Outdoor Learning, Wellbeing and Sustainable School Culture
Why OutLearn for Wellbeing – Using the Storyline Approach?
Because - In just one inspiring week of hands-on workshops, you will gain effective strategies to:
- transform your teaching practice through outdoor learning,
- improve wellbeing for children and educators,
- reconnect education with nature and local community,
- integrate mindfulness and forest-based learning into school life,
- develop sustainable, future-oriented (pre)school culture,
- use the Storyline approach as a powerful pedagogical framework.
Designed for educators who aspire to create authentic change in education, this course brings theory to life through practical experience, reflection, and meaningful action.
The course has a limited number of participants to ensure the highest quality, meaningful interaction, and the best possible learning experience for everyone.
Where and When?
Location: The programme combined urban learning experiences in Ljubljana with outdoor activities in a scenic rural area located out from the capital. The diverse settings supported outdoor learning, wellbeing, and sustainable school culture practices.
Course Details:
- Duration: May 24 - May 30th 2027 (confirmed)
- Time: 09:00–14:30
- Language: English
- Course fee: 560 EUR
Where Urban Meets Rural: Learning with Nature, Place, and Community
This immersive teacher training course explores how outdoor learning, wellbeing practices, and a sustainable school culture can transform education.
Set in both the urban and rural landscapes of Slovenia, the course combines experiential learning in nature with the Storyline approach, mindfulness, forest and meadow awareness, and place-based education.
A key dimension of this programme is active collaboration with local communities. Local educators, experts, and community members are invited to participate as co-educators, sharing their lived knowledge, traditions, and perspectives. Their contributions provide valuable insights into the relationship between people, place, and education in a rapidly changing world.
Participants will not only learn about outdoor education—they will learn with the landscape and the local community, co-creating a meaningful and authentic educational experience.
By the end of the course, participants will have developed their own action plan for implementing outdoor learning and fostering sustainable school development, grounded in practical experience and adapted to their own educational context.
Who is Lea – Your Course Leader?
Lea Colner is an internationally recognised educator, school leader, and educational innovator with more than a decade of experience in transforming schools through outdoor learning, sustainability, wellbeing, and child-centred education.
She holds a degree in Education from the University of Ljubljana, where her award-winning thesis on the Storyline Approach received the prestigious Prešeren Award for outstanding academic achievement. Lea is also the author of the book The Storyline Approach in Education (Published in 2015).
From 2011 to 2024, Lea lived and worked in Sweden, serving as both a teacher and school principal. For five years, she led an international bilingual school north of Stockholm that gained international recognition as one of the 100 most inspiring schools in the world for education for sustainable development. During her leadership, the school was also selected among the five most sustainable schools in Sweden, reflecting its strong commitment to environmental responsibility, wellbeing, and innovative educational practice.
Lea completed the National Principal Training Programme at Stockholm University and was nominated for Principal of the Year in Sweden. She also received the prestigious Leader of the Year Award in the category of Sustainable Development, recognising her visionary leadership and commitment to creating meaningful change in education.
Today, Lea is continuing her international professional development through the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) while co-leading the development of a new Montessori school, and educational centre in Slovenia.
Alongside her leadership work, she delivers professional development programmes, lectures, and international training courses for educators and school leaders. Her work focuses on school transformation, sustainable school development, outdoor learning, wellbeing, educational leadership, and innovative teaching methodologies. She supports schools in designing learning environments where children thrive through curiosity, creativity, meaningful participation, and emotional safety.
Lea believes that lasting educational change begins with empowered educators, connected communities, and learning that extends beyond the classroom into the natural world.
Description and Course Overview
Course Title: OutLearn for Wellbeing - Outdoor Learning, Wellbeing and Sustainable School Culture; Local Roots, Global Perspectives
Key Areas of Focus:
- Outdoor Learning & Nature as a Learning Partner: Explore how natural environments can support curiosity, creativity, wellbeing, and deeper learning.
- Storyline Approach for Meaningful Learning: Discover how a holistic approach to teaching, creativity, and collaborative creation can transform outdoor learning into an interdisciplinary and engaging educational journey.
- Wellbeing Through Nature Connection: Explore mindfulness, meditation practices, sensory awareness, and nature-based activities that support emotional balance for both children and adults.
- Place-Based Education & Local Heritage: Discover how local landscapes, biodiversity, traditions, and communities can become valuable educational resources.
- Sustainable School Culture: Develop practical approaches for creating learning environments that nurture sustainability, resilience, and a sense of responsibility.
- Community as a Co-Educator: Learn how local people, traditions, and knowledge can enrich educational experiences and strengthen connections between schools and communities.
Course Methodology
This course employs a blend of innovative and experiential methodologies to create an engaging, reflective, and practice-oriented learning experience:
- Interactive Workshops: Engaging sessions that combine educational theory with practical application through dialogue, exploration, and collaboration.
- Experiential Outdoor Learning: Learning by doing in forests, meadows, and local outdoor environments, where nature becomes both the classroom and the teacher.
- Storyline Approach: A creative, narrative-based methodology that connects participants' experiences into a meaningful learning journey while fostering collaboration, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary learning.
- Mindfulness and Nature Connection: Guided mindfulness, breathing exercises, sensory awareness, and meditation practices that promote wellbeing, presence, and resilience.
- Place-Based Learning: Exploring local biodiversity, cultural heritage, and community knowledge to understand how place shapes learning and sustainability.
- Nature Observation and Inquiry: Guided exploration, observation, and inquiry-based activities that encourage curiosity, reflection, and environmental awareness.
- Creative Nature-Based Activities: Hands-on experiences, including nature journaling and land art, that deepen participants' connection with the natural world.
- School and Preschool Visits: Observational visits to innovative educational settings to experience authentic examples of outdoor learning, wellbeing practices, and sustainable school culture.
- Collaborative Reflection: Individual and group reflection sessions that support professional dialogue, knowledge exchange, and the transfer of ideas into participants' own educational contexts.
- Action Planning: Participants develop a practical implementation plan, enabling them to transfer new knowledge and approaches directly into their schools or educational organisations.
Program Overview
Sunday:
Arrival, Introduction, Registration And Mingle.
Monday - Friday:
9.00 - 11.00: Morning Session: Hands-on activities.
11.00 - 11.30: Coffee Break
11.30 - 13.30: Afternoon session: Active connection of hands-on work with experienced practices and theories.
13.30 - 14.30: Lunch Time
Saturday: Departure or Optional Cultural & Nature Exploration of Slovenia
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Design learning experiences connected to nature, place, and local communities.
- Use mindfulness and nature-based activities to support wellbeing in children and adults.
- Integrate local biodiversity, cultural heritage, and environmental awareness into teaching practices.
- Strengthen sustainable school culture through outdoor learning and community connection.
- Develop strategies for personal sustainability, including practices that support educators’ wellbeing, resilience, and long-term professional balance.
- Apply the Storyline approach in outdoor education and experiential learning.
- Develop practical action plans for implementing innovative outdoor learning and sustainability practices in their own educational settings.
Additional Information
Language: English
Target Audience:
- Preschool and Kindergarten Teachers
- Lower and Upper Secondary Education Teachers
- Post-Secondary Non-Tertiary Education Educators
- Teachers, Educators, and Facilitators
- Head Teachers / Principals
- Pedagogical Advisers
Costs:
The course fees may be supported through a Key Action grant under the Erasmus+ Program. Our pricing policy follows official regulations to ensure transparent costs.
Course fee: 560 euros per participant.
What is Included:
- Welcome Kit – Provided by Studio Lea Colner team.
- High-Quality Daily Program – Designed by our innovative trainers to ensure an engaging learning experience.
- Daily Coffee Breaks – Enjoy morning breaks to connect with colleagues and trainers.
- Logistic, Organizational & Administrative Support – Comprehensive support throughout the course to ensure smooth participation.
- Certification Ceremony – Course completion validation, networking opportunities, and a farewell celebration.
- Course Materials – All necessary learning materials, handouts, and resources are included to support your learning experience.
What is Not Included:
- Travel: Participants are responsible for organizing and funding their travel to and from the course location. We encourage minimizing your carbon footprint when planning travel.
- Local Travel and Meals: Local transportation (e.g., airport transfers, train/bus tickets, taxis) and meals are not included in the course fee. Please keep receipts and consult your school or sending organization for possible reimbursement.
- Accommodation: Accommodation costs are not included in the course fee and need to be arranged and funded by the participants themselves.
Certification details
Upon successful completion of the course, participants will receive a Certificate of Attendance along with a detailed program outlining the topics covered. Participants who actively present and share their practices during the course will have this achievement specifically noted on their certificate.
Additionally, participants will receive:
- Certificate of Obtained Competencies: A certificate highlighting the key skills and competencies acquired during the course.
- Europass Mobility Certificate (if requested): An official certificate that details the learning experience, enabling participants to demonstrate their professional development across European countries.
In case of any questions, feel free to contact Lea at studio@leacolner.com
Registration, Payment, and Cancellation Policy
This policy applies to all our scheduled courses.
How to Register for Our Courses?
You can register for any scheduled OutLearn for Wellbeing course by filling out our ONLINE FORM.
How to Formalize and Guarantee Your Course Place
To formalize and guarantee your course place, full payment of the course fee is required. We will send you a course invoice with payment details. Upon receipt of your payment, we will confirm your place via email.
What If I Can’t Attend a Course and I Have Paid?
If you need to cancel your participation due to personal circumstances such as flight changes, health concerns, or other matters, we do not provide refunds. However, you can reschedule your booking to another course within the same category at no additional cost. This option is available for up to two years from the cancellation date.
What If the Organizers Cancel the Course?
In the unlikely event that we need to cancel a course, you will receive a full refund of your course fee within 4 weeks of the cancellation notice.
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