Thriving in Nature: Enhancing Wellbeing and Guiding Behaviour through Nature Pedagogy and Practice Perth 2025

Brought to you by Phoenix Support for Educators, Educated By Nature, and Murdoch University.

Thriving in Nature: A Day of Nature Pedagogy, Wellbeing, and Behaviour Guidance

Join us for an immersive day focused on the principles of nature pedagogy, seamlessly integrated with wellbeing and behaviour guidance. We will explore how connecting with the natural environment can enhance children's overall development and emotional health. The day will conclude with practical strategies for implementing nature pedagogy in your educational setting, ensuring a holistic approach to fostering growth and positive behaviour in children.

Program

8:00am: Registration

8:30am-9:00am: Acknowledgment to Country and Conference Welcome

9:00am-10:30am: Nature Pedagogy Presented by Daniel Burton from Educated By Nature

10:30am-11:15am: Morning Tea Break

11:15am-12:45pm: Wellbeing Presented by Christopher Phoenix from Phoenix Support for Educators

12:45pm-1:45pm: Lunch Break

1:45pm-3:15pm: Behaviour Guidance Presented by Sandi Phoenix from Phoenix Support for Educators

3:15pm-3:45pm: Final Session Presented by Daniel Burton from Educated By Nature

3:45pm-4:30pm: Panel Session with All Presenters

About the Sessions

Session 1: Nature Pedagogy with Daniel Burton

In a world where our children are so disconnected from nature, each other, and even themselves, where our classrooms and early learning centres seem plagued with endless focus on behavioural issues and social and emotional concerns, we need to look to the natural environment for support! Nature has an ability to hold us in the most wholesome ways, providing sanctuary, calm, inspiration, and motivation. It is reaching out for us to connect with it in ways we used to thousands of years ago. When we take children outdoors for opportunities to play, explore, and learn, something magical happens!

Richard Louv shares that he hears time and time again, "When I take my students outdoors, the troublemaker in the classroom becomes the leader in nature. Not just better behaved, the leader" and poses the question, "How many leaders are we losing?"

We plan to begin the symposium with an immersive exploration into Nature Pedagogy, Outdoor Learning, and Nature-Based Learning. Daniel Burton, CEO and Co-Founder of Educated by Nature, will delve into current research and share inspiring anecdotal stories that highlight the profound benefits of taking learning outdoors. This session aims to provide inspiration for adults to support them to help children connect more deeply with themselves, their community, and the natural world.

Participants will discover practical strategies for implementing nature pedagogy in educational settings, ensuring a holistic approach to fostering growth and positive behaviour in children. The session will illustrate how the outdoor environment motivates learning through engaging interactions and discoveries with the natural world. By broadening perspectives on the diversity of nature, educators can create enriching experiences that support emotional wellbeing and developmental milestones.

This session aims to equip teachers and early childhood educators with the tools and knowledge to harness the power of nature in their educational practices, promoting a thriving, connected community within the natural world.

Session 2: Wellbeing with Christopher Phoenix

In this dynamic and engaging presentation, Chris expertly weaves together education and entertainment, delivering an unforgettable "EDU'TAINMENT" experience that is both informative and enjoyable. Through the use of humour, interactive games, psychology, and philosophy, participants will be taken on a transformative journey to explore and enhance their own wellbeing as educators.

At the heart of this presentation is the introduction of the Phoenix Cups framework, a powerful tool designed to help educators identify their own needs as well as the needs of others. By understanding these needs, participants will be better equipped to develop strategies for meeting them in constructive and meaningful ways.

Additionally, the presentation will highlight the vital role nature plays in our wellbeing, emphasising how connecting with the natural world can significantly enhance mental health and resilience. Through practical techniques and tools for self-reflection, participants will learn how to integrate nature into their daily routines to foster a more balanced and grounded mindset.

As a culmination of the presentation, attendees will walk away with a deeper understanding of the key factors influencing educator wellbeing and a set of actionable steps to integrate the Phoenix Cups framework, mindful thinking strategies, and the healing power of nature into their daily lives. This presentation promises to be an eye-opening and inspiring event that will leave a lasting impact on participants, enriching both their personal and professional lives.

Session 3: Neuroscience informed behaviour guidance, naturally - with Sandi Phoenix

Delve into how a neuroscience-informed understanding of behaviour can transform educational practices. You will explore how emotions are constructed, the universal needs that drive behaviour, and practical strategies to support children in meeting these needs in a sustainable and harmonious way.

Participants will embark on an insightful journey to understand the foundations of human behaviour and the pivotal role of emotional development in thriving educational environments. Guided by the Phoenix Cups framework, educators will gain clarity on how unmet needs drive behaviour and how to develop "Skills to Fill" these needs effectively.

The session integrates contemporary neuroscience, including Lisa Feldman Barrett’s Theory of Constructed Emotions, with practical strategies for guiding behaviour in alignment with humanistic psychology and Self-Determination Theory. By redefining traditional approaches to “behaviour management,” this presentation emphasises needs-based and connection-driven practices.

Participants will leave with an enriched understanding of how to:

- Recognise and interpret behaviours as signals of unmet needs.

- Apply the Phoenix Cups framework to foster emotional wellbeing and fulfilment.

- Use sensory and environmental contexts to promote constructive behaviours and emotional literacy.

-  Consider the Theory of Constructed Emotions and how brains predict and construct emotional responses based on past experiences.

- Understand the role of sensory systems and interoception in understanding and predicting needs.

- Shift from compliance-driven behaviour management to fostering wellbeing and connection-driven guidance.

- Examine how natural environments support emotional regulation and fulfilment.

- Align sensory experiences in nature with the principles of the Phoenix Cups framework to create thriving, connected communities.

- Foster environments that support emotional literacy and sensory integration.

- Connect behaviours to underlying emotional and sensory needs, creating a foundation for deeper understanding and empathy.