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Rachel Mikottis 
Director: Free Haven Forest School

Topic: "Creating Future Leaders: The Transformative Power of Forest School Education"

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I'm Rachel Mikottis, founder and director of Free Haven Forest School. I was homeschooled until college at 16 to become a teacher.

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I was forced to coerce and bully little kids into doing worksheets that weren't developmentally appropriate and restrictions on outdoor play. This convinced me that traditional schooling wasn't effective for learning.

After five years, I helped my church start a daycare and preschool, refining my philosophy to focus on respecting children.

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During COVID-19, I studied Forest School for safe outdoor learning and loved its impact on students. Unable to find an outdoor school job, I founded Free Haven Forest School in 2021 to promote leadership through outdoor experiences.

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In 2020, I became certified as a Forest School Teacher and Director through the Forest School Teacher Institute and am pursuing an MSEd in Outdoor Education.

Contact

To learn more about Rachel and the forest school education visit: 

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