I believe that my purpose as a natural teacher is to grow enthusiasm in the children about nature. Also to teach children in a healthy outside atmosphere that will educate new generations about the importance of the environment and all things found in nature and how they are all connected.
I would like to contribute to the memory banks of the children that I teach, a true love of nature and to show them all of the beauty and diversity found there. To be able to give them many ‘first time’ experiences that will last forever in their memories, so that they can build upon those memories as a base for the rest of their lives, right threw into their adulthood.
I want to be remembered as a teacher who was kind, curious, and fearless in nature. As a teacher who touched, smelled, listened, observed, and tasted the things that I was sure were edible. As one who explored the woods and learned about the animals and the insects with the children. As someone who appreciated being outside in the world, who questioned things, and role modeled the ways to find the answers to my own questions.
I want the children and their families to remember me as a teacher who was full of enthusiasm and curiosity, especially in my love of nature and all things in it. For them to remember the excitement that they shared with me when discovering something for the first time and as the teacher who began their own love of nature.
I believe that my true calling or passion in life is to re-experience the world over and over again through the eyes of young children and to be able to love, nurture, guide, and inspire them as they explore and discover the world for themselves. I am truly living my dream job everyday and I feel so lucky to have this opportunity and to actually be paid while doing it! I am right where I belong in life and I appreciate every shared moment and experience.
I just love being a part of witnessing a child discovering or experiencing something new for the first time and seeing the excitement that it brings them. And that sense of pride that they develop while realizing new ideas and concepts!!
When I am outside in nature, I feel a true sense of calmness, I am totally at ease, and I feel a sense of belonging and peace. Miracles are everywhere that you look while out in nature and those miracles surround us every day. It is so powerful and just amazing!
As for showing up in a committed way to my “Why” while cultivating an outdoor classroom and implementing nature based curriculum, I am going to start by taking action and gathering a group of people who are committed to nature based learning and therefore forming a support system and a community to work with towards my goal. It is going to take persistence on my part and being informed and confident in my endeavors. I have already taken the first step in making this plan happen by printing out all of my responses to every module in this course and putting them all together in chronological order in a binder, so that I can share all of my ideas and visions in a presentation at my school at a future staff meeting. I believe that is a good place to start, by sharing my vision, purpose, and enthusiasm with my co-teachers and the directors of my center and then having a discussion to get others on board and invested.
My grand plan of creating a texture/sensory garden and all of the other pieces in my plan around that concept, will start with one small step at a time. Like maybe starting with just a sunflower house and a bean vine teepee, or only just a textured pathway and then adding one thing at a time, like a grape vine tunnel entryway or a raised bed texture garden, or a sensory garden on wheels planted inside of a cart/wooden wagon.

My takeaways from this course are geared towards the fact that I work with non-English speaking toddlers (and I myself am NOT bilingual) and that this is their very first experience in a school setting and being away from their parents. The first six weeks, at the beginning of the school year, are usually spent adjusting to the new school environment and just being away from their loved ones (And I can not console them with words that they understand, only facial expressions, hand gestures, role modeling actions, and trying to show them love and understanding and compassion). That being said, taking an inconsolable, loudly crying toddler outside and away from the rest of the group is my first ‘go to’ when trying to calm them down and it almost always works!

(I couldn’t limit my learning takeaways to just five!)

#1) The ‘I tried it’ stickers to use with the children when they are trying new vegetables or herbs out of the garden.

#2) Having a support system, not just one person trying to do it all on their own. Making connections in the community. Having the garden be a “Part-of” NOT an “Add-On.” When a garden project has lots of stake holders, it has a better chance of success. Parents, grandparents, the children in all of the classrooms, several teachers, directors, the college students, different academic departments, and even community groups or garden clubs, can all play a part making it a success. With lots of investment in order to sustain the “life” of the garden.

#3) To take care of myself in nature as well, not just in my teaching role. Sleeping outside one day a month year round and going on an adventure to a new place for one week a year in order to explore a new ecosystem. There are so many places to explore, a whole lifetime full and more!

#4) The use of transitional spaces as valuable teaching areas and a place to prepare children for what’s to come. For example; a peep hole into the garden space next to a bench for the children who are not quite ready to go in just yet. A gate, an archway, a tunnel, and a bridge are all examples of entryways that set up an expectation of what’s to come.

#5) The idea of exploring the “Beyond” (the wooded area beyond the playground fencing) with the children at least once monthly in all seasons and weather.

#6) Looking at nature on nature’s terms. Embracing everything that the space has to offer in a way that is not ‘canned’ or ‘processed.’ Not just pointing out all of the beautiful things found in nature to the children, but also noticing the ‘not so perfect’ things as well. Using the diversity found in nature as a teaching tool.

#7) Building my own personal library of nature based curriculum books, children’s books, and reference guides.

#8) Showing parents and the surrounding community the importance of nature based learning through documentation displays of the children’s work while gardening or being outside in nature. Also explaining the value of outdoor learning throughout the different seasons by using specific examples of children’s experiences in nature when meeting with their parents and going over their child’s assessments (focused portfolios).