive nature.
Little House in the Forest is a member of the American Forest Kindergarten Association, the WA Nature Preschool Association, and the Alliance for Self-Directed Education