Embodied and Outdoor Learning

About us

OUR VISION

Learning that moves people.
Education that reconnects us with nature.
Schools that prepare young people not only for exams, but for life.

OUR MISSION

We believe the world’s greatest classroom has no walls.

The ECIS Embodied & Outdoor Learning SIG is a global community of educators who champion learning through movement, nature and authentic experience. Together, we explore research, share practice and inspire one another to create learning that is active, meaningful and deeply human.

We believe that when children spend time outdoors they develop far more than knowledge. They develop curiosity, adaptability, teamwork, leadership, resilience, wonder and a sense of belonging—to their communities, to nature and to our shared planet.

VALUES
The ECIS Embodied & Outdoor Learning Special Interest Group connects educators interested in exploring how movement, nature and authentic real-world contexts can support future-oriented competences. The group focuses on how outdoor and embodied learning environments may foster collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, resilience, wellbeing and environmental responsibility.

Read our latest article here: Learning Wild: Why nature may be the missing classroom of the 21st Century

Meet the committee

Katharina Ehrenfried

Group Chair

Dania Barakat

Committee Member

Calum Wright

Committee Member

Radoslaw Brzezowski, PhD

Committee Member

Karen Killeen

Committee Member

Samantha Mitchell

Committee Member

Kate Ringrose

Committee Member

Donny Hansen

Committee Member

Maryam Hilger

Committee Member

Katharina Ehrenfried

Katharina Ehrenfried has been teaching outdoors for nearly three decades. Her journey began as a teaching assistant at a Waldorfschool for children with disabilities, where she spent every Thursday walking the same forest path with students. Experiencing the changing seasons week by week revealed to her the profound educational and restorative power of nature—a lesson that continues to shape her work today.

As Head of Primary at Berlin Cosmopolitan School and Chair of the ECIS Embodied & Outdoor Learning SIG, Katharina advocates for learning that is active, meaningful and connected to the real world. Her work focuses on outdoor learning, inclusion, learner wellbeing, sustainability and the development of 21st-century skills through movement, inquiry and authentic experiences.

She has trained in outdoor education through programmes including Draussenschule, WWF Outdoor Teaching, Kneipp Pedagogy and Harvard Medical School’s Mindfulness and Psychotherapy in Nature seminar. Katharina’s favourite classroom is anywhere near water. She occasionally teaches lessons barefoot in the forest, loves singing and dancing while walking with children, and once spent an extra hour navigating through deep snow with 15 students after trusting their tracking skills more than the adults’ sense of direction. Her students’ most common feedback about outdoor learning is simple: “Please, can we stay outside a little longer?”

Contact Katharina

Dania Barakat

Dania Barakat serves as a Kindergarten Teacher and Coordinator at Rawdat Al-Maareef Schools & College in Amman, Jordan. She is an educator with a deep passion for creating meaningful learning experiences that support her students’ holistic growth. With a rich background in early childhood education and Scouting, she strongly advocates for outdoor play in the Early Years, recognizing its power to build children’s physical, social, and emotional skills.

Her experience as a Cubmaster and Den Leader profoundly influences this philosophy. By integrating outdoor exploration and embodied experiences into her practice, she helps children build confidence, improve coordination, learn to take appropriate risks, develop curiosity, and strengthen teamwork skills.

As an educator and Scout leader, Dania brings unique insights to the ECIS Embodied & Outdoor Learning Special Interest Group (SIG) community. She firmly believes that meaningful learning takes place beyond the classroom through real-world, experiential problem-solving. This perspective shapes her teaching practice, encouraging her to design dynamic, student-centered spaces that empower students to take ownership of their learning journey.

Dania views every challenge as an opportunity for personal and professional growth. She loves volunteering in her community and contributing to initiatives that empower young learners. Leading summer camps and serving as a scouting leader have been incredibly rewarding, allowing her to focus on exploring the great outdoors—a passion she loves sharing alongside her two sons. She is proud to collaborate with the ECIS network to build inclusive environments that inspire children to reach their full potential in school and beyond.

Calum Wright

Calum is a primary school teacher and middle leader from Scotland. He is currently working as an international teacher in the Netherlands, having previously taught in Malaysia and the UK.

His main passion is outdoor learning. He holds an MSc in Outdoor Education and spent three years working full-time as an outdoor learning specialist at his school. Alongside this, he blogs about outdoor learning at www.freshairteacher.com and connects with the educational community on LinkedIn and Instagram through @freshairteacher.

Over the years, Calum has developed extensive experience as a conference speaker, presenting at events including ECIS and the Institute for Outdoor Learning. He has also appeared on various podcasts, Teacher Talk Radio, and LinkedIn Live sessions, advocating for increased outdoor learning opportunities for primary school children.

Radoslaw Brzezowski, PhD

Radek is a biologist with a particular interest in botany and entomology. His passion for teaching developed after conducting research on parasitic flies in Kenya and while completing his PhD at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland.

For the past 20 years, he has taught high school biology at the International School of Krakow and has been an IBDP Biology teacher for most of that time. He believes that biology education is most meaningful when complemented by fieldwork and direct experiences in nature.

Nurturing students’ emotional connection with the natural world helps bring scientific knowledge to life and inspires future environmental stewardship. He is particularly interested in helping schools create authentic, place-based learning experiences that foster curiosity, ecological literacy, and a lasting connection with nature.

Beyond the classroom, Radek leads “Forest People,” an after-school club for middle and high school students focused on self-reliance, outdoor learning, and bushcraft skills. Through these experiences, students develop confidence, agency, and practical skills while building meaningful connections with the natural world. The program is currently evolving into a middle school elective course with dedicated outdoor facilities.

Radek’s other passions include thru-hiking, photography, and bushcraft. He enjoys spending time outdoors, whether leading workshops, exploring nature, or relaxing by a campfire.

Together with his wife, Alicja, he is the co-founder and manager of Motylarnia w Ulinie, a tropical butterfly exhibition and science education centre in southern Poland.

Karen Killeen

Karen Killeen is an international educator, inclusion advocate, nature dweller, artist, presenter and storyteller

Karen is currently studying for a Doctorate of Education (EdD) with the University of East Anglia, UK. Her thesis explores how we can reimagine the meaning of inclusion through our connection with nature. Her fieldwork findings are developing into 3 key areas: Nostalgia, Kinship and Appreciation. It builds on the work of greats including Nora Bateson, Robin Wall Kimmerer and Joanna Macy.

A Forest School practitioner and presenter for nearly 20 years, she has successfully designed and delivered programmes in schools in the UK, China and Uganda and has presented these as case studies to an international audience. As a Learning Support leader, these programmes have supported her diverse student community in areas including: wellbeing issues, higher support needs, neurodiverse, mobility difficulties and gifted and talented members.

Karen’s thesis for her MA in Special and Inclusive Education measured the positive impact of reading outdoors on wellbeing and academic progress, and this confirmed her understanding of the benefits of learning about and in nature.

Karen is based in Croatia and works as a Learning Support Teacher at the American International School of Zagreb. She describes her role as holding space for colleagues, students and their families to create inclusive communities.

Samantha Mitchell

Samantha (Sam) is a PYP PSPE teacher at Munich International School, working with students in the Lower Junior School. She is passionate about creating meaningful learning experiences that empower students to take ownership of their learning. Sam believes that student voice, choice, and agency are essential components of effective teaching and learning. In her PSPE programme, she encourages students to take an active role in the planning and direction of selected units, fostering independence, engagement, and a deeper connection to their learning journey.

This year, Sam introduced a Nature-Based Learning programme for students from EC to Grade 2. Through this initiative, students explore their connection to the natural world and develop an understanding of how time spent in nature can positively influence both physical and mental wellbeing. By providing regular opportunities for outdoor learning, exploration, and play, Sam aims to foster a sense of nature connectedness while helping students build resilience, mindfulness, curiosity, and a lifelong appreciation for the environment.

In her spare time, Sam can often be found walking and hiking with her partner and their dog or cycling up challenging mountain passes. She enjoys spending as much time outdoors as possible and strongly believes in the benefits that nature brings to overall wellbeing. Sam is looking forward to collaborating with colleagues in the ECIS group, sharing ideas, and learning from the experiences of other educators who are passionate about outdoor and nature-based learning.

Kate Ringrose

Kate Ringrose is the Outdoor Learning and Sustainability Lead for Primary at The British School of Brussels (BSB), where she champions the integration of outdoor learning across the curriculum. With over 33 years of experience teaching children of all ages, Kate is deeply passionate about fostering meaningful connections between students and the natural world, helping them develop environmental awareness, resilience, and a lifelong appreciation for outdoor spaces.

Kate has an extensive background in environmental education and sustainability, having worked in various advisory and teaching roles across multiple schools and organisations. Notably, she served as Manager of the Jane Goodall Institute in Hong Kong, where she played a pivotal role in conservation education initiatives.

Her professional qualifications include Forest School Leadership, Sustainable Practice, Natural History, and Climate Change Accreditation, and she has recently been recognised as a Registered Practitioner at the Institute for Outdoor Learning. Kate is a dedicated advocate for experiential, nature-based learning and is committed to embedding sustainability into school communities.

As a published writer on environmental education and outdoor learning, Kate has contributed to international discussions on sustainability through her speaking engagements. She has presented at The English Schools Foundation in Hong Kong, The Slow Food Movement, the British School of Brussels Sustainability Symposium, and has been a speaker for the Pachamama Alliance, and the ECIS & ISD ‘Nature’s Classroom’ conference among others.

When not teaching, advocating for the environment, or developing innovative outdoor learning strategies, Kate can often be found exploring in her campervan or obsessively crocheting—both pursuits deeply connected to her love of nature and mindful living.

Kate is excited to join the ECIS Embodied & Outdoor Learning SIG, where she looks forward to exchanging ideas, sharing best practices, and inspiring fellow educators to harness the power of outdoor learning.

Donny Hansen

An educator, Outdoor Education Coordinator, and inclusive leader who believes students come first. Committed to building strong relationships that support personalized learning and a thriving school community. Passionate about creating safe, innovative environments where students and educators are empowered to learn, take risks, and grow. Guided by the belief that we only protect what we care for; I see meaningful connections with nature as essential to developing globally minded, compassionate, and responsible citizens. Dedicated to nurturing future leaders through curiosity, collaboration, and a lifelong growth mindset.

Maryam Hilger

“Maryam Hilger is the Outdoor Learning Specialist at Frankfurt International School (FIS) in Germany, where she works across the Early Years and Primary School. She is a qualified teacher, a certified Nature Experience Educator, and holds a Master’s degree in Agricultural Engineering. Since 2019, she has been integrating Outdoor Learning into the IB Primary Years Programme through meaningful, inquiry-based learning experiences in nature.

She is passionate about creating meaningful outdoor experiences that help children explore the world through their senses, movement, and curiosity. She believes that nature is one of the most powerful learning environments, where children develop confidence, wellbeing, and a lasting emotional connection with the natural world.

In her work, Maryam particularly enjoys using school gardens, growing food, and exploring where food comes from as meaningful contexts for helping children understand sustainability and recognise how everyday choices can positively influence people and the planet. She believes that children are more likely to care for and protect nature when they have experienced it first-hand.

In a world where childhood is increasingly shaped by screen time, she believes that spending time in nature is more important than ever for children’s mental, physical, and emotional well-being, and sees nature-based learning as an essential part of education.”

Upcoming Events

10 September @ 14:00 – 15:00

ECIS Embodied & Outdoor Learning SIG Campfire Conversation – Learning Wild: The Missing Classroom: 10 September

FREE