Taylor Smith

I was born and raised on the un-surrendered Kwikwetlem traditional territory where I was surrounded by the songs and lessons of the rivers, ocean, forests and mountains. I have come to see the more-than-human world as our kin; owing a moral responsibility to care for it and all its beings. I bring this moral standpoint to my educational philosophy with an emphasis on play, imagination, inclusion and letting nature be our guide, through methods of emergent and experiential learning. I started working with children in my teens and have continued ever since. I was an instructor at a bike camp for several years, taught snowboarding, worked as a behavior interventionist, a nature-based tour guide for Japanese students, hosted workshops about environmental stewardship and recently finished an internship and mentorship contract with Soaring Eagle Nature school in Vancouver before moving to Courtenay.

I am currently completing my education to be a Certified BC Teacher where I hope to further merge nature and play-based education to the forefront of every day traditional education practices in Canada. I completed a B.A in International Studies and a Certificate in Sustainable Community Development at Simon Fraser University. I also completed a Teaching English as a Second Language Certification and have training in working with children with complex trauma through the Children’s Foundation in Vancouver.