Teaching Philosophy
1. Child-Centered & Emergent Curriculum
Our teaching philosophy is centered on the belief that children are capable, curious, and full of potential. We embrace an emergent curriculum that evolves in response to the children's interests, needs, and cultural contexts. This approach values the voices and agency of the children, allowing them to lead their learning journeys while we, as educators, provide guidance, resources, and support.
2. Land-Based Learning & Indigenous Perspectives
Recognizing the land as a living entity, we integrate land-based learning that honors Indigenous perspectives and wisdom. We acknowledge the traditional stewards of the land and incorporate teachings that foster a deep respect for nature, emphasizing our role as caretakers rather than dominators. We seek to cultivate reciprocal relationships with the natural world and understand our interconnectedness with all living beings.
3. Trauma-Informed, Healing-Centered Approach
We are committed to creating a trauma-informed and healing-centered environment where every child feels safe, valued, and understood. Our approach is sensitive to the impacts of trauma, and we strive to provide spaces that promote emotional safety and well-being. We incorporate mindfulness, somatic practices, and reflective listening to support children in developing self-regulation, resilience, and emotional intelligence.
4. Social Justice & Anti-Racism
Our educational practices are rooted in social justice and anti-racism. We actively challenge and disrupt systems of oppression within our community and curriculum. We teach children to recognize and address inequities, fostering a sense of social responsibility and empowerment. We provide age-appropriate, critical engagement with issues such as racism, sexism, ableism, and environmental injustice, encouraging children to think critically about the world around them.
5. Inclusive & Accessible Learning
We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible learning environment where all children, regardless of neurotype, ability, race, gender identity, or socio-economic status, can thrive. We use universal design principles to ensure our curriculum, activities, and physical spaces are accessible to everyone. We celebrate diversity and teach children the value of different perspectives and experiences.
6. Nature as Co-Educator
We view nature as a co-educator, where the natural world offers endless opportunities for exploration, discovery, and learning. We encourage children to engage with the environment in ways that are respectful, mindful, and sustainable. Through nature-based learning, we aim to cultivate a sense of wonder, curiosity, and stewardship in children, fostering a lifelong connection to the earth.
Our teaching philosophy is centered on the belief that children are capable, curious, and full of potential. We embrace an emergent curriculum that evolves in response to the children's interests, needs, and cultural contexts. This approach values the voices and agency of the children, allowing them to lead their learning journeys while we, as educators, provide guidance, resources, and support.
2. Land-Based Learning & Indigenous Perspectives
Recognizing the land as a living entity, we integrate land-based learning that honors Indigenous perspectives and wisdom. We acknowledge the traditional stewards of the land and incorporate teachings that foster a deep respect for nature, emphasizing our role as caretakers rather than dominators. We seek to cultivate reciprocal relationships with the natural world and understand our interconnectedness with all living beings.
3. Trauma-Informed, Healing-Centered Approach
We are committed to creating a trauma-informed and healing-centered environment where every child feels safe, valued, and understood. Our approach is sensitive to the impacts of trauma, and we strive to provide spaces that promote emotional safety and well-being. We incorporate mindfulness, somatic practices, and reflective listening to support children in developing self-regulation, resilience, and emotional intelligence.
4. Social Justice & Anti-Racism
Our educational practices are rooted in social justice and anti-racism. We actively challenge and disrupt systems of oppression within our community and curriculum. We teach children to recognize and address inequities, fostering a sense of social responsibility and empowerment. We provide age-appropriate, critical engagement with issues such as racism, sexism, ableism, and environmental injustice, encouraging children to think critically about the world around them.
5. Inclusive & Accessible Learning
We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible learning environment where all children, regardless of neurotype, ability, race, gender identity, or socio-economic status, can thrive. We use universal design principles to ensure our curriculum, activities, and physical spaces are accessible to everyone. We celebrate diversity and teach children the value of different perspectives and experiences.
6. Nature as Co-Educator
We view nature as a co-educator, where the natural world offers endless opportunities for exploration, discovery, and learning. We encourage children to engage with the environment in ways that are respectful, mindful, and sustainable. Through nature-based learning, we aim to cultivate a sense of wonder, curiosity, and stewardship in children, fostering a lifelong connection to the earth.
Our Curriculum
Though most of our learning at Ripple Forest School is emergent, child-led, play-based, and nature-led, so much academic progress arises organically through playing & exploring together in nature. Here are some of the ways academics show up in our time together:
1. Social-Emotional Learning
One of the most important elements of our time together in forest school is spent on social-emotional learning. We see it as a foundation for everything else in life. Our approach is attachment-based and trauma-informed. We practice how to advocate for ourselves, process & share our feelings, ask for what we need, be clear about our boundaries, negotiate our needs with others, repair relationship ruptures, form cooperative relationships, and so much more. We respect children's autonomy and model interdependence.
2. Social Studies
We read books on a wide range of themes by a diverse group of authors and illustrators, helping our students to understand history and diverse perspectives, and appreciate the many ways a healthy, joyful life can be lived. We read books written and illustrated by the Indigenous peoples of this land to help us appreciate their cultures and learn from their wisdom. We think critically about the way the world is and the way we want it to be. Teacher Alex & Teacher Rivers' backgrounds in social justice education lend a perspective to our learning that helps to build a more just & inclusive classroom and future.
3. Natural Sciences, Environmental Inquiry, & Environmental Ethics
All of our time together is imbued with observing and interacting with our natural environment. We spend all day getting excited about new discoveries, asking questions, and making and testing hypotheses. This fosters a curiosity that will take them far in life. We know from research that the best way to promote children caring about the environment is to help them build positive relationships with nature. We say 'hello' to our plant and animal friends in the forest, ask before harvesting, share gratitude, and practice how to build reciprocal relationships.
4. Reading, Writing, & Oral Storytelling
We read picture books together, explore field guides, and tell stories. This allows children the exposure to learn to read and write at their own pace. Nature journaling is a way for children to record their observations and begin putting their thoughts into writing if they choose. Oral storytelling is often left out of modern colonial curricula. Still, we believe it helps children to understand, shape, and share narratives in a way that builds on and complements their understanding of stories and narratives that they hear and read.
5. Mathematics & Engineering
Mathematics comes up naturally as we play games, count items around us, and problem-solve. We gain an understanding of engineering and we build shelters, moats, bridges, and everything else these industrious, curious, creative small humans come up with.
6. Physical Education, Somatics, & Mindfulness
Much of our time is spent running around and playing games, which helps to build children's bodies and neural pathways. We know that movement is critical for children's development in every way. We are fortunate to have Teacher Alex's experience as a somatic (mind-body) practitioner and mindfulness teacher and Teacher Rivers' experience as an expert mountain biker and athlete. We practice sneaking, listening, hiding, strategy, cooperation, proprioception, balance, coordination, sensory awareness, risk assessment, and healthy risk-taking through the many games and activities that children rave about.
7. Music, Dance, & Art
Forest school provides a rich environment for artistic expression. We sing songs, play instruments, make our own instruments, and take impromptu dance breaks. Teacher Alex's decades of experience (& 2 degrees) as a musician and music teacher and her love for dance & collecting songs help us to bring joyful music and dance into our time together. Students can engage in various art forms, including drawing, painting, and sculpting, using natural materials they find in the forest.
8. Outdoor Living Skills
A topic that's left out of most U.S. curricula, outdoor living skills (also called Earth skills, primitive or ancestral living skills) help children build self-sufficiency and self-esteem. Whether or not they live an urban, rural, or wilderness lifestyle, being able to use a compass, read a map, tie knots, start a fire, and build a shelter gives children the confidence to know that they can do hard things, persevere when they feel frustrated, and rely on themselves. It also helps build deeper relationships with nature.
Our learning activities are guided by the seasons and cycles of nature as we follow what’s happening around us in the forest. In the fall we build shelters, in the winter we practice fire-building and play in the sun to keep warm, in the spring we learn about birds and edible and medicinal plants, and in the summer we play in the creek and explore in the shade of the trees. This creates space for project-based learning as well as variety throughout the year.
Because of our mixed-age classes and the emergent quality of this learning, there's room to incorporate a wide range of reading & curriculum levels in our classes without anyone feeling out of place. We respect that children learn to read at different ages and different speeds and that different families have different schooling/unschooling philosophies and focus. Forest school provides an excellent exploratory environment where we can all learn together, learn from each other, and teach each other. Because our learning is process-oriented, rather than focusing on achievement, children learn how to learn--a skill that will take them further in life than any one achievement.
All of our learning is experiential, which means that children don't just memorize facts--they feel the learning in their bodies. And after all this learning, it doesn't even feel like school. At forest school children get to play, explore, and have fun, the way we know childhood needs to be.
Though most of our learning at Ripple Forest School is emergent, child-led, play-based, and nature-led, so much academic progress arises organically through playing & exploring together in nature. Here are some of the ways academics show up in our time together:
1. Social-Emotional Learning
One of the most important elements of our time together in forest school is spent on social-emotional learning. We see it as a foundation for everything else in life. Our approach is attachment-based and trauma-informed. We practice how to advocate for ourselves, process & share our feelings, ask for what we need, be clear about our boundaries, negotiate our needs with others, repair relationship ruptures, form cooperative relationships, and so much more. We respect children's autonomy and model interdependence.
2. Social Studies
We read books on a wide range of themes by a diverse group of authors and illustrators, helping our students to understand history and diverse perspectives, and appreciate the many ways a healthy, joyful life can be lived. We read books written and illustrated by the Indigenous peoples of this land to help us appreciate their cultures and learn from their wisdom. We think critically about the way the world is and the way we want it to be. Teacher Alex & Teacher Rivers' backgrounds in social justice education lend a perspective to our learning that helps to build a more just & inclusive classroom and future.
3. Natural Sciences, Environmental Inquiry, & Environmental Ethics
All of our time together is imbued with observing and interacting with our natural environment. We spend all day getting excited about new discoveries, asking questions, and making and testing hypotheses. This fosters a curiosity that will take them far in life. We know from research that the best way to promote children caring about the environment is to help them build positive relationships with nature. We say 'hello' to our plant and animal friends in the forest, ask before harvesting, share gratitude, and practice how to build reciprocal relationships.
4. Reading, Writing, & Oral Storytelling
We read picture books together, explore field guides, and tell stories. This allows children the exposure to learn to read and write at their own pace. Nature journaling is a way for children to record their observations and begin putting their thoughts into writing if they choose. Oral storytelling is often left out of modern colonial curricula. Still, we believe it helps children to understand, shape, and share narratives in a way that builds on and complements their understanding of stories and narratives that they hear and read.
5. Mathematics & Engineering
Mathematics comes up naturally as we play games, count items around us, and problem-solve. We gain an understanding of engineering and we build shelters, moats, bridges, and everything else these industrious, curious, creative small humans come up with.
6. Physical Education, Somatics, & Mindfulness
Much of our time is spent running around and playing games, which helps to build children's bodies and neural pathways. We know that movement is critical for children's development in every way. We are fortunate to have Teacher Alex's experience as a somatic (mind-body) practitioner and mindfulness teacher and Teacher Rivers' experience as an expert mountain biker and athlete. We practice sneaking, listening, hiding, strategy, cooperation, proprioception, balance, coordination, sensory awareness, risk assessment, and healthy risk-taking through the many games and activities that children rave about.
7. Music, Dance, & Art
Forest school provides a rich environment for artistic expression. We sing songs, play instruments, make our own instruments, and take impromptu dance breaks. Teacher Alex's decades of experience (& 2 degrees) as a musician and music teacher and her love for dance & collecting songs help us to bring joyful music and dance into our time together. Students can engage in various art forms, including drawing, painting, and sculpting, using natural materials they find in the forest.
8. Outdoor Living Skills
A topic that's left out of most U.S. curricula, outdoor living skills (also called Earth skills, primitive or ancestral living skills) help children build self-sufficiency and self-esteem. Whether or not they live an urban, rural, or wilderness lifestyle, being able to use a compass, read a map, tie knots, start a fire, and build a shelter gives children the confidence to know that they can do hard things, persevere when they feel frustrated, and rely on themselves. It also helps build deeper relationships with nature.
Our learning activities are guided by the seasons and cycles of nature as we follow what’s happening around us in the forest. In the fall we build shelters, in the winter we practice fire-building and play in the sun to keep warm, in the spring we learn about birds and edible and medicinal plants, and in the summer we play in the creek and explore in the shade of the trees. This creates space for project-based learning as well as variety throughout the year.
Because of our mixed-age classes and the emergent quality of this learning, there's room to incorporate a wide range of reading & curriculum levels in our classes without anyone feeling out of place. We respect that children learn to read at different ages and different speeds and that different families have different schooling/unschooling philosophies and focus. Forest school provides an excellent exploratory environment where we can all learn together, learn from each other, and teach each other. Because our learning is process-oriented, rather than focusing on achievement, children learn how to learn--a skill that will take them further in life than any one achievement.
All of our learning is experiential, which means that children don't just memorize facts--they feel the learning in their bodies. And after all this learning, it doesn't even feel like school. At forest school children get to play, explore, and have fun, the way we know childhood needs to be.