the school dreams are made of…

Published by Jana on February 7, 2009

The day finally arrived that I have been waiting for since arriving in Philadelphia - the Green Woods Charter School open house.  As the name suggests, this amazing school is located in the woods - 340 acres of woods to be exact - and is connected to the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education.  This is the school that I so dream of Kai being able to attend next year.  And so do hundreds of other parents apparently as the room was jam packed - all there for their one chance to receive an application packet to vie for the 13 kindergarten spots that will be open in the fall.  Luckily, the spaces are chosen by lottery, so each of us has a good a chance as the other.  The extensive application is due the end of February, the lottery is held in April and we should know our status by May - I am so hoping and praying that we’ll be accepted!

If there was ever a school in Philly that I would want my children to attend - or even want to teach at myself - this is it. Green Woods has an incredible, nature based curriculum.  The mission of the school is to:

“provide children in grades K through 8 with the opportunity to be active, knowledgeable and conscientious young investigators by fostering a keen understanding of the interrelatedness and interdependence of our local and global existence.”

That mission was apparent through every aspect of the school that we were exposed to - from the two hours the kids spend hiking each week to the worm farm in the kindergarten room.  As the website states:

“Each and every day, Green Woods’ teaching team provides students with dynamic learning experiences that focus on the relationship between humans and the natural world. Our ponds, streams, forests, and fields act as the ideal “learning laboratory”; for exploration and discovery, while our partnership with the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education enhances the award-winning curriculum created and delivered by our passionate staff. Share the Green Woods experience through the eyes of our special kids.”

So, we’ll see what happens…

Earlier in the day, I took the boys to the Schuylkill (a word I still avoid attempting to say out loud) Center so I would know exactly where we were headed to that night.  While the discovery center was filled with enticing, informative displays.  While we were there, the current kindergarten class even came in for a lesson - I was thrilled to see that the center plays such a role in the daily curriculum of the students.  Still, not wanting to get in the way of the class, it was a prime time to take off on a hike.

We hiked along portions of the grey fox loop, widener and woodcock trails and sat for a while in the Founder’s Grove for a picnic.  They were out of trail maps in the center, so it wasn’t until looking at the website that I realized we weren’t actually supposed to eat on the trails - oops - but at least we did out best to ensure we didn’t leave any crumbs behind. There was still snow on the ground, so the walk was quite muddy and Kai had a great time crunching in the icy puddles.  I was happy that he was entertained and created his own games to play as we walked along. We found a bird blind and I tried to encourage the boys to look quietly through the holes to watch the birds feed.  Kai is getting used to an inside voice, but he just doesn’t get the need to be quiet outside - we’re working on it…

It made me think though about a story I had heard the week before at a women’s conference.  Keala Sikahema, wife of Vai Sikahema, shared about a time when her husband was trying to teach their sons to use the riding lawn mower to make their lawn look as nice as their neighbhor’s perfectly manicured lawn. During a visit of Keala’s father, the boys were receiving one of the frequent lectures. Her father told Vai to “remember you are raising boys and growing men”.  After that, Vai gave up on the lectures and soon the boys, as they continued to practice, did a fine job of mowing the lawn. I have been reminded of that story as I hiked with my boys, as well as we put away toys this week and flipped pancakes together.  There is no need for perfection, we are just teaching our sons one step at a time.  I can’t expect my boys to be expert hikers or have an innate respect for the birds, but I can share my love for nature with them during our leisurely nature walks - knowing that they will grow up to be men who have an appreciation - and, I hope, a passion - for the world around them.