by Patti Ryan
In what seems like a lifetime ago, (but just yesterday) I had a young daughter I was homeschooling. Homeschooling is a joy and also very challenging if done correctly. Finding activities outside the home is essential. We were fortunate to be in on the "ground floor" about 15 years ago now, of an experiential learning center in Rosebud named Earth's Classroom, founded by highly educated naturalists, Bill & Jody Miles. The first classes we attended usually first met in a mostly natural amphitheater back into the property, then we went on an adventure. Where would we go? Sometimes it was to a Native American Tipi for lessons in Missouri's Native peoples & culture, sometimes into other parts of the property where we might encounter animal tracks, interesting plants, or maybe even go back in time to the Civil War or Southern Fur traders era, complete with the garb of the era & lessons easily remembered because you LIVED them, you saw live animals that live in Missouri, you touched the things discussed, you learned first hand how hard it is to make a fire in the woods, or to wear Civil War gear.
In what seems like a lifetime ago, (but just yesterday) I had a young daughter I was homeschooling. Homeschooling is a joy and also very challenging if done correctly. Finding activities outside the home is essential. We were fortunate to be in on the "ground floor" about 15 years ago now, of an experiential learning center in Rosebud named Earth's Classroom, founded by highly educated naturalists, Bill & Jody Miles. The first classes we attended usually first met in a mostly natural amphitheater back into the property, then we went on an adventure. Where would we go? Sometimes it was to a Native American Tipi for lessons in Missouri's Native peoples & culture, sometimes into other parts of the property where we might encounter animal tracks, interesting plants, or maybe even go back in time to the Civil War or Southern Fur traders era, complete with the garb of the era & lessons easily remembered because you LIVED them, you saw live animals that live in Missouri, you touched the things discussed, you learned first hand how hard it is to make a fire in the woods, or to wear Civil War gear.
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There were other programs too, floating for beginners all the way up to white water adventures for the experienced, caving trips, bird watches, reptile identification, orientation, I could go on. The BEST part of all these programs are the enthusiastic, knowledgeable & FUN teachers! You can't help but have fun at an Earth's Classroom program. Some of our local schools are using Earth's Classroom to add an experiential element to their curriculum.
(IF you're not, WHY not???)
(IF you're not, WHY not???)
I consider Earth's Classroom one of the best kept LOCAL secrets, I am always taken back when people say they have not heard about their great work. I hope your family enjoys the programs as much as we have, even their fundraisers are fun. Check them out!
http://www.earthsclassroom.org/index.html
http://www.earthsclassroom.org/index.html
