Standing Among the Trees
In A Poetry Handbook, Mary Oliver writes "If the poem is thin, it is likely not because the poet does not know enough words, but because he or she has not stood long enough among the flowers--has not seen them in any fresh, exciting, and valid way." In this workshop, we'll go into HVNC and stand among the trees, practicing using all of our senses to observe. We'll each choose one particular tree and ask questions that will help nurture our curiosity and deepen our relationship with that tree. From these observations and questions, we'll write poems or prose to celebrate our trees.
Workshop leader Andrea Lani is the author of Uphill Both Ways: Hiking toward Happiness on the Colorado Trail. As a Maine Master Naturalist, she teaches nature writing and nature journaling workshops around Maine.
Participants of all ages welcome.
A note to educators
There is immense value in getting students outside, even for short amounts of time, to explore the natural world. Research is continuing to show that taking kids outdoors benefits social-emotional learning and leads to greater focus when students return to the classroom. For many teachers, this may seem daunting for a plethora of reasons from short class blocks, behavioral concerns, ticks, access to trails, and the perceived difficulty of meeting learning goals in an unconventional setting. Teachers may also be new to learning about the ecology of their setting. This Naturalist Workshop Series is designed to help address the concerns and challenges of taking students outside and grow your comfort level facilitating class learning goals within and beyond the playground.
Each program will provide an opportunity to observe an educator teaching to a group of students. We will provide supplemental materials for teachers to bring back to school, content you can use with students, and time at the end to ask questions and brainstorm ways you can transfer the lesson to your school's unique setting.
We hope you will step outside with us and bring what you experience back to your schools!