38. Nature Based Education vs Traditional Schooling: Why High Trees Primary Is Worth Fighting For

38. Nature Based Education vs Traditional Schooling: Why High Trees Primary Is Worth Fighting For

From Worthy with Chani Thompson by Chani Thompson

May 20, 2026 · 1h 24m

About this episode

The episode discusses the challenges and benefits of nature-based education through the story of High Trees Primary and its founder Marj Hartmann.

Click Here to learn how you can support High Tree’s Primary » HOW TO HELP Marj Hartmann isn't anti-mainstream schooling. She thrived in it herself. But when she couldn't find an education option that honoured her son's natural curiosity and innate love of learning… she decided to build one. That was over two years ago. Since then, she's received federal government approval, state government approval, and majority community support for High Trees Primary, a revolutionary nature based school on the Gold Coast however the local council continues to knock back and refuse the entire project. In this episode, we dive deep into what's fragmented in traditional schooling, what a whole child approach looks like in practice, and what nature-based education actually offers children. It's a conversation about whether we're willing to evolve education beyond the outdated industrial-era model that prioritises compliance over curiosity and, it's about the cost of being a visionary in a system designed to maintain the status quo. This is the High Trees story and if you're a parent, you need to hear it. You'll learn: - The neuroscience of why stressed brains cannot learn - What nature-based…

People in this episode

Host: Chani Thompson

Guest: Marj Hartmann

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: High Trees Primary

Places: Gold Coast

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