It’s been a year since our loft was installed. During that time it has been many things and taken us on many adventures... we have snuggled into a house and had sleep-overs, visited a hospital, nested in a birdhouse, decorated a castle, worked and shopped in a store,...
This beautifully uplifting and inspiring book was published near the end of 2021, just when educators really needed to hear that the work they do matters, really matters. Because of a Teacher is a collection of personal stories, brought together to "offer hope for new...
This is the second part in a series from Green Schools National Network (GSNN) that features GSNN partners describing best practices and lessons learned, on topics tied to each of the impact systems in the GreenPrint, starting with Leadership. The GSNN GreenPrint™...
The Natural Pod play stand with arches have been the perfect compliment to my Grade 1 classroom. Over the past few years I have been changing my classroom to reflect a more natural, calming environment. I replaced all existing plastics with wood, wicker baskets, and...
This brief essay isn’t intended to reiterate the long history of design thinking as best expressed by the brilliant David Kelley, founder of IDEO and the Stanford d.school, as there are numerous resources readily available for educators. Instead, it’s meant to...
Bringing the Outdoors in with Biophilic Design - Mounting research suggests that spending time in the outdoors provides a wide range of benefits. For children in particular, access to nature is associated with improvements to mental health and cognition, longer...
The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model (WSCC) - Whole Child to WSCC Back in 2007 ASCD – the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development – a leading U.S. and global education association, convened a group of leading education, health, and...
The Natural Pod team has recently been gathering together online with the intention of reflecting on this past year. (We are an almost fully remote team so that's our normal regardless of the current state of the world). We've also been looking ahead to the next one...
There is a common belief that today's schools are moving away from the idea of creativity in the classroom due to new education standards. Yet it is possible for innovative thinking to be part of your students’ daily experience no matter the curriculum. The best way...
Today’s students are pretty tech savvy. From iPhones to tablets, most children attending school today have grown up with technology as part of their everyday lives. These “digital natives” know how to use these devices to communicate too – from texting to blogging to...
Our 2022 word of the year was partnership. Through intentional partnerships we were able to impact learners and educators in new, meaningful ways. Leaders in learning (aka you!) created better learning environments all around the world! Some of you impacted spaces...
Why conscious buying is more than choosing green products. Black Friday kicks off the global holiday shopping season, and it is obviously impossible to ignore. Many retailers are pondering if this year’s average spend will be lower due to high inflation and a looming...
“We Want A School!” - a book illustrating how children define the learning spaces they truly want & need. “We Want a School,” written and illustrated by Enrico Giori and the learners of Grade 5B of the Caracciolo Elementary School Milan, explores from the...
Due to timeline and distribution complexities created by the pandemic many schools are having to make choices about outfitting their learning environments for September right now and very fast. That is a lot of pressure on educators and administrators at a time when...
The Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) is a non-profit, interdisciplinary association of professionals working at the intersection of learning and place to drive the evolution of learning environments. Made up of regions and chapters across the globe, their...
Natural Pod works at the intersection of pedagogy, design and sustainability. So when the team read the opening statement of the book Design Thinking for School Leaders: Five Roles and Mindsets That Ignite Positive Change, our interest was piqued. What if education...
Interior Design’s 'Best of Year' is the design industry’s premiere design awards program, honoring the most significant work of the year as well as recognizing designers, architects and manufacturers from around the globe. You can help the Natural Pod team win Best of...
When we refer to our community we’re talking about you: all the educators, administrators, parents, architects and designers who pull together to make the experience of learning better for children. Because that’s what is at the heart of this work; creating and...
Raising a strong, resilient generation of planet protectors requires significant social change. A facet of that change is educating for conscious consumption as well as environmental responsibility. With students already being surrounded by learning furniture, that's...
The Interior Design Show (IDS) Vancouver is the go-to Pacific event for all things design. Taking place on September 22nd – 25th, the theme for IDS 2022 is ‘New Futures’: Thought-leaders with a local and global perspective will tackle the future of design....