Welcome to a partnership with a growing community committed to the possibility of children being awakened, restored and inspired by learning from nature in the places where they are. Together we will learn how to engage students in new ways and develop a plan for how to share the experience with our school communities back home. (Read more about the history of this program)
May 13, 2010
Participants in this year’s Tetons Journey gathered for the last time on May 13, 2010, to reflect and celebrate the year.
Educators observed a lesson in the garden at Stonewall Jackson Elementary with third grade students. The students monitored environmental conditions and their potato plants while teachers facilitated inquiry-based learning. Lead teacher, Laurie Senecal, described her design of the lesson, the children’s progress throughout the year, and ways she will alter her methods next year to further learning outcomes. Educators at Stonewall Jackson also shared how they work together to ensure children are able to build on their outdoor learning experiences from kindergarten to fifth grade, supporting classroom and curricular objectives.
Each school team then shared results of their action plans for the year – celebrating successful outcomes as well as discussing ways to overcome unexpected challenges.
Reflecting on the journey overall, participants wrote words of advice to next year’s participants as well as notes to themselves. Their personal notes will be mailed back to them at the start of the next school year to serve as inspiration to continue their journey.
The final reflection activity gathered insights from participants that will be incorporated into BRIT Education's overall strategic planning.
[Pictures of the day]
[Ways and Places to Explore Outdoors this Summer]
November 18, 2009
Participants in the Tetons Journey gathered again on November 18, 2009, to be inspired by each other and the local landscape. The day focused on the natural processes at work at our two host schools – Westcliff Elementary and Rosemont 6th Grade. Using the environment as a context for curricular integration, teams from Dallas, Fort Worth and Grand Prairie learned new techniques for connecting students, content and place:
September 15, 2009
We continued our journey together on September 15, through follow-up activities at the Cedar Ridge Preserve that reignited our enthusiasm and renewed our commitment to this community to inspire students through exploration of place.
On June 28, thirty-eight (38) of us (educators and staff) departed for a week of exploration and learning at the Teton Science Schools. During our experience, we learned how to awaken, restore and inspire students through exploration of their place. We came together as a community to share our observations, enthusiasm and ideas. And finally, we develped action plans as schools, districts, and staff teams to bring these ideas back home to our school community, districts, and the growing community of educators seeking to engage children in a different way.
On June 2, our partnership began when we prepared for our trip to Wyoming by gathering travel information, meeting fellow adventurers, and sharing our hopes, expectations, and questions about the journey.
Amanda Stone Norton
BRIT, 500 East 4th Street, Fort Worth, TX 76102
phone: 817-332-4441 ext. 248
fax: 817-332-4112
