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Not long after returning from Finland, I unlocked the gate to a small, rarely visited patch of forest behind our school in Washington State. Inspired by my Fulbright experience, I set out to make time in this natural space a regular part of our school week. One day after exploring, a student looked up and asked, “This is what they do in Finland? This is amazing.”

Yes—in Finland, outdoor time is viewed as essential to student well-being and development— not a bonus. 

Outdoor learning is necessary to build agency towards climate change and sustainability. Our global climate crisis is deeply impacting the emotional well-being of children, creating real uncertainty about their future. Even in early elementary classrooms, we must help students make sense of the world they are inheriting—supporting their emotions while also fostering hope and action. 

Fortunately, my Fulbright journey led me to Finland to explore how sustainability education can be developmentally appropriate, emotionally supportive, and action-oriented. 

My Fulbright experience transformed more than my teaching—it deepened my purpose. 

Over three months, I observed classrooms, visited nature schools and museums, and engaged in meaningful dialogue with educators committed to empowering young learners. 

What stood out most was Finland’s seamless integration of outdoor learning, social-emotional development, and sustainability. In one classroom, students began their day outdoors in the forest by expressing how they felt, then shared observations from their recent forest visit.

At Vantaan Luontokoulu, students role-played as hares hiding from foxes, sparking conversations about climate change and animal adaptation. Storytelling was another powerful method; Helsinki educators used characters, like Inventor Fox through the FOX model, to introduce sustainability concepts in creative, age-appropriate ways as young as three years old.

I was also inspired by Finland’s emphasis on futures literacy which encourages students to imagine multiple paths toward a more sustainable world. In one kindergarten, children explored a park through the lens of past, present, and future, building agency and curiosity. 

Back home, I developed Our Environment Through Time, a year-long interdisciplinary unit rooted in the Pacific Northwest. Guided by a storytelling character named Gary the Acorn, students explore ecosystems, Indigenous knowledge, and local restoration efforts like the Shoreline Miyawaki Forest Project. Now, outdoor learning is woven into our weekly rhythm. 

Moreover, my Fulbright experience transformed more than my teaching—it deepened my purpose. I returned with new tools and renewed passion to nurture young changemakers who feel connected to nature, supported in their emotions, and ready to imagine and shape a better future.

Learn more about Kitten’s project:

Kitten Vaa
Second Grade Teacher Highland Terrace Elementary, WA 
2024-25 Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching Research, University of Helsinki

Read the whole Fulbright Finland News 1/2025!