Experience the Magic of the Cedarsong Way
I am thrilled to offer The Cedarsong Way Residential Teacher Trainings at the Schoolhouse! The Cedarsong Way has been a grounding and inspiring philosophy that deeply shapes my nature-based teaching practice, and I am truly honored to share it with you. Since 2021, the Schoolhouse has proudly been a Cedarsong Way Accredited School.
The Cedarsong Way Residential Teacher Training is now Develop Approved! KCF Areas and CDA Content Areas covered by the course are listed below. As a Develop-approved training, MN participants can use Parent Aware grants, REETAIN bonuses, and Regional grants to attend the training. To receive Develop credit, participants need to register through Develop and the Cedarsong Way. Develop Event ID information can also be found below.
Before attending a residential teacher training at Wind Ridge Schoolhouse, you need to complete the self-paced Cedarsong Way Foundations course. This introductory online course covers the basics of The Cedarsong Way Pedagogy: the educational philosophy, foundational principles, and the benefits of forest kindergarten and nature immersion programs.
As part of The Cedarsong Way Residential Teacher Training, you will explore the unique elements of The Cedarsong Way Nature Pedagogy, including unstructured nature immersion, interest-led flow learning, inquiry-based teaching, child-inspired emergent curriculum, and fostering social and emotional growth through positive reinforcement. You will also gain essential insights to ensure your program’s success, covering key aspects such as appropriate clothing, building a supportive parent community, cultivating the skills of a nature-based educator, and effective risk management. The Cedarsong Way Teacher Training comprises 35 hours of comprehensive instruction, featuring in-depth topic discussions, direct observation of a Cedarsong Accredited school program, hands-on practicum opportunities, and valuable Q&A sessions with an experienced Cedarsong Certified Trainer.
Are you searching for a cohesive, nature-based teaching approach for your program? Do you need to prepare new educators in nature-based education? Are you looking for inspiration and a supportive community to enrich your teaching practice? If so, I invite you to join me for an upcoming on-site training!
Now Develop Approved!
Develop Event ID 444805 for June 12 – 16, 2026
This is an extra special Teacher Training because it may be the last with all three Schoolhouse teachers – Laura Judd, Lexi Bruno, and Laura Whittaker – facilitating the training. Together, we bring over 20 years of early childhood experience! Sign up today!
Knowledge and Competency Framework Areas
II.A: Creating Positive Learning Experiences (3 Hours)
II.B: Promoting Cognitive Development (3 Hours)
II.C: Promoting Social and Emotional Development (2 Hours)
III: Relationships with Families (2 Hours)
IV.A: Observing, Recording and Assessing Development (2 Hours)
VI: Professionalism (2 Hours)
VII.B: Ensuring Safety (4 Hours)
CDA Content Areas
Content Area I: Planning a safe, healthy learning environment (4 Hours)
Content Area II: Steps to advance children’s physical and intellectual development (6 Hours)
Content Area III: Positive ways to support children’ social and emotional development (2 Hours)
Content Area IV: Strategies to establish productive relationships with families (2 Hours)
Content Area VI: Maintaining a commitment to professionalism (2 Hours)
Content Area VII: Observing and recording children’s behavior (2 Hours)
Visiting Duluth
While in Duluth, we encourage you to enjoy the beauty and adventure of the Northwoods! “The area around Duluth has been known by Ojibwe words that describe this terrain. One of these is Onigamiising, the place of the small portage, which refers to the five-mile-long sandbar not far from the Point of Rocks. Another is Misaabekong, the place of the giants. Standing on top of those walls of gabbro, or looking up at the mass of rocks and trees from the valley and lakeshore, we are standing among giants” (Gichigami Hearts: Stories and Histories from Misaabekong, Linda LeGarde Grover).
Wind Ridge Schoolhouse is in the Observation Hill neighborhood overlooking Gichigami (Lake Superior). We gather on the traditional, ancestral, and contemporary lands of Ojibwe, Dakota, Northern Cheyenne, and other Indigenous people.
If you are traveling from afar, you can arrive via the Duluth International Airport (DLH) or the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport (MSP). There are several shuttle services that travel from MSP to Duluth.
There are many great lodging options in Duluth including hotels, condos, vacation rentals, and hostels. If you are interested in camping, we recommend:
1. Spirit Mountain Campground 9 miles from the Schoolhouse
2. Jay Cooke State Park 18 miles from the Schoolhouse
3. Boulder Lake Environmental Learning Center 23 miles from the Schoolhouse
4. Bagley Nature Center 5 miles from the Schoolhouse
Learn more about Duluth at Visit Duluth. Email Laura at windridgeschoolhouse@gmail.com for tips on traveling to do Duluth, where to stay, or to chat about other details of your visit.