UPCOMING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT RETREATS
TEACH FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE (T4CJ): AN EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION RETREAT FOR EDUCATORS TO THE BRIBRI TERRITORIES OF COSTA RICA
A Unique Educator Retreat in the Rainforests of Costa Rica
(April 13-19, 2025)*
(July 27-Aug 2, 2025)
(August 10-16, 2025)
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*We are pleased to announce that Tom Roderick will be joining the April retreat!
"This retreat is the experience of a lifetime! You get the authentic experience of living in the Bribri community and learning all about how they live and practice sustainability in their community. This is a must do experience for anyone interested in teaching and learning about climate justice."
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"This retreat allowed some focused time not just to talk about these issues but to actually come up with a plan you can bring back to your school and apply. A wonderful opportunity to learn from one another, share experiences and find a way forward."
From the steep decline of the world’s animal and insect populations to the steep increase in catastrophic weather events, the global environmental crisis is a constant and increasing threat to our students’ quality of life and mental health. Therefore, it is essential for educators to develop tools to help young people navigate these dangerous and uncertain times.
Matthew Cook, an experiential educator and US university-trained development economist, and Bernarda Morales, Indigenous elder of the Bribri community of Yorkin, will lead participants on a unique journey deep into the heart of the Costa Rican rainforest. On this trip we will explore the problems posed by global climate change and how we can help our students develop the cognitive and emotional skills necessary to face our new climate reality with resilience, courage, and hope.
During the retreat, participants will explore and apply the foundational themes described in Tom Roderick’s new book, Teach for Climate Justice: A Vision for Transforming Education, with our primary goals being to provide educators with strategies to:
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aid students in comprehending the global nature of the climate crisis
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support students to fight for climate justice by developing empathy and solidarity for others
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engage the whole school in teaching for climate justice
By the end of the retreat, you will have strategies in hand to convert your students’ legitimate concerns and fears about the climate crisis into concrete action, thereby providing important support for their mental health and emotional well-being.
Since this is an experiential education trip, during our time in the village of Yorkin, we will experience what it means to live within planetary ecological limits by participating in dialogue with the Bribri people, for whom consumption has always been secondary to other human pursuits. By combining both Indigenous and mainstream economic perspectives on social development, Matt and Bernarda will provide tools and strategies to assist educators in teaching students about climate change in a way that will help them live happier lives and adapt to the environmental and social disruptions that are coming. In order to promote deep conversations and maintain an intimate community, the April retreat is limited to just 10 participants and the other retreats are limited to 15. Registration is on a first come, first served basis.
No place on Earth matches the rich biological diversity of the tropical rainforest, and on our journey, we will also experience all the wonder and beauty of this endangered and fascinating ecosystem. Join us on this important and immersive trip into the rainforest!
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Please contact us for a sample itinerary.