Grounded in nature, dedicated to curiosity, and walking the trail alongside every child

Our Educators

A group of children sitting around a wooden outdoor table, with a woman standing in front of them showing a book, under a wooden shelter in a forested area. The table has papers and water bottles on it.
Illustration of a blue and orange bird with wings spread wide, a pink heart icon on its chest, set against a white background.

Brewer, Rebecca

co-founder & teacher

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Contact Rebecca ▸
A person with short dark brown hair, glasses, and a nose ring, smiling outdoors amidst greenery and rocks.
A detailed illustration of an orange and black monarch butterfly with its wings spread open.

Vanderhoof, Carmen

co-founder & teacher

Carmen was born in Florida and raised across Tennessee and Missouri. She has spent the last 31 years in the Chattanooga area, raising a family with her husband, David, and continuing her education. Her family loves to travel and spend time outdoors; in fact, they homeschooled their children for 16 years—traveling to Mexico, Italy, and Ireland to study nature, history, science, and world cultures. During those years, Carmen also taught in local homeschool co-ops, thriving in mixed-age group learning environments.

Feeling a pull to continue educating young minds after her own children grew older, she returned to university to earn degrees in German and Education/English. After becoming a certified teacher, she realized that facilitating learning outdoors was a far better fit than teaching within four walls, leading her to guide forest schools for the past five years.

Designing literacy, history, and art instruction for our multi-age groups is a major part of Carmen’s role at Bluebird Wildschool. For her, learning alongside our students in nature, watching them grow, and being outdoors every single day is simply the best job in the world.

Contact Carmen ▸

"The wisest and noblest teacher is nature itself."

— Leonardo da Vinci
Three Eastern Bluebirds around a wooden birdhouse. One bluebird is perched on top of the birdhouse, while the other two are entering or leaving the birdhouse.

Photo by Jonathan Carter

Illustration of a squirrel preparing for winter, showing stages and activities including gathering seeds and nuts, storing acorn caches, and creating winter dencs with autumn leaves, acorns, and pinecones.

Animal Study

Children playing in a wooded area with one girl climbing a tree using colorful climbing holds attached to the trunk, and others walking or sitting nearby.

Audubon Acres Sites