Year in Review (2020-21)
This year, the Natural Curiosity team has been able to support and connect with educators in new ways. None of this would have been possible without your support. Thank you, miigwetch!
28+ Virtual Workshops for school boards, early learning centres, faculties of education and other organizations attended by 2,030+ educators
100+ educators engaged through our first Virtual Summer Institute
3 Online Coaching Groups and 5 multi-part Workshop Series to support educators across Turtle Island throughout the school year
5,000+ educators reached and supported through our monthly Making the Shift newsletter
2 Webinar Series (9 webinars): 1) Natural Curiosity in the New Normal and 2) Embracing the Shift, attended by 1,714 educators
11,154 copies of Natural Curiosity 2nd Edition: The Importance of Indigenous Perspectives in Children's Environmental Inquiry sold
16,000+ followers and over 100,000 impressions per month on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms
95%+ of all NC professional learning participants feel deeply inspired by our program experience, and would recommend it to their colleagues (100% of webinar participants)
Impact and Reach
31,150+ copies of Natural Curiosity have been distributed to educators globally, highlighting its popularity as a mentor text.
32+ leading Universities and Colleges use Natural Curiosity as a course text in pre-service teacher education in Canada and around the world. Natural Curiosity has been cited in 62 academic
research publications.
15,000+ educators have directly engaged in online or
in-person Natural Curiosity professional learning, through workshops, webinars and conferences.
66+ educators have been recognized through Natural Curiosity's annual Awards, which provided $33,000 in funding to exemplary educators and schools, and 330+ hours of free professional learning to promising future teachers.
What is Natural Curiosity?
100%
of Ontario educators are mandated to infuse environmental education into their teaching across the curriculum.
32%
of Canadian teachers feel they have the knowledge and skills to teach about the changing environment. Educators say they need professional development, classroom resources, current information on climate science, and curriculum policy.
51%
of Ontario elementary schools offer no Indigenous education opportunities such as professional development for teachers. Environmental learning is an integral part of Indigenous education.
Created in collaboration with Indigenous educators and partners, the Natural Curiosity Program addresses a critical link between environmental and Indigenous education, supporting all educators to authentically respond to the calls to action by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.
Our Unique Value
To address the current challenges in education, we provide transformative professional learning for educators across Canada, to support them with integrating environmental and Indigenous education into their practice, in the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation.
Our Purpose
Words of Support from Indigenous Scholars
Reach through Virtual Professional Learning Programs (2020-21)
13 Provinces and Territories
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Northwest Territories
Nova Scotia
Nunavut
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
11 States
Alaska
Arizona
California
Hawaiii
Kentucky
Massachusetts
Missouri
New Jersey
Ohio
Pensylvannia
Washington
Testimonial from a K-12 Educator
Tanya Murray (she/her)
OCT, Ontario Environmental Education, York Region Nature Collaborative, Child and Nature Alliance
About Tanya
Tanya Murray is a Curriculum Consultant who supports system leadership in Outdoor and Environmental Education K-12. She has been working with an Ontario school board for 13+ years. She champions nature connection that is accessible to all, especially in the public-school system. Tanya has taught in all divisions including a term at an Outdoor Education Centre. She is committed to amplifying all voices and leaning into the urgent need to listen, learn (unlearn) and lift the voices in conversations around our spaces including the environment.
"The professional development and conversations I was involved with repeatedly left educators wanting MORE ... [Natural Curiosity] is not a resource that will sit on a shelf, rather it will be weathered and folded from being used to align what was always meant to be connected: environmental inquiry and Indigenous ways of knowing. Congratulations on yet another outstanding resource that will set the stage for future caring environmental citizens."
Strategic Plan
2020 - 2023
Building on the success of the last 12 years, Natural Curiosity's 3-year strategic plan presents an exciting path forward. Through new and modified professional learning opportunities, Natural Curiosity continues to expand its reach with Canadian, and global, educators and deepen its impact in relationship with Indigenous partners.
New Projects
2021 - 2022
3-Year Professional Learning Project
To expand our professional learning services and offerings to the broader educational community, which include year-long online coaching programs, a summer institute, monthly webinars, and a customized workshop series in collaboration with school boards, post-secondary institutions, early childhood education centres, and Indigenous and environmental education organizations.
Capacity Building
To grow our team to further disseminate Natural Curiosity resources and professional learning workshops, increasing the capacity at which we can deliver these diverse programs to support educators in the public realm. Expanding communications and digital marketing strategy to target new audiences, while retaining and strengthening our existing educator-base.
Almanac Project
A self-directed companion guide to the highly successful NC 2nd Edition resource, furthering the dissemination of ideas, support, and possibility for transformation of practice while increasing accessibility and affordability to Natural Curiosity professional learning.
Your Funding in Action
Natural Curiosity
Project Oriented Budget
2021 - 2022 School Year
As an independently fundraised unit of the University of Toronto, 100% of our program is donor-funded. Your generous donation will be allocated to one or more of our projects.
Donor Opportunities
Natural Curiosity is seeking donors interested in any or all of the following areas of concern:
Truth and Reconciliation in Education
The Integration of Indigenous Perspectives into Education
Education for Climate Change
Environmental and Science Education, Through Inquiry and Natural Curiosity
The Physical and Mental Wellbeing of Children, Facilitated by Outdoor Inquiry-Based Learning
Education Transformation and the Ongoing Improvement of Public Education
Address
45 Walmer Rd, Toronto ON M5R 2X2
Phone Number
416-934-4517
Contact Us
Thank you, chi-miigwetch, for your support.
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