My daughter (known in Spy Garden as Babyzilla!) attends a Forest School. Rather than have daily themes or weekly lessons, the kids do semester-long projects on topics of their own choosing. My son (known here as The Spy!) also attended the school when he was younger so I’ve seen a wide variety of really cool projects. At the end of each semester the project comes together with some sort of event or “store” or publication or art installation or field trip. The Ocean Project concluded with a child-written play. The kids made the set, designed and made the costumes (learning to sew with the teachers’ assistance) and performed for the parents.
There’s been a Dog Project which concluded with parents bringing in their dogs and walking them through different stations of a Dog Spa…
There was a City Project, Animal Project, Dirt Project and many more (and many more to come for Babyzilla!) Often when the kids are working on a project they will write letters to various individuals or businesses asking questions or making requests to learn more about the topic. Teaching kids to seek out experts in fields they are interested emphasizes that their inquiries are part of a world outside the classroom walls (or treeline)!
From the school’s website…
Our philosophy is based on the truth that young children are best challenged in the arts and sciences when they are given meaningful work in the dynamic setting of the real world. Here, their experiences have big implications. Content is contextual, not isolated. It is all connected to the world that surrounds.
Sounds impressive. But do preschoolers really feel connected to the world beyond what they see in their immediate surroundings? Do they really feel they have the power to influence their environment? Are these concepts farfetched? The school proves over and over again it is possible!
Recently, the kindergarten class at the school was doing a “Bone Robot Project” (remember the project topics are of the kids choosing!) While this project was underway, one student, in researching his first name (Roa) came across a Belgian street artist, whose pseudonym is ROA. ROA’s art often depicts the bones and other internal aspects of animals.
Excerpts from an email from the school…
When Roa brought examples of ROA’s work for them to see, they were inspired. They still mention his work often, and it has influenced the direction of the project. In fact, they were so inspired, they decided to write to ROA and invite him to paint a mural at [the school]. He’s kind of a big deal in Europe, so we really weren’t expecting a reply.
ROA said yes!!!
We believe in empowering children to change the world. This is not an empty, grandiose statement. When we say “change the world,” we mean the immediate world—the world within reach. We want our students to internalize an “I can” attitude. I can climb that rock. I can build a bone robot. In short, I can imagine a change in my environment and then make it happen. We believe that fostering this attitude can lead to the more grandiose outcome later in life. Writing a letter to a well-known artist and having him accommodate the request definitely serves this purpose.
This spring ROA will be coming to the school to do a mural. So exciting!!!
The animals ROA chooses to paint are those that live in the area surrounding the location of the mural. I wonder what he will choose? A bunny? Racoon? Deer? Ladybug? Groundhog? A turtle, snake or crawfish? He’s got a lot of great options of special creatures that live right in the woods of the school’s eleven acre campus.
What makes even more exciting is that ROA has a secret identity. ROA is a pseudonym. And I just love the concept of a secret identity. Spy Garden is sort of my own pseudonym. (Or is it Mrs. Spy Garden?!) Can’t wait to watch the mural in progress and to share the final masterpiece with you all!
So awesome! Love this so much!
I’m pretty excited about it! Thanks for commenting!
WOW! I didn’t think that you could top The Spy’s hammerhead costume but then you blew it out of the water with ROA coming to The Forest School! To coin a phrase that Mr George Takei has made his own “Oh MYYYYY!” I have stars in my eyes from knowing someone that has a child in The Forest School. I am going to have to have a lay down now. Please oh PLEASE document this most awesome of visitations and interactions for Spy Garden. What a coup! :)
The owners of the school are going to ask the artist if he would be ok with me taking photos of the process. They will be sure to tell him that I, of all people, fully appreciate secret identities! So, so exciting; I know!!
Now this is a “SQUEEE!” moment if ever there was one! You are going to be in the inner sanctum of knowing! :)
That is so exciting! Wow, a great example to the kids of the power of asking a question. One of my favorite quotes is, “If you don’t ask the question, the answer is always no.” It prompts me to be bold and go after what I want and it is amazing how often you get ‘yes’ for your answer! Looking forward to watching the mural unfold.
Great quote; very true! Definitely inspires me to ask more “questions”!
Very exciting news!!
;)
AMAZING shark costume! It’s like the scarecrow from Batman dressing up for Halloween (in a good way!)
Thanks! He did a great job making it. They teach the kids how to sew at the school which I think is a very useful skill!