About the Monarch Teacher Network of Canada
The Monarch Teacher Network of Canada (MTN of C) is the Canadian arm of the Monarch Teacher Network (MTN). They form the growing network of educators who believe that by bringing nature to the classroom, we can teach, inspire, and connect our students in an authentic way to the natural world.
Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA) assumed the role of administrative support for MTN of C in 2009, becoming part of the previously established network. This new relationship allowed MTN of C to expand its reach and program offerings nationally. The network continues to draw leadership and program development support from the Education Information and Resource Center (EIRC), and receives generous support from The W. Garfield Weston Foundation.
A Story of Transformation
The story of MTN of Canada is literally one of transformation! It begins with the very first workshop that MTN hosted in August 2001 when eighteen New Jersey teachers were trained in “Teaching and Learning with Monarch Butterflies”. That workshop was held at the EIRC facility in southern New Jersey, near Philadelphia. The workshop met with great success, as the teachers found the workshop experiences highly transferable to the classroom. In 2003, the reach of the project was expanded to Canada and the first workshop was hosted in Kingston, Ontario.
As MTN and the workshops gained momentum in Canada, guardianship of the program was placed in the hands of a dedicated group of volunteer staff under the name Monarch Teacher Network-Canada (MTN-C). In 2005, the W. Garfield Weston Foundation began funding the Canadian project, creating the necessary stability for the project to continue to grow.
In 2006, MTN-C delivered its first workshop outside of Ontario, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, catalyzing the formation of the western Canadian chapter. Monarch Teacher Network-Western Canada (MTN-WC) created a unique delivery model, developing strong First Peoples connections within their workshop, as well as a strong working relationship with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC).
Despite a strong interest in the program from teachers and educators in Canada, in November of 2009, the Monarch Teacher Network-Canada officially disbanded. Toronto and Region Conservation was approached by The W. Garfield Weston Foundation and EIRC with the proposition of re-launching the Canadian network; TRCA happily agreed. Since then, together we have held an eighteen additional workshops in Canada.
As we move forward, TRCA is committed to supporting the network, and we look forward to sharing in this journey with all educators who share the vision for a classroom which transcends walls, and lessons inspired through the awesomeness of nature. Our thanks to The W. Garfield Weston Foundation who has generously supported our engagement efforts; thus begins the next chapter in the story of the Monarch Teacher Network of Canada.
