There are truly no words to describe the energy from yesterday’s Family Cooking Class, Italian Day! It was a special event- bringing our families together, the very young to the more experienced, to learn, cook and eat was an exceptionally rewarding experience. Our bellies and even more importantly, our souls, are all filled up! Check out some quick snapshots ( amidst floury hands) to capture a glimpse of our day.

Chef Andrea spends time prepping- the pay back for this prep is huge as it helps make the day smooth and organized. Thanks Andrea!

After an acknowledgement of territory, a small snack to celebrate Lunar New Year, an ice breaker game and some fun facts about pasta, Chef Andrea takes the stage to let us know what we will be cooking today.

Learning about the nuances of pasta dough.

Kneading our dough to the right consistency.

Chef Andrea demonstrated how to make fresh ricotta cheese using cream and vinegar.

Each child had an opportunity to catch the pasta sheets as they came through the roller.

Gnocchi waiting to be adorned with the fresh veggies.

‘Till the next post,

Emily

A joyous week…Lunar New Year Celebrations, the arrival of a very generous donation from West Coast Seeds , playing, cuddling, and exploring our hearts and our minds.

Barry helps to lead our Owls in a Lion Dance- albeit our very own, unique version!

Ludwig performs his own original Lion Dance and then offers it to others to try. Katharina is giving him directions in German- how wonderful to join two very different cultures!

Tyler S’s family made these beautifully decorated stones as a gift to Nature School- thank you Angela!

Ariel and Tyler C’s mommies preparing dumplings and red bean rice cake- yum! It really is like family cooking together in a kitchen!

My heart is beating faster as I look though these seeds packs! Dreaming and planning….

Platon and Ken help to make a thank you card for West Coast Seeds. Learning to be thankful and showing our appreciation is important.

Nika and Hayden enjoy a shared experience of watching a squirrel through the window. We do have a lovely view!

“I got one! I got one!” Ibrahim announces as he reels in a “big fish.” Lately Ibrahim has pretended to fish many times during free play. What has sparked this sudden desire to explore fishing, could all the deep puddles be sparking this curious its? (Heidi)

“Hey, what happened? My bowl sunk, now I can’t get it.” Zoe inadvertently learns concepts around buoyancy as her once floating bowl submerges in the deep puddle. (Heidi)

Nicholas and Leo discuss how to fit all the pieces into their design; this is one of the first times these two children have worked together alone on a project- what will this mean for their time together next week?

Cuddling and listening attentively to Kate’s story.

Ditch fishing

While using the play dishes, Yi Teng notices Heidi put out paint pots. He approaches the paint pots and looks at them for a moment, then places his bowl near it and touches the top of the brush with his fingers. “Water, pshh pshh,” he says then and pours out his pretend water and returns to refill his bowl. Soon many of the children are using the paint pots to get water. As I watched, I noticed how, when they pressed the brush end, the motion and way of holding the bowl was reminiscent of how he use the outdoor hand wash stations. Could they be envisioning the same thing I am, or are they relating this more to an indoor faucet? (Heidi)

“Quickly we have to get to the fire!” Firefighters, Ibrahim, Will And Kingston ride their firetruck, fire hoses at the ready, to put out a blaze. Though the firetruck appeared to be an integral part of their play, I wonder if the absence of the hoses would have seen the bucket being used as a different type of vehicle, or perhaps something else entirely.(Heidi)

Sometimes it is the smallest gestures that can lead to more impactful connections and future relationships. Despite not having had very much prior communication, Ohnyou offers Ronan some of the birthday cake she had made, ensuring that he had a utensil to eat it, as well as informing him of it’s flavour. (Heidi)

Trying to help each other climb the tree.

Wishing you all a prosperous, healthy and happy year!

Emily

Emily’s post of last week, “Encounters”, has had me thinking about a word that represents my own intentions for this New Year of 2017.  In this, our third year of operating Terra Nova Nature School, I am enjoying a feeling of ‘finding our feet’ – we operate with proven systems and routines; we have names for places within the park; our staff know each other well and trade in and out of tasks seamlessly – there is a rhythm to our work that is reassuring.  And certainly we have no shortage of encounters!  But, as Emily suggests, how do we deepen our encounters?  How do we stay open to all possibilities, while maintaining particular values and philosophies? How do we know when to change course, and when to continue working towards specific goals for the children, the curriculum, the school community, and ourselves as educators?  This is my on-going internal debate and joy as an educator: the known is never certain, and what seems certain always has hidden surprises, so this work never feels boring!  And my word?  Joy!  Every day I am reminded of the reason we dreamed up Nature School in the first place – because even on  the toughest, wettest, crankiest, trickiest of days, there is always an encounter that has me smiling, always a moment of joy to be encountered.  Enjoy this glimpse of our most recent week together!

Running to keep warm by the windy river!Ken notices the dark clouds and predicts more rainy weather.Figuring out how to share the big blocks is a challenge, but always results in interesting structures that support dramatic play.

Zoya, Elsa and Leo are making pizza in the ‘oven’ (cardboard tubes)….And making pizza inside the Cottage.

Soyon and Yi Teng have caught something on the end of their sticks!Using real tools, scaled to kid size, offers the satisfaction of doing real work.

Just add water and the play lasts for hours!

Kye and Kingston have a chat about organizing a playdate, and wondering where each other’s house is?May and Vino are playing superheroes.Sloan, Zoe, Hayden & Ludwig mess about with cornstarch goop and colouring.Tyler is thrilled with the colours he has created, especially the way the blues and pinks swirl over the dissolving sugar cube.Both the Eagles and Owls have been noticing the birds – here Sloan, Avery, Darel and Justine are playing in their ‘nest’.To assist with bird-watching, Emily teaches Tyler and Yohan how to hold the binoculars.Yohan and Zoë refer to field guides for making their notes and drawings.Zoe keeps a tally sheet for the group during morning walk: one line for every crow we saw.Brianna and Ludwig are ‘tracking’ the birds; “take 3 steps then stop, okay?” says Brianna.The arrival of the septic tank truck is a perfect opportunity for more observing and drawing.Emily teaches the Eagles class some calming yoga poses…..….. and Darel is calm and relaxed, breathing deeply while keeping his eyes closed.The children offer many theories about why the rodent is lying on the pathway – a common thread is that a cat, or maybe a coyote, caught it and hurt it.Although the group has moved on, Erika and Ayleen stay to look more closely.  “Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!” calls Erika.After learning about Richmond’s Food Security Charter at our recent parent meeting, parents planted seeds as a gift and provocation to the children.  Parents in Reggio Emilia schools often create artworks, garden projects, or other surprises for their children’s classes.

Joyfully,

Kate

Encounter–this word has been swirling though my mind as we enter a new year. In the past fews years, inspired by others, I have chosen a word that will support setting an intention for the upcoming year.  Influenced by one of my mentors, I have been thinking a lot about encounters. I am interested in exploring how to deepen my encounters with people, places, animals and things. How can I make each encounter rich and worthy? How can one encounter affect and inform the next? What is my role in an encounter? How can I keep myself open enough to receive the offerings given to me by an encounter?

The reason why I share this with you is because I would like to bring this intention to my daily work with children.  How can I best support their own moment to moment encounters? As I look though these photos with this in mind, I can see a beautiful start to a new year!

A chilly day naturally invites thought of warmth and fire. These Owls make a campfire, roasting marshmallows. The pretend play is complex, including adding new ingredients, cooking for each other, and warning each other of burning hot marshmallows. Kye is handing me a marshmallow, cooked on this long blade of dried grass.

Annabelle, as seen many times before, lays down and snuggles herself into her little bed. Zoya offers to sing her a goodnight song. Isn’t this lovely- Zoya bringing her home traditions to others?

Writing in cold weather is tricky, requiring a glove removal. Araceli concentrates as she begins to express her idea on paper.

Theia enjoys working in this peaceful setting. What is she hearing, seeing and feeling as she perches herself on this boulder?

Maliya references the bird field guide to identify a bird in the water.

The Owls develop their balance and proprioceptive skills as they negotiate the icy trail.

Chores are part of living together in a house. Frazer helps to care for our plants, generously donated by Barry.

Kate supports Mattias and Nikas’ curiosity around ice as she sets up a melting station.

The Owls cooking group makes apple crisp. They enjoy the smell of the cinnamon and speak enthusiastically about the butter!

Cosy time… why use our blankets when you can use mini carpets?

Justine and Ashlyn have fun typing on the keyboards and looking at books together. What will develop from this play?

The Owls bring in the garbage and recycling, an exercise in working together as the bins are awkward to carry.

Ludwig comments about how beautiful it is to be outside for snack time.

The Eagles summit this muddy hill- now you can see why their clothes were so muddy! It was the kind of mud that incited more play as children gloated about their muddiness!

William and Olivia problem solve tying a knot so the cord can reach from one tree to another. What other ways can we support this type of work?

Rafe shows Kye and Vino his stamp and transformer. It is a beautiful moment of sharing- gentle hands, polite words and mutual respect.

Audrey gives the ball “a giant kick” to pass to William. Playing with balls has so much to offer in terms of both gross motor skills and social development.

Nicholas is ready for the premier league as he dribbles, kicks and protects the ball!

Chilling out on a creative piece of furniture- a step up from the gravel! Clever Yi Teng!

Climbing, leaning, pushing in the friendliest of ways.

Tricia points out interesting things to notice- mountains, birds, water; we are so lucky to walk along the Fraser River.

‘Till the next post,

Emily

Learning to use tools such as mallets, pegs, sticks, and tongs is tricky with mittens on, but very engaging!  Many children were interested in finding ice in various shapes and formations.  Ken and Yohan learned about the trapezoid!

Finding ways to travel across the land challenged our gross motor skills!

Having some quiet time in the Cottage: whether a complicated scene, a 3D block puzzle, or a free form design, figuring out how to put things together offers challenges for all ages and interests.  Heidi is showing Mattias how to connect paper rolls with paper fasteners.

Prior to the Winter Break, Ken from the Eagles class wanted to make alphabet soup.  Following up on his suggestion had us digging carrots out from under the snow before we could cut them up!  The alphabet pasta led to vigorous explorations of the alphabet in both reading and writing throughout the classroom, including the lovely example below of Avery observing and learning to add names to the easel ‘waitlist’.

Pausing to enjoy quiet times together with each other, the land, the weather, and the other creatures of Terra Nova Rural Park is important too!  We hope your Winter Break was both festive and restful.  Welcome to a new year, Happy 2017!

Warm wishes to all during this holiday season,

In gratitude,

Emily & Kate

This week’s snowfall gifted us with many opportunities for exploring new materials, consequences, ideas, and strategies.  Frozen puddles were fun for smashing with our boots, until we discovered that stinky mud still lurked beneath!  Children declared “Let’s skate on the ‘lake’! Can ice be eaten, and how did those bubbles get caught in there?” We wondered, “what will happen if we put coloured water outside, or when we bring ice inside?”

The first day of fluffy snow was perfect for making a snowman, complete with kale eyes and a carrot nose from the garden, but the next day the crunchy, icy snow was too hard for snowballs.  Throughout this week, all we needed was our warm clothes (often experiencing the discomfort of wearing so many layers and the impossibility of putting wet, cold hands back into mittens); snacks, eaten quickly; the occasional tool; and ourselves, as we set out to explore Terra Nova in winter.

Children asked many questions: “Where did the water go?  Where did the ice come from, and why is it coming out of this pipe?”, and they tested new theories, particularly around movement and mark-making.

The landscape was transformed! Fields of tall grasses were suddenly negotiable, and pathway intersections were somehow less obvious.  The snow encouraged us to move differently in this space, brushing off every bench and bridge that we passed, and slowing down to notice animal tracks.  We found slugs under bushes, and even a vole!  We are careful to let the snow geese eat in peace so they will have the strength to migrate, rather than chasing them to watch them dramatically take flight.  This is children learning to self-regulate, Nature-School style!

Our inside time felt especially cozy as we decorated a Christmas tree – naturally with an eagle, rather than a star, on top; enjoyed hot chocolate and stories; figured out how to make paper chains; shared scotch tape; enjoyed new manipulatives and play mobile; and learned to play board games together.

Although it was cold, the bright days were a welcome reprieve from our typical rainy days.  and it was a pleasure to experience a wintery curriculum alongside the children.

In gratitude, Kate.

At our last team meeting, Heidi shared an observation that was thought provoking for all of us. Most days, but certainly not all, we bring quite a lot of equipment with us; scarves. play dishes, working tools, ropes etc. She noticed that once we stop our wagon to settle in a play space, the children madly rush to the wagon, grab at various materials and use them in a rather frantic way. We all agreed that we had also noticed this reaction. We wondered, is this reaction useful and productive for their play? Are the children getting ‘stuck’ in their play, re-creating the same scenes, rather than exploring new avenues? What could we do differently to entice and provocate the children to new learning paths?

Many years ago, Kate and I were privileged to take an inspiring workshop with Dr Sylvia Kind; for one intensive week, we explored materials, digging deep into the core of creativity. This workshop affected us both in a profound way and has woven throughout our work. Sylvia urged us to think about “What can materials do” not “What can we do with materials?” These sentences might seem the same but they invoke an entirely different experience. Bridging this idea to Heidi’s observation was completely natural. Rather than us bringing things to the natural environment, we want to open the door for the environment to bring more to us.

This concept is something we have discussed and worked with before; the land provides opportunities all the time; the change of seasons, the presence or lack of certain animals/plants and the changing landscape all allow for rich experiences. But, we had drifted away- just slightly, but we had drifted. So we are now in a  new mindset- less is more. Bring less, allow the magical land to bring us to new places and build our relationships in a meaningful way. We will still bring “stuff” but when we do, it will be with a lot of reflection and thinking about purpose.

A perfect example of a natural provocation; a Great Blue Heron perches herself on the Parson House.

The Owls jumping, sliding, leaning, climbing and pretending to ice skate!

These Eagles are learning to work with rope, tie knots and bang in tent pegs.

Last Friday, we had the privilege of offering our teachings and knowledge to 44 incredible educators from the Society of Richmond Children’s Centres. Our time included some hands- on projects and some heavy duty deep thinking work which allowed us all to explore new places and insights.

We were honoured to have three young powwow dancers close our day. Powwow dances express the history and spirituality of the Indigenous peoples. Wearing traditional regalia, the children beautifully used movement to express their story.

With turn taking support from Kate, the ice cream store serves many customers- Tyler C, Justine and Frazer are all demanding customers. Mattias has to really be speedy as the ice cream shop manager!

Straddling this gorgeous bench, Nika notices the design. What is she thinking as she looks at it?

Kingston, Anderson and Platon share a laugh as they try to carry this long and clumsy branch!

We visit an area that we have not seen for a long while. Avery is figuring out whether she should step over the branch or walk around it to get to the other side. Problem solving in an outdoor setting sparks confidence to all other decision making opportuntites.

Where there is water there are ducks, I mean children!

Zoë and Jason often pick the “seeds” from these trees ( see previous post). They collect them into piles. What about this activity is so alluring for them? I wonder if they would enjoy collecting other seeds or grains or it it really about these trees, these catkins and this place?

A very cold day, the wind was strong but Darel and Justine do not seem to mind at all. Both are interested in carrying a branch, even if it is a challenge with mittens on.

Kye experiments with wetting his large paint brush and swirling his body around so the water flings off.

Brianna and Ludwig construct a beaver dam in the block room. This is exciting! We haven’t visited the dam this year but this interest has carried over from last year’s curriculum. Yay, caring and thinking about the animals on the land!

Nicholas and Vino try to figure out how to get un-tangled from the rope.

Chefs at work- making homemade waffle batter. With an insanely delicious amount of butter!

Hayden asks to see a field guide to try to identify a bird we saw earlier in the day. I invite him to draw the bird.Will he recognize this bird again?

Miscellaneous moments of joy and discovery…

‘Till the next post,

Emily

A theme of ‘finding balance’ has emerged for me as I look through photographs from last week (and a few from the week before that I just couldn’t leave out!).  Throughout a school day, every educator faces numerous choices as we observe, scaffold, direct and re-direct the children in their behaviours and activities.  What are the benefits and potential risks of climbing trees, jumping ditches, wielding sticks? How do we encourage social interactions and a sense of community, yet respect individual needs for independence, quiet time, and privacy?  How much do we involve ourselves with the children’s dramatic play, and when, as the adult, are we interrupting?  Shall we teach a new skill, or allow more opportunity for inventing and problem solving?  And, not least for this program, how much time do we spend outside and inside, either embracing the rain and wind, or seeking shelter?  Lately our team has also been discussing equipment (are the children relying too much on the gear we bring with us?); and our impact on the land (how much to pick, and how much to leave for the birds, animals, and other visitors to the park?)

In the winter months we also have to find consider how to offer a balance of fine and gross motor play outdoors.  How, when hands are in mittens, can we  provide sensory, tactile experiences – the equivalent of water and sand tables often found in an indoor setting? Fortunately we have been blessed with a particularly mild November this year, so we have been able to play comfortably – and messily! – with abundant puddles, play dough, and mud!

I hope you enjoy these images of ‘balance’ and our amazing Nature School children,

With joy, Kate

“One Great Blue Heron, standing on a shed, standing on a shed, standing on a shed….”  You may have heard your child singing a version of this song lately.

Emily began teaching yoga moves to the Eagles, starting fittingly with tree, mountain, and bird poses!

Misuzu has the Owls class wondering “how many children can fit inside the circle?”

Another small group experience: frequently the children have choice about what to draw, and other times we direct their attention to something specific in the landscape.

What, if anything, should we bring on the wagons?

Using rope and pegs in a small group takes a lot of communication and self-regulation.

Erika and Justine have become close friends – picking just one photo of this delightful interaction was hard!

Sharing materials requires an assertive voice and a willingness to compromise.

Although garden implements are typically used only for their true purpose, I stepped back to observe Darel and Tyler C experiment with turning the wagon and rake into a machine.

Passers-by were either captivated or aghast to see children literally rolling in the mud. William was clearly enjoying himself, and became even muddier before we headed back to the Cottage for a hose-off.  Somehow he  managed to keep his hands completely clean!

Working together to haul hay from the Sharing Farm to cover our garlic beds.

Mattias worked out a system for organizing the last of the bean harvest.

Balancing work and play in the garden!

Shantelle and Misuzu help the Owls class to read letters from our Thompson School buddies.

After referring to our leaf collection for a colour mixing project, Mattias carefully used a Sharpie pen to draw happy faces on the leaves before giving them to classmates.

Becoming responsible for our space and materials, Jason and Tyler C clean up after painting in the Studio.

Adding music and ribbon wands gives new life to the Halloween dress-up clothes. Ashlyn proudly says, “I’m dancing Powwow”

Pausing to observe the water level of the Fraser River provided a few contemplative minutes in the middle of our active walk/run along the trails.

It was exciting to see the wood chips arrive!  I wonder if Tyler will recall his work with Darel creating a hinge for the wagon machine?

The wood chip mountain offered plenty of opportunity for filling, dumping, and transporting.  Thank you to all the families who continued to work on this after class and on the weekend!

Ken and Avery spent a long time with our volunteer Zoleikha, spreading the chips between the garden beds.  The garden looks so tidy!

Brianna and Nika take a break to deal with a ‘woodchips in the boots’ problem.

Many children were interested in Heidi’s use of a saw to cut lengths from the branch. Later, some learned to help by balancing a foot on the log to help keep it steady for Heidi.

Learning to sit quietly for a few minutes on our ‘sit spots’.

Annabelle keeps her balance while looking up, up, up at Eagle Tree tunnel.

Also at Eagle Tree Tunnel, Shantelle and Rafe play peek-a-boo.

Catkins on the trees at Muddy Hill are plentiful, and the children delight in rubbing them apart to make it ‘snow seeds’.

Olivia carefully holds her treasure of dandelions in a bouquet.

Annabelle and Yi Tend work beside one another using the play dough quite differently; I am curious whether their ideas and materials will intersect?

A lovely recollection of Nika’s Mom climbing a cherry tree to pick the fruit for us last summer comes to mind as I observe Nika at the playground.  She, too, is a skilled and fearless climber!

Thank you for viewing!

Given the major political event that occurred this week, it seems timely to discuss and introduce the idea of our preschool children being citizens of our community; our municipality; our province; our country; our world. This term is something we have discussed in depth at team meetings in the past as it is an integral part of the core teachings in Reggio Emilia. Now, more than ever, I think we need to see these young children as powerful and able citizens who can contribute to our community both now and in the future. Working together to create citizens who are open minded, respectful to the natural world, kind, generous in spirit, positive, deep thinkers, supportive of varying ideas and ideologies, and rule breakers ( in the most beneficial ways) are just some of the attributes we want to develop. Walk with us, please, hand in hand, to support this type of growth in our young citizens!

Jason and Sloan work together on their loose parts piece. They have started to form a large circle- will they fill it or leave it empty?

Nika and Yohan place the chestnuts in a pile: I believe they exclaimed there was a special item underneath.

Justine is shelling the scarlet runner beans, passing them to Hayden as he incorporates them into the design. Great teamwork! I wonder if Hayden asked Justine to shell the beans or if she offered or if it just happened on its own?

Mason continues working while his partner runs off to fetch another material. I wonder if the pile in the middle is part of the design or is it his ‘resource pile’?

Brianna and Tyler call me over to take their photo, obviously proud of their design!

This small group of Owls is working on communication and getting to know each other. Soyon and Ohnyou pass the beanbag to each other while Nicholas and Platon are in the background.Games, like this toss, support social learning as well as physical development.

Kingston and William fooling around together!

Stopping at intersections is a safety rule here at Nature School; Elsa, Yi Teng, Kye and Audrey show me an intersection with their arms. I am impressed that they are really starting to understand this concept!

Kate tells the Eagles the story of the Broken Tree and the tree doctor. Oral storytelling helps to create a bond between the past, present and future. We recognize and cherish the value of this form of literacy.

Shantelle helps to guide the children through an exploration of this tree stump. Erika notices “a spider” and helps to attract the others attention to the web.

Audrey and her family donated these super cool beady ball things which expand when you add water. They are marvellous for a sensorial activity and colour appreciation.

Lucky to have a fence right at the Cottage. Maliya, Araceli, Audrey and Elsa socialize together while working on balancing and negotiating space.

Misuzu shares a laugh with Ronan and Vino as they scrub our newly harvested potatoes. Will they think about this next time they eat potatoes at home? Will they make connections to their vegetables in new ways?

Looking closely: Anderson and Leo investigate something of interest- what have they found?

Worm hunt! Gentle with the spades!

I look over at the tarp and see one child drawing with Tricia beside her. Within moments, there is another and another and another child wanting to draw. It is interesting to see how interests spreads to others when in a group.

“We are making a volcano. There is hot, hot lava rock that burns you when you touch it.”, says Ludwig. Mason says “Yeah, its really, really hot.”

Ayleen takes a leaf and puts it in my hand. She asks me to make a hole in the centre so she can put her twig through the hole. Then she puts it over her campfire and tells me she is roasting a marshmallow.”

‘Till the next post,

Emily

It had been a long time coming, and I mean a really long time coming! I had been thinking about wheat day for over a year and yesterday it finally happened! It truly was like a dream come true for me– sharing my passion for growing wheat, processing it and cooking with it, was something very important to me. I don’t know why exactly; perhaps it is the sheer delight of growing something so basic and being able to incorporate it into our lives; perhaps it is the connection to the outside world since wheat is grown all over the world; perhaps it is the beauty of the wheat stalk when it rustles and sways in the wind on a hot summer day before its harvest; whatever it is, wheat is captivating and alluring. And, not just to me, but to all these other folks too- hurray!

We learned about wheat, we threshed it and made very loud noises in the barn, we experimented with winnowing, we ground the kernels into flour and used it in our lunch. Chef Andrea brought the wheat to life in a delectable flatbread with caramelized onions and a wheat berry salad fit for royalty! Her flavour combos were delectable and everyone enjoyed many helpings of each- thank you Andrea!

I think, underlying all of this experience, is the way that food connects people. I am enchanted by our community– children of all ages and their dedicated parents coming out on a rainy Saturday to share in something that really was quite magical. I believe everyone who joined us yesterday would give thanks for our land, our ability to grow food, and our City for providing spaces like the Red Barn to gather together. This week will commence with deep gratitude.

The prep began early Saturday morning; basket to be filled with wheat berries for each family to take home.

We ground flour (from our own kernels) before class to get a head start; each family brought some home– what will they make?

Threshing wheat with different tools. Here we see Zach brought his own tool to try out; it leveraged quite a bang!

Sean, Ronan’s dad, is a good sport as I threw him into this experiment ( I had not actually done this method before). We all were very excited it worked!

Getting ready to grind the kernels- thanks to Mr Lai for loaning us his grinder.

Each child had a turn to pour kernels into the grinder and watch them disappear.

Chef Andrea explains how to make the flatbread dough and later the no- knead dough to take home.

Look at Theia’s expression ( the girl on the right) as she watches Chef Andrea assemble the flatbread.

Tyler and his daddy watching the demo with interest.

Alison and Evan are captivated by Andrea’s ingredients; will they want to make this dough at home later?

‘Till the next post,

Emily

Without doubt, this particular place of Terra Nova Rural Park in Richmond, BC, is a beautiful place to explore.   What I notice when looking at photographs from this week, though, is the sense that we are coming together as a community.  The children are learning one another’s names and using them more often; routines and landmarks are familiar; children are comfortable asking teachers and volunteers for assistance.  We are starting to shift from ‘newness’ to ‘knowing’, and that sense of trust shows up in the way the children are engaging with each other and this environment.   Despite heavy rains, and the inevitable exhaustion that follows Halloween excitement, we had so many lovely moments together. Enjoy!

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Last week we hosted our first Parent Meeting of the new school year, and one of our agenda items was ‘curriculum development’.    What do we teach?  How and why do we decide what is  important – for all of us – in our living together at Nature School?  It is an enormous question, and yet it is also very simple.  We teach the things that matter to us as educators: the moments we notice the children noticing; the social skills we deem essential to developing empathetic, confident, creative young people; and the physical and cognitive skills that support children to enjoy life-long learning.  We also teach ourselves, learning alongside the children every time we pause and take notice of a small wonder; whenever we talk and reflect with one another; and when we delight in sharing and representing our learning with parents, educators, and our larger community. Tonight and tomorrow our team will attend a conference to extend our own professional learning.  We look forward to generating many insights and ideas that I know will make their way back to our work at TNNS!  In the meantime,  I hope you enjoy this first, brief post, as I add ‘learning to blog’ to my own skill set!

Small group time allows for conversation, comparison, and close attention to one another’s work. This Eagles group is counting and documenting apples collected from the trees around the Cottage.

Sloan and Yohan are working together at the felt board, re-telling “I am a pizza”, a song we recently learned together.

Ayleen is also re-telling the song, but she is ‘reading’ the words from the paper as she places the pieces on the board. She looks so cozy on the little couch!

Jason helps Ashlyn by pulling off a snug rubber boot; helping each other with getting gear on and off is a big part of Nature School!

It’s the season of Woolly Bear Caterpillars! These tender creatures curl up if they are handled, so instead we delight in learning to watch them carefully.

We have also learned to be very careful around mushrooms: children are taught to observe, but to never touch or even kick the mushrooms, so the spores are not dispersed.

Tyler and Darel observe a Willow tree that was blown down last year; Tyler recalls the story and shares it with Darel.

Another ‘story’ that children have carried from one year to the next, new children learn to wait patiently in line as they order from the ‘ice cream store’ as Penny, an ECE student, looks on. Flavours available this week include chocolate banana, rainbow, and mushroom!

Misuzu shares a new felt story with the Owls class. The repetitive structure of the story helps children to remember and re-tell the tale, and also supplies a framework for predicting – great critical thinking skills!

When one of our wagon wheels went wonky, Heidi saved the day with her fix-it expertise, and the children were thrilled to be on-lookers! Learning to use tools safely is another skill we tackle frequently at Nature School!

Nika and Ian have played together extensively this week.  They are learning to sort, count and share these treasures while engaging in deep imaginative play that seems immensely satisfying to both of them.

Catch you next time,

Kate

Discoveries are something we make all the time; whether it is something we see, a feeling we have, a connection we make, a new piece of information or a new theory about something. Hopefully we are all, children and adults alike, perpetually in a state of discovering. It is this sense of freshness, newness and exhilaration that has the potential to make each moment exciting. We are fortunate here at Nature School that discoveries from the natural world come frequently and magically. But it is also our job to provoke thought around these discoveries and seek out ways to build upon them. We also must observe discoveries in relationship; how can we support them and foster them so they grow? This is our work each and every day. As you look through these photographs, we invite you to think about what the children are discovering in these moments. Enjoy!

‘Till the next post,

Emily