Full of Life

Recently, some students of mine were complaining about a school’s motto they’d heard, “Grow into great.” They were completely incensed at the news that they were not born great. I agree! Soon thereafter we were exposed to some misunderstandings: another park visitor thought one child needed to be more careful on the rocks (they were just fine) and became incredibly nervous when his own children observed mine practicing with matches in the barbecue pit. This was on the same day that someone on social media couldn’t believe that Outside School children would be allowed to use knives. Through our discussions we came up with a motto for ourselves:

This is Outside School! We know what we’re doing! And, when we don’t, we learn from it.

There are myriad ways to punctuate this, but I think this best expresses how we were all feeling. What do you think of the new motto?

Outside School students LOVE when the rangers turn the sprinklers on and they get to play in them. They are so excited to run through rainbows!

With masking mandates being lifted everywhere, I’m happy that I’m able to continue to be a masked/vaxx’d school. I keep track of daily COVID numbers, and children are dying of it. Now that we’ve been having Outside School for so long under pandemic conditions, I love the feeling of safety these rules give us, now being able to be more certain of staying healthy when we’re close together. I love all the hugs, snuggles, and tussling about, as one of my students calls it. For more information about my COVID policies, links to primary sources, and more, please see here:

Kaiser Permanente came out with an email reminder about how to keep staying healthy as the mandates are being lifted:

In Brené Brown’s last newsletter, she talked briefly but powerfully about a way to keep moving forward in light of war and dehumanizing laws. It helped me to read it, and maybe it’ll help you, too:

Nature News

Mindfulness in the Great Outdoors

It was just a couple weeks ago that I introduced the concept of practicing some mindful minutes down at the creek when we check it out most mornings, to take our minds off some of the anxieties we have, settle in for the day, and just be quiet with the creek for a time. My Apple watch has a mindfulness setting that I've been using each day for a couple years, so I set that timer for five minutes and let the kids know when to start and stop. We sit or stand, alone or together, taking deep breaths. One child has taken to sitting on my lap so I can sqeeze them and we can match our breaths. Watching bubbles and their shadows while listening to the babbling of water and birds is thoroughly calming.

Last week, we did some reconnaissance to look for French broom up above the parking lot. It's a promising site for our volunteer project next week. On our way back, I was heartened by the kids wanting to stop at the creek and do our mindful minutes before heading down to find a lunch spot. A woman with a student was down there, and someone had just pointed out the newts breeding to her, so she showed them to us. In turn, I told the story of the newts' mating dance. I had told it to the Outside School kids before, but now that they actually got to see newts in amplexus and a big ball of them tussling about, it really meant all the more! The teacher and child eventually moved on, and the kids and I all sat where we could watch the newts as we practiced some deep breathing for five minutes.

Additionally, last week we started reading Journey to Topaz, a historical fiction about a Japanese American girl and her family being removed from her home in World War II because of their heritage. It’s written by Berkeley author Yoshiko Uchida, and the book is really of her own history. In the book we learned that March 3 is Japanese Dolls Day, so the children asked to learn a little more about it. We all decided to celebrate by wearing the appropriate colors and bringing dolls. There was one child’s “little brother and sister,” an emotional octopus, and a cute little kitty. I was going to bring an opossum puppet, but since the chance of rain increased dramatically since I'd checked earlier that morning, decided against it. I was not prepared for how popular my next choice was. Originally, I didn't want to bring it because it's Asian but not specifically Japanese... And it's not a doll, but a figure. When I looked up the holiday, I was reminded of how ancient dolls we know about are made of stone and clay, so I was able to relate some anthropology. It's a Teaching Buddha given to me by a parent after my first year teaching. When I'm doing those five mindful minutes of deep breathing each day at home, I look at it and a lit candle. The figure's peacefulness seemed to transfer to the kids, and they asked to keep it out of my bag. One decided to decorate it. When we moved sites yet again, the kids made sure it and my bag stayed in place until afternoon snack time. We all cleaned up the natural objects that some gathered for the one who wanted to adorn it, but before we did one of them asked us to have a moment with the diorama. We all took five deep breaths before putting all the leaves, sticks, and flowers back on the ground. One requested more places to take pictures of it before leaving, and everyone decided that since Thursdays are normally a little different, I should leave the bears and most of the knives at home, and bring the Teaching Buddha instead. Interesting and amazing!

It was also Tibetan New Year last week, celebrating the year of the water tiger (thank you, internet, when I opened you up and saw this news). The Teaching Buddha seemed all the more appropriate as part of our celebrations.

A Teaching Buddha is adorned with finds from the natural world.

Practicing some mindful minutes while watching newts in Wildcat Creek.

Resources

Next month I’ll be excited to share an article I wrote for Ten Strands. In the meantime, here’s one written by Outdoor Afro founder, Rue Mapp:

She eloquently describes the very reasons I chose to make Outside School year-round and immersive in nature.

With all that continues to happen around us and to us, I thought you may appreciate this note and tool from Janine Sheppard, an expert in resiliency:

In this article, “7 Ways to Show Someone You Care,” Kaiser Permanente helps us remember how to tune in to those we care about:

I love this article by local homeschooling consultant, Jamie Heston, “Do Your Kids Hate Writing? Do Less.” She aptly describes how children really learn skills, and gives real world examples of success based on her own family:

Enrollment

Applications are being accepted for Outside School’s school year programs:

-Remainder of the 2021 - 2022 school year (tuition is prorated based on month and day started), provided the start date is 4/1/22 or earlier,

-2022 - 2023 school year.

Children in elementary, middle, and high school are welcome! Check out www.outside.school to learn more and to get the application.

Take care,

Heather

This totally works, and I recommend it!

Heather Taylor, EMT

Founder/Director/Teacher, Outside School (www.outside.school)

Founder, Teach Outside (www.teachoutside.org)

California Master Teacher

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