A Place Where Children Blend With Nature
Is mostly formed by a group of mothers and grandmothers passionate about children and nature; most of us refuse for our families to continuing being part of the school system leaving behind our professions to renew ourselves and become advocates of childhood, committed to recover its almost forgotten real meaning and restore it for the new generation of children.
OUR TEAM
"IF A CHILD IS TO KEEP ALIVE HIS INBORN SENSE OF WONDER, HE NEEDS THE COMPANIONSHIP OF AT LEAST ONE ADULT WHO CAN SHARE IT, REDISCOVERING WITH HIM THE JOY, EXCITEMENT, AND MYSTERY OF THE WORLD WE LIVE IN."
- RACHEL CARSON
Program Coordinators
Ursula Castaneda
Program Coordinator
Imagina Parent & Child Institute
Karina Simon
Program Coordinator
Adventures in the Forest
Mexican. Mom of two boys and one girl under 7. Waldorf Education certification. Certified Nature-Based Educator by Erafans. Former Accountant, self-taught Nutritionist and Childhood Advocate. Comfortable with English and Spanish languages. Mom at our community since 2016. Committed to restoring childhood since 2018.
Brasilian. Mom of a teenager and two school age children. Certified Nature-Based Educator by Erafans. Psychologist. Former preschool teacher. Comfortable with English, Spanish and Portuguese languages. Committed to restoring Childhood since 2020.
Imagina Parent & Child Institute Team
Facilitators at the Parent and Child Institute: IMAGINA, supports the community of Parents and Caregivers to set and understand their common objectives in parenting. The role of a Facilitator is to assist parents in planning how to achieve these objectives while understanding and validating the real needs and rights of the young children under their guidance.
In doing so, the Facilitator remains "neutral" meaning they does not take a particular position in the topic but advise in an objective way for the adults to made their own decisions.
Alicia Angel
Facilitator
Colombian. Mom of a preschooler. Waldorf Education Certification. Bachelor of Business Administration. Eco-friendly candle maker. . Comfortable with English and Spanish languages. Enjoys exploring the outdoors. Mom at our community since 2019, Committed to restoring childhood since 2021
Patricia Leon
Facilitator
Peruvian. Mom of a preteen. MBA and Educator Specialized in Andragogy, Leadership, Marketing and HR. Certified Forest Kindergarten Mentor by Cedarson Nature School. Certified Nature-Based Educator by Erafans. Montessori Instructor Newborn to 6 years. Former Leadership Instructor at UPC Post-graduated Business School. Active volunteer with Surfrider and Pelican Seabird Hospital. Committed to restoring childhood since 2011.
Adventures in the Forest Team
Josefina Prats
Mentor @ Earth N' Us Farm
Argentinian. Mom of three girls (a baby, a toddler and a preschooler). Certified Nature-Based Educator by Erafans. Psychologist. Former preschool teacher. Comfortable with English and Spanish languages. Committed to restoring Childhood since 2020.
Anita Armas
Lead Mentor @ Elaine Gordon Park
Venezuelan. Mom of a 12 years old girl. Certified Nature-Based Educator by Erafans. Bachelor of Arts with
a major in Cinematography. Former tv producer. Nature walks lover. Committed to restoring Childhood since 2018.
Kristen Adsit
Lead Mentor @ Oleta State Park
American. Mom of a 4 year old girl. Certified Nature-Based Educator by Erafans. Art History & Advanced Certificate in Conservation, Sculpture and Art Objects. Gardener and Yoga Instructor. Mom at our community since 2018, Committed to restoring Childhood since 2021.
Mentoring consists of a long-term relationship focused on supporting the growth and development of the mentee.
At the Forest Kindergarten, Mentors becomes a source of indirect wisdom, co-learning, with the responsibility to become a role model and support to discover life's wonders. Mentors are observes that avoid to advise, give ideas, judgements or resolve conflicts between the children and during specific actions on their daily play.
Ashley Whitaker
Mentor @ Earth N' Us Farm
Gloria Baena
Mentor @ Earth N' Us Farm
Colombian. Mom of two adults and Grandmother. Children's book Author, Life Coach, Former preschool teacher and Childhood advocate.
Committed to restoring Childhood since 2014.
Felipe Silva
Mentor @ Enchanted Forest
Brasilian. Single and has a sister. Psychology student at Miami Dade College. Former boxer. Comfortable with French, Spanish, Creole and Portuguese languages. Committed to restoring Childhood since 2021.
Fatima Daoudi
Mentor @ Oleta State Park
Moroccan. Mom of 2 pre-teens. French tutor and Former Accountant and preschool teacher. Comfortable with English and French language. Committed to restoring Childhood. since 2021.
Simonett Rosemberg
Mentor @ Oleta State Park
Venezuelan. Mom of 2 young girls. Bachellor in Science and Former Architect. Comfortable with English, hebrew and Spanish languages, she has knowledge of Italian and French as well. Mom at our community since 2018, Committed to restoring Childhood since 2020.
Claudia Santos
Mentor @ Oleta River State Park
American. Mom of a preschooler. Mentor in Training. Certified Nature-Based Educator by Erafans. Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management. Comfortable with Spanish and English languages. Committed to restoring Childhood. since 2020.
Lais Vidotto
Volunteer Mentor @ Oleta State Park
Brasilian. Mom of a 3 years old. Certified Nature-Based Educator by Erafans. Comfortable with English and Portuguese languages. Physical Therapist. Mom and Volunteer at our community since 2021 and Committed to restoring Childhood since same year.
Katja von Elbe
Conscious Discipline Mentor
American. Mom and Grandmother. Certified Nature-Based Educator by Erafans. Master in Special Education and Certified Conscious Discipline consultant. Comfortable with German, Spanish and English languages. Former preschool teacher. Committed to restoring Childhood since 2012.
Samantha Garcia
Mentor Assistant @ Camps
American. Hero student at the Middle School Studio at Miami Nature School. Comfortable with Spanish, Portuguese and English. Supporting camps at MNP since 2018. Self-taught Anime artist. Her goal is to become a Biologist and help children to learn about nature.
"THERE IS NO NEED FOR FORCED LESSONS, LECTURES, ASSIGMENTS, TESTS, GRADES, SEGREGATION BY AGE INTO CLASSROOMS OR ANY OF THE OTHER TRAPPINGS OF OUR STANDAR, COMPULSORY SYSTEM OF SCHOOLING. ALL OF THESE , IN FACT, INTERFERE WITH CHILDREN'S NATURAL WAY OF LEARNING." - PETER GRAY
Miami Nature School
an Acton Academy Affiliated
Luis Sarmiento
Miami Nature School Guide
Peruvian. Dad of a preschooler. Certified Nature-Based Educator by Erafans. Degree of arts in Philosophy and specialized in Mathematics Education. Musician and Chess, English and Mathematics tutor. Parent at our Community since 2019 and Committed to restoring Childhood since 2020.
Lee Friedman
Miami Nature School Guide
Israeli. Mom of three school age children and one teenager. Certified Reggio Emilia instructor by Reggio Emilia Institute in Italy. Bachelor in Arts and Special Education. Hebrew Tutor. Former preschool teacher. Comfortable with English and hebrew languages. Committed to restoring Childhood since 2016.
"WE DISCOVERED THAT EDUATION IS NOT SOMETHING WHICH THE TEACHER DOES, BUT THAT IT IS A NATURAL PROCESS WHICH DEVELOPS SPONTANEOUSLY IN THE HUMAN BEING."
- MARIA MONTESSORI
Administrative & Support Team
Maria Havilland
Accountant
Luz Elena Silva
Mint & Cocoa Photo
Jonathan Eastman
Family Therapist & Game Master
Conscious Discipline Specialist
Patricia Leon
Program Director Miami Nature PLAYcamp
Executive Director & Co-Founder Miami Nature School
Founder The Childhood Nature Project
Peruvian. Mom of a preteen. MBA and Educator Specialized in Andragogy, Leadership, Marketing and HR. Certified Forest Kindergarten Mentor by Cedarson Nature School. Certified Nature-Based Educator by Erafans. Speaker at Forest Kindergarten Certification. Speaker at multiple annual Nature-Based Conferences about MNP Methodology. Montessori Instructor Newborn to 6 years. Former Leadership Instructor at UPC Postgraduated Business School. Former Independent Consultant at Cornell IRL. Speaker at Grupo Consulta, Lima-Peru. Active volunteer with Surfrider and Pelican Seabird Hospital. Vaccinated.
Committed to restoring childhood since 2011.
Ana Maria Cordido
Head of School & Co- Founder
Miami Nature School
Venezuelan. Mom of four boys under 7 years old. Early Childhood Educator and Former Preschool Teacher. Certified Nature-Based Educator by Erafans. Speaker at multiple annual Nature-Based Conferences about MNP Methodology. Parent at our Community since 2016. Vaccinated.
Committed to restoring childhood since 2017.
