Dr. Diane's Adventures in Learning
🎧 Adventures in Learning with Dr. Diane 🎧
Inspire curiosity. Spark creativity. Fuel a lifelong love of learning.
Are you an educator, librarian, parent, or STEM/STEAM enthusiast looking to make learning come alive for kids? Adventures in Learning with Dr. Diane is your go-to podcast for hands-on, joyful learning that connects STEM/STEAM education, multicultural children's literature, and real-world exploration.
Join Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor, educator and explorer, as she travels the world (literally and virtually!) to bring you conversations with award-winning authors, illustrators, educators, scientists, and STEM leaders. Each episode delivers fresh ideas, engaging stories, and practical tips to inspire early childhood and elementary learners—in the classroom, the library, or at home. Wonder, curiosity, connection, and play -- we bring the world to you!
🌎 Featuring:
- Innovative STEM/STEAM experiences
- Diverse children's book recommendations
- Strategies for inquiry-based, joyful learning through play
- Voices from around the globe that inspire the WOW
🧠 Perfect for:
Early childhood & elementary educators | School librarians | Homeschoolers | Caregivers | STEM/STEAM champions
🔗 Explore featured books: bookshop.org/shop/drdianeadventures
📝 Read full show notes: drdianeadventures.com/blog
💌 Have an idea or guest suggestion? Email: diane@drdianeadventures.com
👉 Subscribe, rate, and review to support more Adventures in Learning!
Dr. Diane's Adventures in Learning
Learning from the Wild — Writing, Conservation, and Hope with Brenda Scott Royce
What if hope isn’t a feeling—but something you do?
From caring for orphaned rhinos to writing books that spark curiosity, this episode explores how learning, conservation, and community come together in powerful ways.
In Episode 167 of Adventures in Learning, Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor is joined by Brenda Scott Royce, author, former primate caregiver, and conservation advocate, for a heartfelt conversation about learning from the natural world.
Brenda shares her journey from publishing and primate care to writing books that connect children with animals and conservation. Together, Diane and Brenda reflect on their recent trip to South Africa with Children’s Book Creators for Conservation (CBCC)—from reading aloud to preschoolers to hands-on conservation work at a rhino orphanage.
This episode is a reminder that learning happens through curiosity, connection, and action—and that, as Brenda reminds us, hope is a verb with its sleeves rolled up.
🕒 Episode Chapters & Timestamps
01:00 — Writing, Primates, and Purpose
Following curiosity instead of a straight career path
06:30 — Writing Books That Connect Kids to Animals
Stories, nonfiction, and nurturing curiosity
08:20 — Helping Children Fall in Love with Nature
Access, observation, and letting kids lead
10:05 — Why CBCC and South Africa
Traveling with like-minded creators for conservation
15:20 — Meeting Lazula: A Rhino Full-Circle Moment
From fundraiser photo to bottle-feeding a rhino
18:40 — Conservation, Community, and Responsibility
What real change looks like on the ground
24:00 — Seeing the Whole Ecosystem
Why animals—and learning—aren’t isolated
33:30 — Continuing the Work: Chimps in Zambia
Solo conservation work after South Africa
38:00 — Hope Is a Verb
What brings hope right now
🔗 Links & Resources
- Children’s Book Creators for Conservation (CBCC)
- Wild Tomorrow and blog about the trip
- Publishers Weekly article about the trip
- Brenda Scott Royce — books & writing
- Connect with Brenda on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Bluesky
Subscribe & Follow: Stay updated with our latest episodes and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and the Adventures in Learning website. Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!
*Disclosure: I am a Bookshop.org. affiliate.
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