I hope you're well!

The best way my teaching has been described is “organic.” This honors the way I practice, with no preset curriculum nor notions of how the day will play out. Some days I’m merely the timekeeper, making sure we’re eating and drinking throughout the day, caring for our bodies, and making sure to get back to the parking lot on time. Other days I’m requested to help navigate tricky social situations, those rare instances in which the parties are not able to come to some conclusion on their own. Some days I get to share my love and passion for natural history. That can be in the form of favorite nonfiction tales of animals that’ve come into my life or stories that I know. “My Sister and the Growl,” has been a favorite this school year and the kids have been asking to make certain noises or say certain words during each retelling. It may also be something that’s presented itself to us in the park. I invite you to check out a couple such instances via “Organic Teaching: Anatomy in the Wild” on my website:

https://www.teachoutside.org/organic-teaching-anatomy-in-the-wild

It takes effort to pay attention to individual and group needs, but the joy and wonder of allowing each day to unfold as it needs to is pure delight. Plus, “organic” is the perfect word… It’s all carbon based!

Nature News

New leaves and flowers are sprouting everywhere, and the grass is getting taller. Birds and squirrels are abuzz with activity, mating and setting up their nests! The air has been still, and birdsong surrounds us from all sides. We know some of their songs, but not all- there's always so much more to learn! Here, the kids have been nearly successful at setting up a squirrel trap using found nuts- there was just no mechanism to actually spring it!

Community

I took this training and highly recommend it. hollaback! is giving people tools to stand up safely when people are being harassed in public and online: https://www.ihollaback.org/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw38-DBhDpARIsADJ3kjncAhY3c8JJdbKQHs0NWpZBGDfrI4Seii6j3xRmx4RlXdnioriVUxsaAp4XEALw_wcB

Do you have any photos, videos, and/or stories to contribute to a project on Alvarado Park history? That's where Outside School is located and my husband came across a picture of Kirk Hammett playing with Exodus there in 1981. I forwarded a copy to the park supervisor, who hopes we can collect enough materials to eventually make a sign. All history of the park is welcome, but particularly the rock ’n’ roll photos!

Enrollment

Enrollment is currently available for:

-Remainder of the 2020-2021 school year,

-2021-2022 school year.

For more information, please visit:

https://www.teachoutside.org/outside-school

Take care,

Heather