A different kind of school

A different kind of school

I'm a firm believer that children will protect what they love, and they love what they know. I want my children to know nature and our environment. They're not really abstract learners, but they are able to understand a fair amount of complexity if they experience it firsthand.

I spy, with my little eye, three turtles!

If a picture says more than a thousand words, what does a walk through the woods, with the smells, touches, sights and sounds say?

We find local places to see nature, some (like today's) more formal than others. But we're out, observing, tracking, sketching and discussing, a lot. I want them to know what I'm talking about when I say 'the environment'. That's not just some faraway abstract place, but right here, right now. We talk about habitats, seasons, predators and prey, camouflage and sometimes about a lot of different stuff that doesn't seem to come up when we're at home. It's a different kind of school!

A long time ago, they milled grain without fossil fuels...

One of the great things about the outdoors is that the same place changes all the time. Repeat visits don't get boring, because since the last visit, much has happened! Eggs have hatched, flowers have bloomed, mushrooms have grown...