Becoming A Natural Teacher: My Story
Becoming A Natural Teacher: My Story
A TEACHER FROM THE BEGINNING….
As a child, I was the kid who played endless hours of “school” with my little chalkboard and
classroom of imaginary students. Family vacations became opportunities to take my whimsical school on a wild adventure and long field trips.
Needless to say, I spent the beginning of my career as an early childhood professional teaching young children. Real ones, that is. I then ventured into different teaching arenas, with different populations. I taught children, young adults, elders, able-bodied, physically challenged, emotionally disabled and elderly blind. I taught in preschools, after-school programs, centers for elderly, nursing homes for Alzheimer’s patients, children’s gardens, college campuses, and summer camps.
WOULDN’T IT BE GREAT IF?
As my teaching journey evolved, I began mixing and matching my passions. I am always anticipating, imagining and peering over the horizon, fascinated with the future. Starting unique programs became my signature. A dance program for elderly blind seniors at Boston Aid to the Blind was a favorite. When I noticed an elementary school across the street, I added an intergenerational element. Children and elders laughing and dancing together sparked magical learning. I was hooked. I began mixing and matching my passions, creating one of a kind programs everywhere I went. Through these experiences, I have felt my once imaginary whimsical school come to life.
LIFE LESSONS ALONG THE WAY…
Transformative adventures are great for creating life-long lessons. Looking back, the highlights have been running the Boston Marathon 11 times as a “back of the pack” runner, biking across the country with Bike Aid, raising money for world hunger, and getting married in our backyard garden. These were all adventures that taught me about courage, taking risks and daring greatly.
BECOMING A NATURAL TEACHER…..WHAT IF?
As a parent of young school-aged children, I wondered about the possibilities in a neglected school courtyard at my children’s school. What if? What if we transformed this space into an outdoor learning lab? I became obsessed with researching the idea and I organized a community of parents, teachers, and children. We began digging and created what is now the Cove School Children’s Garden & Outdoor Classroom. This experience transformed my teaching journey and was the beginning of my road map to Become a Natural Teacher.
I fell in love with Outdoor Classrooms! I wanted to create a space for all those interested in teaching and learning outside. I wanted to create a space for educators to go for inspiration, connection, and direction on how to “think outside” when teaching.
When my children graduated from elementary school, so did I. They went on to middle school while I founded Outdoor-Classroom.com, my virtual classroom and an online community of Natural Teachers! This work has challenged me as an educator and taught me to be a forever student.
Come join me in my quest to re-ignite teachers to reset and nurture the concept of teaching outdoors.
Master Class #2: Ready, Set, Sow: Become a Natural Teacher is Open for Registration!! Revitalize, Renew and Refresh Your Teaching Practice Today!
Class starts on March 4, 2019
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5 Comments
Victoria,
What a great educational experience you have with such a wide variety of people. I have worked with developmentally disabled adults, and often compare them to my preschoolers (in the best way). They learn so similarly! Now I am in a Montessori environment, and have learned Maria Montessori first created this educational system geared towards developmentally disabled children. When I worked with adults, they were working on the same things as the preschoolers. Fine motor, gross motor, communication. They had “shelf work” similar to what we have in our practical life area of the classroom. And the best thing to do for them when they became frustrated or unfocused? BRING THEM OUTSIDE! We would go on nature walks with which ever adult needed some fresh air. It really helped calm them down, and nature walks do the same for my preschoolers now. I also had a grandfather who suffered from Alzheimer’s, and what would they recommend we do when we visited him? Take him outside! Those are my memories with my grandpa at his facility, outside with him in the garden. It is funny how it’s all connected. Thank you for talking about taking risks and courage. It’s a nice reminder to do things that somewhat frighten you in a way. Those are the greatest memories you’ll make, in my opinion. I’ve always wanted to create art with physically disabled adults, such as the blind. I always thought how great creating art and using their hands would be for their senses. What a neat experience that must have been for you.Thank you for sharing
Oh my goodness! We have had such similar experiences. I have worked with adults and worked in the Activities Dept. on an Alzheimers Unit. I used the art of dance as my medium to reach them. I did the same for the elderly blind. It wasn’t until later when my children were in school when I realized the power of Nature and being outdoors. Thanks for sharing…fascinating stories and connections you are making.
Every time I read a post, I am inspired to include more components to my outdoor classroom. I think it would be lovely to add more plants to our garden which includes a butterfly bush. Every year we order caterpillars and wait expectantly for them to change to butterflies. Why not plant a host plant and a large leaf plant to hold water. We could release our butterflies in our own garden. Is it spring yet?
This is exactly how we started the Cove School Children’s garden. You will soon be amazed at all the possibilities.
You have accomplished quite a bit throughout your career in education! I am sure your students and the people you have worked with are so grateful for all the great programs you have created. I am looking forward to taking your course Becoming A Natural Teacher: A Road Map. Thank you for sharing your experiences, they are very inspiring!