At CBI Forest School, a Charlottesville, Virginia private elementary school with nature-based education, 4 elementary students do a writing exercise next to a lake in the sunshine.

Professional Development for Educators & Schools

Programs to help bring more of the natural world into your curriculum

At CBI Forest School, an outdoor elementary school and full-day preschool in Charlottesville, VA, a teacher leads a group of kindergarten students from a private elementary school in an outdoor classroom within a wooded area.

Are you looking to incorporate outdoor education into your curriculum?

Learn from our story, our school and the lessons we’ve gleaned along our path.

CBI Forest School is a Jewish Forest School serving children ages 18 months-4th grade.

In the spring and summer of 2020, we transformed our school from a city Reggio Emilia-inspired Program to a Reggio-inspired Forest School in 6 weeks.

At CBI Forest School, a full-day preschool in Charlottesville, VA, a toddler climbs outdoors.

We offer professional development opportunities focusing on value-based leadership and Jewish outdoor education.

We work with both secular and Judaism-based teachers and administrators interested in incorporating outdoor education into their curriculum.

Our curriculum helps students grow and unleash:

  • creativity

  • negotiation

  • observation

  • listening

  • curiosity

  • written and verbal communication

  • critical thinking skills

At CBI Forest School, a Charlottesville, Virginia private elementary school with nature-based education, an elementary students studies outside.

  • “Thank you so much for conducting a wonderful session last week for our staff. They really, really enjoyed it and were inspired. A wonderful way to end our school year!”

    Rebecca Gautieri, Preschool Director, Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy

  • “This was a wonderful workshop, especially for teachers that don’t typically practice in the outdoors. It was reflective and informative. It gave us ideas to try for the first time as well as twists to put on things we already do.”

    Teacher, Sabot at Stoney Point School, Richmond, Virginia

  • “I loved hearing the extent of the children’s mastery in identifying the local flora and thinking how much deeper we could go in our classrooms. The teachers modeled how the earth provides the curriculum and our job is to figure out how to shape it for the students."

    Tricia De Ridder, Sabot at Stoney Point School, Richmond, Virginia

  • “In the past I did too much prep and worrying about being in nature. Now I feel more relaxed and prepared.”

Professional Development Programs

  • The Study Tour Example Program

    In-person, onsite in Charlottesville

    The Study Tour Program provides an opportunity for educators to visit CBI Forest School while the school is in session and to see the forest classrooms in action.

    Details & Description

    We will collaborate to develop a customized itinerary based on participants' professional and personal goals and experience.

    Visitors tour the school and spend time with classes to study the unique learning process and environments within the CBI Forest School community.

    In addition, we offer outdoor skill workshops, dialogue with Forest School faculty, or presentations around topics of interest.

    Sample Schedule

  • Staff Development

    Online, via Zoom

    How do you change from a typical Jewish school (or secular school) to a school in the forest?

    Details & Description

    We’ll provide details from our story and our value-based to provide actionable skills and tips on:

    ・How to shift your paradigm
    ・How to foster staff and faculty enthusiasm
    ・How to begin to develop a curriculum
    ・How to gain community buy-in
    ・and more.

  • Wilderness Adventure Skills

    Off-site at your location OR On-site at our Charlottesville campus

    In this hands-on workshop, we teach our Wilderness Adventure Skills that make our classroom and Journeys programs so special.

    Details & Description

    Topics include:

    ・Creating outdoor classrooms
    ・Outdoor teaching methods
    ・Team-building and leadership development
    ・Primitive fire skills
    ・Plant identification
    ・Foraging and stream studies

    Optional:

    Methods within a Jewish context and with connections to Jewish holidays and rituals

    Additional Requirements:

    ・Travel and accommodation required if beyond 90 miles from Charlottesville, VA

    ・Forested location environment required.

A elementary students reads and learns in an outdoor classroom at CBI Forest School, a Charlottesville, VA private elementary school.

Ready to Get Outdoors?

Get in touch to learn more about our professional development programs in nature or to schedule today for your organization.