Within the North American public education system, institutionalised structures of schooling often prevent teachers from aligning their values with their practice when it comes to environmental education (Bowers, 1997; Weston, 2004). In response to this, this article will outline our lived experiences, as teachers and researcher, in disrupting the traditional school system as we work toward building a new culture in schooling through nature-based education. Acts of disruption that we will speak to include: going outside for learning on a regular basis, teaching for empowerment, involving families in the education, attempts to play with structural confines of schooling, and finding ways to stay empowered ourselves. Through this work, we have found that there is a rippling effect to the disruption that requires courage, grit, and resilience such that we do not slide back into conventional approaches. We have also become empowered in our practices through implementing these changes, watching our students become active stewards within their communities and beyond. We are learning deeply about the work of structural change within a public school district and offer words here as inspiration and support for others wishing to make changes within their own context.

中文翻译：

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可持续的今天和明天的自然教育（NEST）：在学校教育中孵化一种新文化

在北美公共教育系统中，学校教育的制度化结构往往会阻止教师在环境教育方面将他们的价值观与他们的实践相结合（鲍尔斯，1997；韦斯顿，2004）。针对这一点，本文将概述我们作为教师和研究人员的生活经历，在我们努力通过基于自然的教育建立一种新的学校教育文化时，我们颠覆了传统的学校系统。我们将谈论的破坏行为包括：定期外出学习，为赋权而教学，让家庭参与教育，尝试玩弄学校教育的结构性限制，以及寻找让自己保持赋权的方法。通过这项工作，我们发现需要勇气、毅力、和弹性，这样我们就不会滑回传统方法。通过实施这些变革，我们在实践中也获得了授权，看着我们的学生成为他们社区内外的积极管家。我们正在深入了解公立学区内的结构变革工作，并在这里为希望在自己的环境中做出改变的其他人提供灵感和支持。