We love this time of year! Well, admittedly, this year the weather has clearly not been idyllic, but it is still such a fun time of year. Of course, fun times include challenges too so it is not all roses (or in the case of Terra Nova, buttercups) but together the good times and challenges make for one amazing experience as an educator.

The children that are leaving preschool and getting ready for a new adventure, are exploding with energy, confidence and knowledge. We have been working hard at allowing them space to just be and play, without us interfering so much, and yet also gently guiding them to make good decisions in all areas- their physical risky play and their social and emotional play. The delicate balance of these two ways of being are hard- we spend a lot of time as a team de-briefing, trying new strategies and supporting their ideas, whilst fitting into our framework.

The returning children are also completely settled in and enjoying their comfort level in knowing this place and their classmates. It is beautiful to see friendships solidify, children deepening their explorations and looking closely.

The following photographs represent some of these ideas and words. Enjoy!

With appreciation,

Emily

PS thanks to the team for capturing these moments!

As is so often the case with educators, I arrive home from work and begin transitioning from a vibrant, active work day to home life. But the transition never fully happens, as every teacher knows. Your mind wanders to the moments earlier in the day- how did they go- could I have done something differently, better? What does this child need? What curriculum worked and what did not? The list goes on and is simultaneously exhilarating and daunting.

Last night during this transition, I started to think about the upcoming and fast approaching Earth Day. Other people’s posts on social media (organizations, schools, activists) swirled through my head.  I found myself thinking “Are we doing enough?” Sure we have a garbage clean up planned in all our programs, as well as a big event on Saturday in partnership with Thompson that we are very excited about- but still, is it enough, given we are an outdoor school after all? Should we have been doing flashier things this whole week? We have a lot of other deep projects going on and it is hard to squeeze it all in.

And then, a little voice inside my head and heart screamed out “Yes, this is more than enough!” And why? Because each and every day our children are investigating bugs with gentle hands; planting seeds in the garden; feeling bark as they climb trees; playing dress up under the cascading branches of cedars; listening to killdeer as they gracefully dash across the field; making up Pokeman stories while scaling boulders along the dyke; or cooking with homegrown veggies. And it is these moments of truth that amount to Earth Day- the experiences that will somehow become part of these little souls, and connect them to this wonderful earth of ours.

I shall sleep well tonight, knowing we are doing the work we need to do- one child, one moment at a time.

And, if you can join us on Saturday please come!

TCA – Harnessing the Power Earth Day Celebration

With joy,

Emily

It has been a month of celebrating holidays – holidays rooted in tradition that offer an opportunity to learn from each other, express care and respect for one another and make space for us to contemplate what it means to truly be open to all ways of being.

These important holidays and the values they embody will not be marked off the calendar as “done’ for 2022. Rather we will continue to explore the foundational philosophies behind Valentine’s Day and Pink Shirt Day. In the days, weeks and months to come, we shall continue to weave these conversations into our curriculum of social, emotional and spiritual learning.

Lunar New Year

Valentine’s Day

Kindness Day ( Pink Shirt Day)

love,

Emily & Kate

Perhaps this title captured your attention? Well, thinking about January and the shades of grey, has captured mine! The skies are often grey here in BC in January- some see grey has sort of a ‘blah’ colour and admittedly it can be dreary over time but I also have been finding much beauty in grey. I enjoy the calming effect of grey and I appreciate its stillness and continuity.

I have also been spending time in deep, rich conversations with my adult son and he always opens my eyes to the shades of grey that exist in our lives. I love how he sees everything on a continuum, always seeing multiple perspectives and so many ways of living our lives as humans on earth.

Now more than ever, we must see shades of grey and sit with them, dance with them and embrace them as much as we can. As we hold them with us, we may share more care, humility and humanity with those around us and that seems like a very good thing right now!

Enjoy these photos, many with a grey backdrop and beautiful happy children.

With gratitude,

Emily

In past decades, specific concepts such as colours, numbers, letters and seasons, were often taught through themes chosen by the preschool or classroom teacher: ‘Leaves’ in October, ‘Bears’ or ‘Penguins’ in January, ‘Farm Animals’ in the Spring. The teacher might develop a box of materials with props, stories, and worksheets to be used year after year (and to be honest, we all have favourite some favourite activities and materials that we know ‘just work’) However, a shift in education is taking place. Now, the curriculum is co-constructed with the learner. We recognize that engaging children in their particular interests, and in the world around them, fosters broader and more relevant opportunities for learning. It is also a lot more fun as a teacher!

So, you may ask, if you don’t teach the ABC’s and 123’s through themes or worksheets, ‘what do you teach and how do you teach it?’ Basic numeracy and literacy skills are woven through numerous interactions fostered by the educators, and are relatively easy to list, teach, and check off as ‘mastered’.  For example, ‘recognizes letters of their name’ is a specific skill that can be observed.  But education is about so much more! In Early Childhood Education generally, and certainly at TNNS, we focus on the development of social skills; physical and emotional self-regulation; emotional intelligence; resiliency; independence; kindness; and compassion. And while we often notice themes across children’s play, by age or through the seasons, rather than pre-planning a theme, we look to the children and the outdoor environment as a means of fostering these values. We refer to this curriculum as ’emergent’ and ‘place-based’.  Teaching in this manner is impossible without taking time to be a keen observer.

Reviewing recent photos, I am struck by just how much of our time, both for the children and the adults, is spent in observation. As you scroll through these photos, we ask you to observe the scenario, and to place yourself in the position of the children, or the educators. What is being noticed? What questions and problems arise from the child’s observations? What might the teachers offer to support or challenge the child’s observations? What opportunities for compassion, resilience, independence, or problem solving are present in each photo?  This is such a rich and dynamic way to engage with one another and the world!

Respectfully,

Kate

I was chatting with Nicole, one of our school age Trailblazer educators last week and we had a good laugh about what a typical day looks like as a teacher of young children. We noted that the stories we bring home to our dinner tables are often not only hilarious (and sometimes not fit for a dining table!) but also filled with so many diverse moments in one given day.

Our days are structured and linear in terms of schedule but within those confines, wow, watch out…. we can go from deep project work with big philosophical questions to a bathroom accident in a heartbeat. We can go from dry clothes to soaking wet right through to undies in a flash. We can go from feelings of joy and inclusion to anger and exclusion as you turn your back for a moment. Out of the corners of our eyes we might catch a lost mitten on a path, a rubber boot caked in coyote scat, a long stick dangerously close to another person, a slug leaving its trail on an arm, a boot stuck so deeply in the mud that the boot comes off as the foot is removed, a freezing cold wet child singing at the top of their lungs while changing clothes, and the list goes on. Our days are not really days- truly they are moments- some very easy and smooth and others more challenging. These moments are collected in our hearts and minds and some even into our souls and it is for these moments that we do the work we do. We fall into bed at night, typically exhausted and yet filled up with gratitude for this work we do. It is all in a day.

With warmth,

Emily

Last week marked our first annual Walk for Wenjack. https://downiewenjack.ca/our-work/walk-for-wenjack/

Our team has been working diligently for the past several years on gaining a deeper understanding of the Indigenous peoples of Canada; their history and stories which are so rich and complex. Stories of beauty, courage and love and many stories that are very traumatic and sad.  Through these stories we see such resiliency and fortitude. We have all taken courses, read a variety of literature and in our own way, done some work towards reconciliation. This walk was our commitment to reconciliACTION as a school- and to have included our children and families felt very rewarding. We have so much to learn- how to be better allies to Indigenous peoples- supporting true reconciliation and working towards a better and more equitable future. Thank you to all our families for joining us for this powerful journey that we all must take together. We are proud to announce out Thompson Community Centre Herons donated $1370.00 to the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Foundation.

In gratitude,

Emily

The week before we welcomed children, our team kicked off the school year with a special day of coming together to discuss everything from the nitty gritty details of what we need to have in our backpacks to the larger picture questions of how we want this year to look in terms of our philosophy, goals, dreams and values.

For our preschool families who may not know- we also have a large number of programs that fall under the Terra Nova Nature School umbrella, fondly called Beyond 4 Walls. These program service children from infants to teens and see approximately 150 children per week in all those programs. We have an incredible team of educators in these programs: Caleigh, Chloe, Devan, Monty, Nicole, Rachel , Rebecca, Sarah & Shantelle.

Recently, we also were awarded a Green Grant from the Federal Gov’t to hire a Garden manager and 4 interns to do some ‘green’ projects. Monty is our Lead Garden Manager and there are 4 interns working with her: Atosha, Grayson, Karl and Kelsey.

Needless to say TNNS is a thriving and busy community and we are all so happy to be here, with you, our families!

The first few weeks have been filled with lots of learning for all- saying goodbye to families, following new routines, repeating lyrics to songs, figuring out bathroom breaks and so much more. Thank you to each and every one one of you for being part of our little school!

Below you will see children engaged in a variety of activities, some very simple some more complex. We will share more in the next coupe of weeks about how we supported learning specific to National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Blessings,

Emily