Teacher Training & Retreat

Explore ecological leadership and education, from formal teaching to inspiring your community. Dive deeper into permaculture through teaching it.

Rancho Margot, Arenal, Costa Rica

TBA

Jason Gerhardt, Natalia Vega

Exercise with herb identification in permaculture teacher training.

“Whatever you want to ignite in others first has to burn within you.” – Charlotte Bronte

Do you think about sharing your passion for permaculture to inspire others? Are you already leading and want to sharpen your skills and pedagogy? Or are you looking for other ways to learn more about earth and people care?

Spend a week training as a teacher for permaculture at the stunning sustainable retreat and farm Rancho Margot in Costa Rica. The Teacher Training is designed for anybody who has taken a Permaculture Design Course or is already an educator wanting to deepen their understanding and practice of permaculture. Teaching requires us to fully absorb in a subject so we can transmit information, skill, inspiration, and wisdom effectively. It’s said that the best way to learn something is to practice teaching it and that’s what this course is all about.

Seasoned instructors carefully guide you through multiple teaching and leadership exercises to both build your knowledge of permaculture and have you practice sharing it as a teacher and community leader. We help you hone your voice, approach, style, and passion in the safe space of a training, human to human. Sharing what expert instructors Jason Gerhardt and Natalia Vega-Durga have learned through decades of teaching and leading in permaculture, you will receive invaluable tips for your own teaching and leadership journey.

Scholarships are available for Costa Rican participants wanting to become permaculture teachers.

Date: TBA

Cost: $1200 ($300 deposit)

Modality: In-person

What you will learn:

Ways of inspiring yourself and others.
Teaching approaches for different learning styles.
Leadership tips for a variety of settings.
How to develop effective and engaging curricula and activities.
How to lead through challenging topics.

Course Location

Rancho Margot, Arenal, Costa Rica

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Course Details
This course is highly interactive and includes student teaching exercises. Come prepared to engage yourself in mock teaching and leadership activities indoors and outdoors. Class will take place from 8am-5pm each day, with evening retreat-style activities as well. Rancho Margot features tropical food forests, animal systems, nature trails, natural swimming pools, excellent food, and a comfortable learning environment. Consider extending your stay to explore nearby attractions like Arenal Volcano, beaches, and rainforests. This course occurs during the best season to visit Costa Rica.
Travel
Locals can arrive to the destination by any means of their choosing. For international travelers, plan to fly into either Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia, Costa Rica or Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose, Costa Rica. We will help you with transportation company recommendations and will organize the class beforehand for ridesharing. Car rentals are easy means to get from the airport to the destination as well. Contact us for more details.
Lodging
Comfortable lodging is included in tuition and is provided at Rancho Margot in bunk and group occupancy. Double or single rooms may be available for an additional charge. More info coming soon!
Meals
Meals are included and will be prepared for the class with locally grown ingredients. Reasonable accommodation for food allergies can be made. Please notify us in advance so we can plan for your needs appropriately.
Setting & Weather
The course takes place at beautiful Rancho Margot near Lake Arenal. Weather can vary significantly in Costa Rica and is generally warm and humid during the day and slightly cooler at night. Prepare to dress in layers for maximum comfort. This course will take place in the dry season, but rain can still occur.

Questions?

Feel free to contact us to help you plan your attendance. When you are ready to sign up, please submit the course application below.

Course Application - Teacher Training & Retreat
Ready to apply? Submit your application and we will follow up to help you plan your attendance.
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Please describe your previous experience with permaculture, ecological design and education, or regenerative agriculture.*

Why do you want to take this course?*

Please list any food allergies and restrictions?*

Do you have any health or mental health circumstances that we need to be aware of?*

Seeking scholarship for course fees? Please explain your situation of need.

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Payment, refund, and cancellation policy:

Payments:
Your deposit, together with your “Teacher Training & Retreat” application, is your registration for the course.
Deposits are due upon notification of acceptance into the course to reserve your spot.
Full payment is due 30 days prior to the start of the course/program.
Cancellations and refunds:
In the event that Permaculture Institute, Inc. needs to cancel the class, all students will be refunded all deposits and full payments.
Cancellation by registered and paid participant prior to the start of class will be refunded only if we find another participant to fill your spot.
Once the class begins, whether the registered participant attends or not, no refunds will be issued, excepting circumstances with medical emergencies that prevent a participant from completing the course that they started.

Payments: Your deposit, together with your course application, is your registration for the course you applied and paid for. Deposits are due upon notification of acceptance into the course and hold your spot. Full payment is due 30 days prior to the start of the course/program. Cancellations and refunds: In the event that Permaculture Institute, Inc. needs to cancel the class, all students will be refunded all deposits and full payments. Cancellation by registered and paid participant prior to the start of class will be refunded only if we find another participant to fill your spot. Once the class begins, whether the registered participant attends or not, no refunds will be issued, excepting circumstances with medical emergencies that prevent a participant from completing the course once started.

Attendance and conduct policy:

Full attendance is expected by each participant. If a student is not present for more than one day, either consecutively or cumulatively, they will need to make up the time missed beyond one day to earn their course completion certificate, if one is offered as part of the course.
Participants are expected to show up to each class and activity on time.
Participants are required to behave within the legal parameters of the host country/state, and respect rules and regulations of the course venue.
Instructors reserve the right to ask a participant of any course or program to leave without refund if they prove to be disruptive, abusive, unstable, intoxicated, or violent to the point of being harmful to oneself, other participants, the quality of the experience, or the venue where the course is being held, solely at the instructors discretion.

Full attendance is expected by each participant. If a student is not present for more than one day, either consecutively or cumulatively, they will need to make up the time missed beyond one day to earn their course completion certificate, if one is offered as part of the course. Participants are expected to show up to each class and activity on time. Participants are required to behave within the legal parameters of the host country/state, and respect rules and regulations of the course venue. Instructors reserve the right to ask a participant of any course or program to leave without refund if they prove to be disruptive, abusive, unstable, intoxicated, or violent to the point of being harmful to oneself, other participants, the quality of the experience, or the venue where the course is being held, solely at the instructors discretion.