The strategic direction of Educated by Nature is lead by BDM, Trudi Bennett, together with CEO, Daniel Burton. Trudi is a qualified teacher specialising in outdoor classrooms. Her knowledge base has formed over many years through additional professional development, study tours and participation and presentation at various conferences. Current emphasis is placed on creating and trialing new programs and mentoring other educators in nature pedagogy.Family ProgramsKIN Village (School Holiday Program) 6 - 12 year olds - 9am - 4pm outdoor programBush Inventors' Club (After School Program) 6 - 12 year olds - 2-3 hour outdoor programIncursions and Professional LearningTrudi also provides schools with the skills, confidence and support to start running educational programs in natural spaces around their school grounds. She assists educators using modelled lessons as incursions and excursions to local natural spaces, reflective professional development sessions and parent workshops. Consulting Engagements* Kerry Street Community School (2015) children's consultation to explore water in their playground and facilitate a community design of a water course to be build with acquired grant funding.* Boshack Outback (from 2016) redevelopment of camp activities, schedule, policies and practices to increase relevance to schools* Perth College (2021) development of a 6 week excursion program to explore nature as part of their Sparc program and building a long-term relationship* Nature Connection Series (Supported by WA Parks Foundation) development of program and training of facilitators to deliver an 8 week excursions series for 4 Perth Primary Schools* Mulberry Tree Childcare and Kindy (2021-2022) consulting across 33 childcare and OSHC centres to assist centre managers and educators move towards a Nature Leading Learning philosophyBusiness DevelopmentIn her role as BDM, Trudi holds the strategic plan, budget, values, policy and procedures of the organisation.

Creating opportunities for children, families and teachers to learn within nature.Educated by Nature started through providing nature playgroups, multi-generational family days, school holiday programs and school incursions as a way to increase health and well-being through deeper connections within nature and with each other. The organisation has now grown as a sought- after provider of professional learning and consultancy as well as selling-out school holiday programs and incursions.The establishment of Educated by Nature required research and learning in business development and management, accounting, insurance and business risk, policies and procedures, software and automation systems, human resources - hiring, training and managing, marketing, operational logistics, as well as the development and resourcing of new programs.We were pleased to be honoured with Accreditation in Tourism WA programs and a finalist of the Telstra Business-Change Maker Award (2019). A big highlight for Trudi and Daniel in the establishment of the Educated by Nature philosophy and knowledge was a study tour of the USA in 2016, including training with the Art of Mentoring and visiting the Tinkering School, Adventure Playgrounds and other organisation with similar ideals.

Creative Schools is a learning program developed by FORM. We use creative teaching and learning strategies to cultivate student agency, and engage students in deep learning of the Western Australian curriculum, the General Capabilities and the Five Habits of Learning: being imaginative, inquisitive, collaborative, persistent and self-disciplined.At the heart of the program is the interaction between students, teachers and creative practitioners, which takes place over an entire academic year. We partner teachers with creative practitioners from all walks of life and diverse practice backgrounds.Together they reimagine the WA curriculum over 16 weeks during Terms 3 and 4, using the power of creativity to teach any subject selected by the school (Mathematics, English, STEM, HASS). Of course, the magic of Creative Schools doesn’t just happen overnight.Training and professional development by global thought leaders and academic creativity experts in education, for teachers and creative practitioners, takes place in Term 1.Trudi has been a Creative Practitioner with the following schools:2019*Highgate Primary School Year 3*Melville Primary School Year 32020*St Mary's Anglican Girls School Year 1*Glendale Primary School Years 2/3*Ellenbrook Christian College Year 22021*Campbell Primary School Year 6Trudi was also involved in the development and delivery of the Creative Practitioner Professional Training at the start of the 2021 Creative Schools Program.

Nature Play WA contracted Daniel and Trudi from Educated by Nature as Education Consultants to create, prepare and deliver a range of Educational opportunities linking WA teachers with nature based education and outdoor classrooms opportunities and ideas. They developed and delivered a suite of workshops entitled 'Engaging Outdoor Learning' covering hands on, full day professional development programs for educators as well as offering a range of incursion programs and lesson plan resources. Trudi and Daniel also created resources and were involved in Play Out Days and Outdoor Classroom Day.

Manage the kitchen garden space in the school, develop and deliver integrated garden programs within the art and technologies stream of the school, alongside classroom teachers. Collaborate in a teaching team to develop long-term integrated projects that address both students’ learning interests and curriculum requirements, organise and deliver skill building lessons in literacy, numeracy and other areas, communication with parents and assist with assessment and reporting.Teaching Intern 2003 - 2005 (yr 2-7, yr 1-2, yr 3-4)Primary Class Teacher 2006-2007 (yr 4-7, yr 1-2)Primary Class Teacher 2012-2014 (yr 4-6)Kitchen Garden Teacher 2012-2015 (pre-kindy to yr 9)Kitchen Garden Mentor 2016Trudi's skills as a Primary School teacher included listening to children and creatively finding ways to match their interests with the curriculum and embed in long-term, authentic projects.Key Projects*Weekly excursions to Lake Monger to explore, included building a large cubby, liaising with local rangers, studying the effect of phosphorus after an algal bloom killed thousands of fish and ducks.*Implementation of Wild Space curriculum program where children spent two whole days a week learning outdoors. This included collaboration with the High School maths teacher to play maths game and with the Italian teacher to embed language.*Study of the Australian Parliament through building cubbies in the Wild Space. The students requested a president, king, queen or Prime Minister to govern the space and control thieving and destruction during lunch-time.*Building of the Casetta Storica (Little House of Stories), a 3x2m weather board outhouse that the students designed, managed and built the house with help from volunteer experts. They had their own building company including roles to fulfil from engineer, to painter, human resources and accountant. *Kitchen Garden - installation of irrigation with Middle School, gardening through play and story with Early Childhood

Develop and run recycling/art education programme for schools, coordinate activities and installations at community festivals, provide professional development for teachers and education students, develop and run community art programme, administration, facilitator and volunteer supervision and training, community building, grant writing, website updates. Liase with Remida in Reggio Emilia, coordinate conference with Italian guests, work in capacity on Board to hire staff and assist to manage administration and overall organisation.

Coordinate, promote and run community activity programmes including school holidays, physical activity programs, Women on Wellness Week, and Seniors Week. Assist the formation of selected key community groups needing support including the Community Garden and Bushland Groups. Assist with the running of larger events including establishing the first Summer Outdoor Movies and Harmony Festival. Assist in community consultation including update of community development plan.Key projects:Contact point for Community Garden Group, City of Swan and Developer LWP.Collaboration between local theatre group, photography club and shopping centre to create an animation with children in a school holiday program to be part of local theatre production.Working with local resident to use local social media channel to market programs and information from the local council in order to increase engagement.

Stock management and sales in Technical Soft Goods Department, advising customers on adventure and camping supplies and clothing.

Including writing and presenting science education puppet shows, supervising play and exploration in Discoverland, theatre show demonstrations, Space Dome incursions at schools, front of house duties, general visitor service.

Including encouraging Christian university students to engage in: building community in their local areas; developing deep, analytical thinking skills; social service and social justice activities and developing educational programmes in spirituality, personal growth and social justice.Chaplaincy included: mentoring, listening and counselling students seeking guidance with current issues in their life such as relationship, career, and cultural conflict concerns. Networking among religious groups on campus encouraging interfaith dialogue and coordinating interfaith activities and educational experiences.In this role, Trudi visited the Student Christian Movement in the Philippines to see how they were working with university students and helping and empowering village farmers to understand compensation offers from Mining Companies. She also attended the Council of Churches Youth Environment Summit in Korea and an Australian delegate.

Including presenting talks and workshops on developing countries and poverty, fundraising and production of educational materials for schools and youth groups. Materials included hands-on learning through games and crafts and demonstration of inequity through dressing up to represent % provided to primary produces from sold products.