Working with Children
Hallie Sykes
Oxbow Farm & Conservation Center
Oxbow Farm & Conservation Center
Our mission is to inspire people to eat healthy, sustainably grown food and to steward our natural resources for future generations.
Produce food. We cultivate 15 acres of mixed vegetable crops using agro-ecological principles and engage in research to inform conservation farming practice.
Grow native plants. We operate a native plant nursery that produces plants for habitat restoration projects, educational gardens, and urban landscapes, and conducts research on native plant propagation using sustainable growing methods. �
Restore and sustain habitat. We carry out conservation projects and research to learn how humans can use land to our benefit while protecting biodiversity.
Spring, Summer, and Fall Field Trips and Summer Camp!
Children’s Passions
Children’s passions are tools for nature connection and environmental literacy!
Children’s Passions
Supporting the cycle of inquiry
Use a T chart/Web of Wonder
Inspired by:
Supporting Children’s Thinking and Learning, University of Washington, Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences (I-LABS). Break-out session at Starting Strong Early Learners Conference
A Culture of Curiosity
Inspired by:
Supporting Children’s Thinking and Learning, University of Washington, Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences (I-LABS). Break-out session at Starting Strong Early Learners Conference
Childhood Brain Development, the basics
Upstairs and downstairs brain
Upstairs (logic, planning creative thinking) /downstairs (strong reactions, impulses, and emotions)
More tips for Working with Children- https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UOFzY5BxkV-9HY747whcd3nR7T3FrYpIxJEizFxUQ8c/edit
An integrated brain
The river of “well-being”
Seize moments and opportunities to teach- resilience, empathy, forgiveness, respect
Resource: The Whole Brain Child
by Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D.
Pivot Points
(Principles and practices that we fall back to)
Pivot Pts Continued
Pivot Pts, continued
Talk Moves
Establishing routines and classroom culture
The Natural Cycle
Inherent in life’s processes, the natural cycle is rhythm that guides life’s patterns from the sun, to the seasons, to the life cycles of living things.
Aligned to the cardinal directions, the natural cycle tells us geographically and metaphorically “where you are”, conveying a vision of how energies move through a day, a life, and a year.
The Natural Cycle in Seasons
SE: Midmorning / Late spring
SW: Midafternoon / Late summer
NW: Twilight / Late Autumn
NE: Predawn / Early spring thaw
The Natural Cycle in a human life cycle
SE= Childhood
SW= young adult
NW= Late adulthood
NE= Conception/death
The Natural Learning Cycle as an Organizer
Have you ever noticed shifts in student energy throughout the day? Patterns of engagement and ability to focus? Times when kiddos need to get their “wiggles” out?
DISCUSS
Ducharme & Derks Garden Buddies 3/2/20
The Natural Learning Cycle as an Organizer
Have you ever noticed shifts in student energy throughout the day? Patterns of engagement and ability to focus? Times when kiddos need to get their “wiggles” out?
DISCUSS
West
Using a peaceful signal for gathering, such as a drum beat or coyote call, gather the group to invite them to share their story of the day. Celebrate and value their experience, reflect and check for understanding. Invite a take-home challenge
Northwest
Look back on the experience, ask introspective questions, go deeper. At home this might look like sharing the experience with their families around the dinner table or journalling.
North
Integrate! In the North, we have some insights or big picture lessons learned from the learning process. Whether it’s learning about ourselves and how we felt through the process, or new understandings about how the world works. North means choosing to take action about what we learned, and sharing that with others.
East- Open the learning experience
South-- Focus
Channel energy into first hand experience
West- Gather and share
Reflect and
Share the story of the day
Where are we now?
In the context of COVID, protests for racial justice, food security, climate change, political uncertainty...
It’s natural to feel disoriented, afraid, uncertain- “fight/flight; freeze/collapse”. Things may be coming apart, but disequilibrium is part of any cycle, it is what allows for growth!!
It is a time of opportunity, for reconsidering norms, reflecting on what works and what doesn’t, “composting” old systems and habits to fertilize the growth of new ones, nurturing creativity and development of new life.
What is our role in this as educators?
Helping kids’ cope with uncertainty…
Site-specific expectations, our “Farm Secrets”
Tips and Best Practices
Play with food!
Parent quote: “We’ve been really excited to come to the farm! Ever since big sister had a field trip last week, we’ve been opening up apples and counting the seeds, cutting into beets and admiring the bright colors inside.”
Give opportunities for problem solving
“This is too crowded, I can’t see”
“Don’t forget me!”
Use real science tools
Use inclusive language
Flowers aren’t just for girls!
Ladybugs aren’t always a “she”
Remove pronouns in storytelling
Embrace differences in family structures and households
Let the mystery be!
Guide with curiosity, observations and further questioning.
When asking “what is it”? What do students really want to know?
• What do you notice?
• What do you wonder?
• What does that remind you of?
• How might you explain that?
• How is this similar/different from…?
• What do you think about that idea?
• Do you agree with…?
• Tell me more about that.
• Can you explain/show me your evidence for that?
• How can you be more sure?
• What surprised you?
Get down on the level
Empower students to teach
Comfort needs first!
Questions?
620 640 7037
Bonus Slide: Polyvagal theory