Teaching Outdoors to ALL Learners (TOTAL NM) was born out of a statewide acknowledgement that too many New Mexico students spend their entire school day indoors. Starting with the broader movement captured in Every Kid, Every Day, Every Way, TOTAL NM was founded to turn that shared vision into action: making daily, equitable outdoor learning a reality for students across New Mexico.
Today, TOTAL NM operates as a community-centered 501(c)3, supporting educators with the training, tools, and frameworks they need to take learning outside regularly and with confidence. From the Outdoor Educator Leadership Program to free statewide workshops, TOTAL NM meets teachers where they are and builds from the schoolyard up, because New Mexico’s land, climate, and cultural relationship to place are powerful resources that belong in every child’s education.
Vision
TOTAL NM (Teaching Outdoors To ALL Learners) is founded on the transformative idea that inclusive, accessible, and equitable outdoor spaces can benefit the educational experience for all learners of all abilities and backgrounds.
Mission
We support equitable outdoor learning spaces for all PreK-12 students in New Mexico by providing spaces for relationship building, professional development, and resource sharing.
TOTAL NM will foster equitable outdoor spaces for all learners by:
- Fostering collaborative spaces for organizations, youth, teachers, and educators
- Providing professional development and collaboration for formal and informal educators
- Advocating for funding, legislative and policy efforts that support outdoor classrooms and spaces
- Promoting recommendations from the community-generated vision and strategy Every Kid, Every Day, Every Way (A Tribute to Every Kid, Every Day, Every Way: A Look Three Years Post-Release: A Reflection on Connections, Shared Power, and Lasting Change)