Edge Hill alumna Sarah Seaman has a passion for incorporating outdoor learning into teaching, which she has now turned into a book.

In 2019 Sarah left formal teaching to create The Muddy Puddle Teacher, a subscription website which offers resources and training to educators.

Now she has published a book, titled The Muddy Puddle Teacher: The playful way to create an outdoor curriculum in the early years. This practical handbook is full of outdoor learning ideas and emphasises the need to go green and be more sustainable within teaching.

Sarah’s passion for bringing the outdoors into teaching comes from her childhood. “When I was younger I was a bit of a loner and bullied quite a bit. I got my sense of self from being outside. Therefore, it made total sense that I used this passion in my teaching roles also I saw the benefits it gave to those children who were a little bit like me.”

Sarah said: “I left teaching to pursue my interests in outdoor learning, which developed while doing my Forest School qualification. I saw the benefits of the outdoors and wanted to explore how I could create an outdoor learning approach that took the curriculum outside and provided more engaging and fun activities for teachers.”

Talking about her book release Sarah said: “When my book came out in April it was an incredible moment. I have vitiligo: a rare skin disorder which means lots of my skin is bleached and has no pigment, something I have always been conscious of. For someone who has not always believed in herself and lacks confidence, this was a day to be proud of. It was amazing for my children to witness and be a part of; they were enormously proud of me and took my book into show and tell.”

Sarah completed her Master’s in Education in 2013 and was impressed with the support and wealth of knowledge on offer at Edge Hill. Sarah was working full time along with completing her MA and found the flexibility of the course a perfect choice for her.

“The course fueled my passion for education, particularly early years, and showed me how much I love to learn. I was Dyslexic, undiagnosed at the time, but Edge Hill provided me with excellent support and enabled me to achieve my goal.”

Providing advice for current students Sarah suggests being flexible with your career: “First I worked in media but fell out of love with it, then I moved to teaching. I saw how I could improve it, and fused both roles into one. Now I am a teacher-influencer who has built my own website, training programmes, and resources to inspire others.”

You can learn more about our postgraduate teaching courses here.

You can buy Sarah’s book here: The Muddy Puddle Teacher as well as access Sarah’s podcast and Youtube Channel.