Jodie Itkonen

NaTURE EDUCATOR

• • Early Years Program (Courtenay)

When I step into the forest, I feel a great sense of belonging to something bigger; I feel joy, calm, and gratitude being amongst the trees and other living things! I have wonderful memories of being in nature with my two boys: when they were babies being carried on my back on hikes, going on family rock-climbing trips each summer throughout their growing up years, and going trail-running together when they were teens. I remember how they always had so much fun going on adventures in the woods and at the crags where they spent so much of their childhood.

I love witnessing the calming and inspiring effects of natural environments on children. They are so curious about things and they quickly become experts in spotting the tiniest mushrooms, flowers, and insects. They help me see everything with a fresh perspective!

I have enjoyed working with children throughout my adult life, mainly as a piano teacher. When we moved from the lower mainland to Lake Cowichan five years ago, I began to study and then work as an Early Childhood Educator. For the last two years, I have been facilitating a nature preschool in the Cowichan Valley. And now I’m excited to spend each day with children in the forests of the Comox Valley, learning and growing and discovering together!