An article showed up on my facebook feed recently, that builds upon the emotional resiliency video I shared a couple months back, highlights the burden on women’s roles in caregiving, and served as an exclamation mark upon a recent drop-off period we had at Outside School. That morning, one child unexpectedly didn’t come to school. Everyone missed them, and it made drop-off hard. Parents calmly and quietly hung out with their children, chatting with them or me, and doing some quiet activities until the kids were more or less ready to say good-bye. Finally, a little over an hour since our school day was supposed to begin, we were ready to hit the trail to go check out the creek and then decide where to spend the rest of our day. It was a little uneasy at first, but we’ve been without the entire group before, and our routine and familiarity with one another got everyone comfortable and in the groove again. I recognize that this is not always possible due to schedules, moods, or experience. But, when it needs to happen, and it can happen, a little extra patience and comfort is all we all need.

“Why Do Parents Get Upset When They See Their Children Upset? Research explains why this is hard for parents and suggests how to stay calm,” by Cara Goodwin, Ph.D. for Psychology Today (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/parenting-translator/202201/why-do-parents-get-upset-when-they-see-their-children-upset) explains how empathy plays a role in fostering children’s emotional growth. There are important caveats, however. In the article, much of the research is unfairly oriented toward mothers. This is not solely mothers’ domain, nor even just parents’. This is for caregivers of all types, for people in all life’s stages. When I took my teacher training courses, there was nothing about how my emotional wellbeing related to childrens’. This is the same for parents. Just because someone wants to teach or raise children absolutely does not mean that they are prepared to do so. Like the rest of life, we are all on a spectrum of abilities and experiences, and being emotionally calm is an active practice, not a ready-made skill for many of us. A lot of times being able to “fake it ‘til you make it” is actually enough while practicing toward true calm!

It reminds me of something Ross Brawn said, when he was the Team Principal for Ferrari’s Formula 1 team. He said he’s like a swan, appearing calm and peaceful on the surface, but thrashing about underneath. I often feel the same way.

Throughout this pandemic, hasn’t a common thread been disappointment? Our work has changed, we are subjected to extremists who disregard science and care for community health and wellbeing, and we don’t get to spend time with loved ones. And it goes on, and on, and on… We’re all emotionally tender right now. This is the children’s experience, too.

Nature News

Early rains sent us on an expedition into the hills to find vernal pools. Eureka! Spending the day with views, cows, newts, frogs, and myriad tiny pond creatures had us all remarking that this was a highlight of the entire school year.

Resources

Uplifting Black Voices

I think it’s important for you all to know that the books we read and subjects we often talk about at Outside School relate to social justice. After George Floyd was murdered by a white policeman, I saw on my social media feed that a child I’d taught in the past asked her mother, “Will I grow up?” This question continues to punch me in the gut. If this Black girl growing up in Berkeley could feel so unsafe that she didn’t know if she would even grow up, how are others feeling in less “liberal” areas? I was horrified, and also sad that I didn’t feel the weight of this previously. I am here, now. This is Black History and Black Futures Month. As a white, cis- person, I now realize that I have a duty to use the priveleges bestowed upon me by those characteristics to learn more and raise the voices of Black people and other People of Color, among others. The apartheid in the United States can be nearly invisible to those who are born priveleged, so those like me have to learn to keep an eye out. The Movement for Black Lives is a great place to start learning more!

As always, I recommend Multicultural Bookstore and Gifts, where you can shop online or in person in Richmond, CA.

Two of my students are working on a fantastic project, “The Butterfly Effect: Migration is Beautiful,” They say, “Bay Area youth activists support children and families coming to the US. All kids should be free and with the people who love them. We see you, we care about you and we welcome you.”

One of their grandparents was a UC Berkeley professor and is currently a musician. There’s a fantastic article that shares his reflection on being a Black professor here:

Do you know about Urban Tilth? We ran into a crew of young people doing an English ivy removal project along the creek this week. I’ve been following their work for years now; they’re GREAT community members!!!

If you don’t already know this about me, you’re going to learn now: I LOVE MOTORSPORTS!!!

This year, Lewis Hamilton was knighted just days after losing his chance at his eighth Formula 1 world championship. He is a huge advocate for increasing the presence of Black people in motorsports, starting with children in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education. He started the Hamilton Commission, which released its “Hamilton Report” this year.

Bubba Wallace represents Black folks in racing with NASCAR. And his team is owned by Michael Jordan! I love that one of his sponsors is Columbia, because that gear is amazing. He’s an outdoorsman, too. I wish Bubba ever-increasing success!

My old friend, Bunny Ribbs, was the father of American racing’s Black pioneer, Willie T. Ribbs. The documentary, Uppity, tells the story of his life.

But I wonder, when can we stop celebrating Black firsts, and ALLOW Black people and other People of Color to be as free and celebrated with living their daily lives as white people, being their awesome selves? As usual, the punks know what’s up and tell it like it is; watch this video, so heartbreaking and POWERFUL!!!

Traditional Academics

This Psychology Today article by Peter Gray, Ph.D., “Research Reveals Long-Term Harm of State Pre-K Program: In this first-ever controlled study of public pre-k, the control group did best,” presents a scathing review of a public pre-k system that was widely regarded as being high quality. Among other things, it shows that education that focuses on child development needs to be mandatory, and that children are most socially and emotionally prepared for academic learning when they are able to spend their early years with family.

Enrollment

Summer camp 2022 is full! But fret not, enrollment is open for Outside School’s school year program:

-Remainder of the 2021 - 2022 school year (tuition is prorated based on month and day started),

-2022 - 2023 school year,

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

Take care,

Heather

Heather Taylor, EMT

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

Founder, Teach Outside (www.teachoutside.org)

California Master Teacher

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