Ep. 155 - Teach Kids Outside - with Roman from Nature School

Roman Shapla, from Nature School Startup, joins me to discuss Nature Schools - where the outdoors is the classroom.Roman recently shared on Twitter how he has taught tracking class: showing kids animal tracks in the dirt teaches kids about pattern recognition, thinking through timelines, as well as problem solving in their surroundings ("if this track is here, where did it come from, where is it going, and what is the animal doing?"). Definitely worth a Follow.He teaches homeschooling parents and co-ops how to start their own weekend nature school or to help those looking to bring the outdoors into a traditional classroom.Some of the benefits of outdoor schooling that we discuss:Engaging teenagers by giving them responsibility on tasks and even including them in mentoring younger children.Breaking the cycle of screen addiction and reawakening wonder through teaching outdoors.Teaching skills like pattern recognition, timelines, seasonality, and sense of place.Including marginalized or difficult children in a school outdoors significantly counteracts boredom, anxiety, and even ADHD.He has more tips in his excellent Substack article on Valuing the Marginal - Designing for Children and Elders.Show notes for this episode: Ep. 155 - Teach Kids Outside - with Roman from Nature SchoolGrow Nut Trees is now taking orders for Spring shipping or local pickup.Grow Nut Trees.comNEW for this year are more types of chestnuts, including Qing Chinese hybrid chestnut seedlings. The Qing tree is a heavy producer with sweet flavored extra large nuts. These seedlings were grown locally and are adapted to the Midwest.Grow Fodder Trees! New this year are cuttings for fodder trees - mulberry and hybrid willow. These are fast growing and the leaves are edible as forage for animals (my horses love them - maybe a little too much). Plus the mulberries can feed chickens if planted near a chicken run. And they are good for chop and drop. Get your mulberry and willow cuttings from Grow Nut Trees.