Defining nature-based preschools
In this article published by the International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, Rachel Larimore reflects on a few of the program terms currently being discussed among early childhood environmental education professionals.
Article abstract: These are a few of the program terms currently being discussed among early childhood environmental education professionals in the United States. Why is there so much discussion about the names now? Do the names mean the same thing? Why should early childhood environmental educators be concerned about defining the similarities and differences among these programs? The paper focuses in answering these questions, and also in reflecting what can be learned from other program definitions to enhance the current definition of nature-based preschools.
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Evaluating Natureness: Measuring the Quality of Nature-Based Classrooms in Pre-K through 3rd Grade is here to help! Designed with early education practitioners, researchers, and policy makers in mind, the Nature-Based Education Rating Scales (NABERS) for Pre-K and K–3 let professionals easily collect standardized information to measure the quality of education settings.