Casey Betcher--2nd Grade at Findley
I feel I was blessed to be born and raised in the Pacific Northwest where I got to appreciate so many natural resources—from local parks, to hikes in the gorge, to the wide open beaches... the possibilities to explore are endless.
Kid naturally learn in these spaces—through their senses and hands on engagement with nature. As a teacher, I value the learning possibilities that abound in the outdoors. How do we incorporate this incredible community and the great resources that surround us into the classroom? It is a question I am constantly rethinking and reexamining as I learn more as a professional.
Below is a poem written and illustrated by one of my students: Frogs Hop, by Anya (Age 5)
As I look back on my childhood, I see a long gravel road that forked and split into the neighbors' long driveways. The road stretched back from the busy street. Right before the hill stood my house surrounded by large pines, fruit trees, and open space. I believe this house was one of the first suburban developments with its two-acre plots in the farmland surrounding Hillsboro, Oregon. It has since become one of the last little farms in an area where urban growth has exploded . My world was full of change and development as I grew up. But being nestled back from the busy roads and construction that came, there was freedom on my street that was unobstructed by the hustle and bustle of the growing area. I was the second child of four siblings. We children had the freedom to explore the small forest, the creek bed that flowed through our backyard, the grassy hills behind Kelly’s house, and the trees tops as we climbed high, uninterrupted and free to wander.
