Funding from the Rainwater Charitable Foundation, facilitation by BRIT Education, and coordination with REAL School Gardens has allowed increasingly more and more North Texas educators, and ultimately the children they serve, to benefit from the learning at the Teton Science Schools. This growing community is committed to the possibility of children being awakened, restored and inspired by learning from nature in the places where they are.
In 2006, our first trip to Wyoming included four (4) teachers as well as staff from REAL Schools Gardens, Rainwater Charitable Foundation, and BRIT Education. The group spent 5 days learning from staff at the Teton Science Schools, experiencing their programming and learning ways to use "place" to teach.
At the end of the trip, the group determined that teachers might really be engaged by everything Teton Science Schools has to share and plans were made to bring a larger group back the following year.
In 2007, the trip to Wyoming included thirteen (13) educators and support staff who served as leaders in schools supported by REAL School Gardens. These educators implemented their experience in their classrooms throughout the school year and several became engaging presenters at REAL School Gardens professional development days as well as strong proponents in their schools for the effectiveness of using outdoor experience in learning.
Feedback from the 2007 participants also informed plans for the following year to invite teams of two teachers and the principal from each school. The program also expanded to include support for these schools throughout the school year.
In 2008, the experience in Wyoming was shared by eight (8) school teams of two teachers and the principal. Schools supported by REAL School Gardens from Fort Worth ISD, Birdville ISD and Grand Prairie ISD participated in this journey.
This time, rather than the experience just being about a trip to the Teton Science Schools, the journey included 4 post-trip meetings where trip participants had the opportunity to share and receive further support from their peers and staff from REAL School Gardens and BRIT Education.
These schools teams developed action plans while in Wyoming that they then implemented throughout the school year to share their learning with their school community.
“I talked with my co-workers on a level that is higher and deeper than before.” - 2008 participant
“Even though we don’t have mountains in our backyard, I was totally inspired to get my kids outside.” - 2008 participant
For the 2009-2010 school year, the experience extends beyond individual schools to the district level.
In July, thirty-eight (38) educators and staff attended a week of exploration and learning at the Teton Science Schools. Participants from Dallas, Fort Worth, and Grand Prairie included six school-teams made up of teachers and the principal as well as two central administrator teams. During the experience, participants learned how to awaken, restore and inspire students through exploration of their place. They came together as a community to share observations, enthusiasm and ideas. And finally, each school and district team developed action plans to bring these ideas back home to their school community and districts.
Their journey will continue throughout the 2009-2010 school year as they implement their plans, share their progress and receive support through follow-up meetings and communications with fellow participants and alumni from past years. BRIT Education will partner with REAL School Gardens and the Rainwater Charitable Foundation to facilitate appropriate follow-up activities, provide support for building an online community and conduct a year-long assessment to form recommendations for next year. Follow their journey here.
