Diane West-Bourke Docent Training

Today, when so many people live hectic urban lives disconnected from the natural world, nature education has become a crucially important issue. We all need personal experiences in nature, meaningful & profound experiences that encourage us to develop a sense of our place on Earth — a sense of belonging, a sense of home & a sense of stewardship. The future depends upon it, because:

Diane West-Bourke has developed innovative docent training programs for the Filoli Center & the Midpeninsula Open Space District (MROSD), which, like many environmental & conservation organizations, rely heavily on docent volunteers to lead nature hikes & activities.

During these 10-14 week docent training programs, Diane teaches trainees about important ecological principles & processes; local flora, fauna & ecosystems; native American life; & the elusive art of interpretation. Her dynamic teaching style makes the learning experience fun & memorable.

Diane uses a comprehensive, theme-based approach that creates a flexible conceptual framework to help trainees (& docents) integrate factual information, observations & experience in a meaningful way. Once in place, that framework continues to support fledgling docents & boost their confidence, enthusiasm & effectiveness long after graduation.