Our minds and spirits are all filled up from the two workshops we attended! We are feeling amazingly inspired and all agree we are on the right pathways in terms of our teaching and curriculum but wow, we have lots of exciting work to do ahead! We met some incredible educators who are doing innovative and…Continue reading →

Finding… this is something we do everyday, both in a concrete sense and an abstract one. We find treasures from the land- branches, feathers, stones, vegetables, grass stalks, clovers and many other gifts. But we also find other things like knowledge of the land and an awareness of ourselves. Each day our work encompasses finding…Continue reading →

‘Till the next post, Emily

It was a splendid week indeed as we begin to feel more settled into each other’s rhythms and Nature School routines. Slowly we can see the new students breathe easier as they become more familiar with everything. The returning students are exploring who they have grown into over the summer and re-establishing their old friendships…Continue reading →

Truly, there is nothing quite like the excitement of digging up potatoes! Each one is like a found treasure! The moment of seeing the skin, the brushing aside of the moist soil to reveal its beauty, the careful digging around its shape so as not to cut into its flesh, and the removal of the…Continue reading →

The first week of preschool is always interesting; returning students often feel excited and shy about seeing everyone, sad that their graduating friends are no longer here, cautious, and energetic. The new students feel much the same although everything is new. Imagine being in a whole new place with all new people and you are…Continue reading →

Garlic…perhaps not the most typical analogy to begin a school year but as I began to clean the bulbs today, I could not help but think of these bulbs as our Nature School children.  We care for them; we try to understand what makes them happy and grow well; we hope they develop strong roots…Continue reading →

A truly action packed week! Lots of outdoor, free play; connecting with others in our community; celebrating Senior’s Week and working on art projects. The hot weather invited water play which lead to squeals of delight and bare feet. As I sat and watched them play in the water, heard their laughter and saw huge smiles…Continue reading →

“We are on the move”. The teachers say this phrase fairly often and the children now say it to each other too! And, move we do! Sometimes slowly but lately very very rapidly! The children have become so very strong these past couple of months. They can run great distances before they stop from tired legs…Continue reading →

The short week went by so quickly- I imagine this will continue to be the case in the next few weeks. Truly, it was a glorious week; large group work, small group work, buddies,beautiful weather, volunteers, parents, gardening, cooking, eating and creating. Enjoy catching a glimpse of some of our work together. ‘Till the next…Continue reading →

Figuratively and metaphorically– should we not all to JUMP each and every day? Take risks, challenge ourselves, create new possibilities, open doors, maybe close doors if that is better for our health and mind, and move our bodies? I see our children  JUMPING each day. Let’s follow their lead, shall we? So, what JUMPS will…Continue reading →

When we declared we would celebrate Earth Day this week at Nature School, one child exclaimed  “Well every day is Earth Day at Nature School.” We couldn’t agree more! We hope that each and every day our children think about our Earth and its gifts. We all work hard to instil these beliefs through modelling, conversations and…Continue reading →

Some weeks you do a lot of deep thinking. And, this week was one of them. As a team we had lots of conversation about our programming, reflections and questions. We also discussed some key points with our parents at our second parent evening. Each conversation brought new insights- but wow, the work is hard….Continue reading →

As I look through the photographs from this past week, I am moved by the amount of teamwork that occurred. Each day brought new groupings of children; children that had not previously played together found themselves working towards a common goal. It is always an exciting time of year as we see the children begin…Continue reading →

Spring Break was much needed indeed. But, after two weeks, school was needed! Upon our return, teachers and children alike found themselves rejuvenated and more than ready to return to our special land and our school community. It was apparent the children missed seeing each other. This week was filled with stories, hugs, hand holding…Continue reading →