06/10/2026
Meet one of our presenters for the 2026 Project WILD Facilitator Forum, Dr. Michael Kamen!
Dr. Michael Kamen became a WILD classroom teacher over 40 years ago. He taught at both progressive and traditional schools and earned degrees in education from Stony Brook University (elementary education), Bank Street College of Education (supervision and administration), and the University of Texas (science education). His university courses include Elementary Science Methods, Elementary Math Methods, Educational Technology, Innovative Schools, and The Science and Art of Play. His research interests include innovative schools, the pedagogy of play, science education, math education, creative drama, lesson study, and environmental education.
His current research focuses on the role of play in learning and development. Disheartened by the decline in play in most schools, even in the younger grades, he advocates for play-based learning and the many ways to bring play back into children's lives across a variety of educational contexts. He sees Project WILD as a rich source of engaging and playful outdoor activities. He has been teaching pre-service teachers in science methods courses since he started his graduate work at UT Austin in the late 80's. He always includes a PW workshop in these courses and typically takes these students on overnight field trips where they teach PW lessons to children at a school environmental education camp program.
Dr. Kamen sees WILD ones as a positive force to engage students to playfully to learn science and gain an appreciation for wildlife and the natural world.
