Art of Nature-Based Mentoring: For Educators, Parents, and Community Leaders

Take your teaching and mentoring to the next level with coyote mentoring – a proven, nature-based method that creates deeply engaging, transformational learning experiences. In this immersive training, Living Earth School shares the foundational tools and philosophy behind coyote mentoring, the core methodology that powers our award-winning programs for youth, teens and adults. You’ll learn how to guide learning and growth in a way that sparks curiosity, builds confidence, and fosters a meaningful connection to the natural world. By observing the natural flow of the days and seasons, you’ll come away feeling inspired to plan a meeting, a program, or a lesson plan that works with rather than against our human nature. In addition to learning this model, you’ll simply have a lot of fun outside engaging with “primary satisfactions” like making fire, nibbling on edible plants, and puzzling over a mysterious animal track. This course is ideal for teachers, parents, homeschool educators, mentors, outdoor educators, and community leaders who want to create more impactful, relationship-centered learning environments. While rooted in nature connection, these mentoring principles are widely applicable in classrooms, workplaces, and everyday life. Participants who complete the program will receive a certificate of completion. Learn from Experienced Nature Mentors Your instructors, Hub Knott (LES Co-Founder and Executive Director) and Erin “Soupy” Campbell (longtime LES instructor), each bring over 20 years of experience in nature-based education, mentoring, and experiential learning. Their approach is grounded in how people naturally learn – through curiosity, storytelling, and hands-on experience. One of the most powerful aspects of this method is that learners become so engaged in the process that learning happens organically, often without them even realizing it. Each session blends lecture, storytelling, discussion, hands-on activities, and games creating a dynamic, interactive, and enjoyable learning environment. What You’ll Learn

How people naturally learn and what creates an effective learning environment Core principles of coyote mentoring and when to apply different teaching styles What mentoring is and what it is not How human development stages influence learning and mentorship Hands-on teaching techniques that increase engagement and retention How to assess whether your mentoring is truly working Living Earth School’s core practices for building deep nature connection

Details & Registration

July 22-24th, 2026

Wednesday, 1 pm –  Friday, 3 pm

Ages: 18+

Living Earth School Base Camp in Afton

Tuition: $450, includes meals and camping space

Participants need to bring: Weather-appropriate clothes, a camping setup, notetaking materials, and anything you need to be comfortable outside. Register Now!