Howard E. Woodin Environmental Studies Series "Consilience, Ecology, and Public Education: A Look at The Walden Project"

“Consilience, Ecology, and Public Education:  A Look at The Walden Project and Perennial Learning” a Howard E. Woodin Environmental Studies Colloquium Series talk by Matthew Schlein, M.A., M.S.W. and Founder/Director of The Willowell Foundation.

This talk will look at the opportunities when we rebalance institutional mandates to address the complex ecological realities of the present.  The focus will be on holistic, interdisciplinary, nature pedagogy and its transformative possibilities within the sphere of education.  Drawing on 25+years in public education this talk will highlight real stories of what happens when community, ecology, and education entwine.

Matt Schlein is a former actor, writer, and director who currently serves as Founder and Director of The Willowell Foundation. For the last twenty-seven years, Willowell has been committed to the consilience of arts, education, and the environment, with an emphasis on connecting youth to the ecology of the Champlain Valley.  The success of Matt’s work with Willowell has been documented locally, nationally, and internationally in film, radio, newspapers, and movies, highlighting programming that enables youth to connect with the environment, themselves, and each other.  Matt holds a B.A., an M.A., and an M.S.W. from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.  He lives in New Haven and has three adult children.