Educator Spotlight: Bella Insignares

Bella is a nature instructor at Walnut Creek Wetland Center in Raleigh and recently began working in the Discovery Room at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. Bella credits the environmental education certification program with helping her find positions in the field.

Bella has a strong background in southeastern flora and fauna that she incorporates into the programs she develops and teaches. “I am particularly passionate about connecting environmental education to art and increasing the access to environmental education by developing programs that are accessible and inclusive.”

Bella says her favorite part of her certification journey was the instructional workshops. “It was a really enjoyable experience to spend lots of time with other educators, learning foundational activities and techniques specific to the field of environmental education. I think it made me feel most connected to the field and gave me lots of ideas for teaching.”

When asked about an experience that stood out to her, Bella says that it was the Storytelling in Environmental Education Workshop that was facilitated by Raleigh Parks and Recreation. “It was so informative and fun. It also gave me context because I recognized elements from the workshop that had been used by my peers in their own programs, which helped me see the workshop as a shared experience between myself and my peers. I thought it was very meaningful that I was a part of that cycle of learning.”

For her community partnership project, Bella contributed to the Beginning Birding program developed by Field Inclusive, Wake Audubon, City of Raleigh and the NC Bird Atlas. “I conducted breeding bird surveys for Bird Atlas and developed a presentation to share with program participants about how they could contribute to citizen science as burgeoning birders. I also led bird walks as part of the Beginning and Advanced Birding programs, both of which continue to this day. These programs are primarily aimed at increasing a sense of belonging in marginalized recreationists and exposing new birders to foundational birding knowledge, positive community support, and safety tips, while also increasing awareness of citizen science opportunities. I hope these programs have contributed to a safer, more supportive, more positive birding community.”

Bella says the program changed the way she approaches teaching. “I gained a much more principled, thoughtful, intentional approach to teaching while completing my certification. I started this certification as a college student after taking an interest in environmental education in high school. My first programs were developed from an emotional, intuitive perspective, and though well-intentioned, lacked any understanding of pacing, audience, or the role of the educator. Having learned the guidelines, gained more experience teaching and learning from peers I've met through EE workshops, I would say my teaching style has matured and blossomed beyond my imagination. I am far more confident, practiced, and principled after participating in the certification program.”

She says the program also changed the way she views environmental issues. “I see the role the educator plays in awareness about environmental issues differently after this certification program. I used to see environmental education as more directly relating to sharing issues and encouraging specific solutions, but now I see our role as encouraging affective investment in the environment that leads to people forming their own ideas and solutions about environmental issues.”