The Forest School of Minnesota

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Comment by Jan Hummer on February 25, 2012 at 4:01pm

Hello, my name is Jan Hummer and I currently live in Boulder, CO but have to move back to WV at the end of May.   I am entertaining the thought of opening a Forest School which I have dreamed about for about 6 years for children ages 4 to 6 and including children with sensory integration issues, Down syndrome, and autism.

I would like to know if there were any struggles creating this school environment for you ? 

The school will be on my home property which is about 2 acres with a creek surrounded by 50 plus acres of neighbor land with a pond and river access.  I would like the school to also have a yurt where we can be if the weather gets a little to cold and rainy.  I would also like it to be open M through F from 7:30 - 3:30 with only 8 children maximum.

 

I am just brainstorming the idea right now but, would love to know more from people that are doing it in the United States.  Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Blessings,

Jan

Comment by Catrina Huynh-Weiss on October 18, 2011 at 5:55pm

If you are interested in knowing more about The Forest School of MN.  Our 3 year-young son began at The Forest School this summer and it has been a transformative experience for him and us.  Michele, the founder and teacher, treats each student as an individual.  She works with them to foster leadership skills, cooperation, creativity, patience, kindness,  and understanding of their bodies.  If there are any behavioral or developmental challenges of the child, she works creatively with the children and parents to help address them at home and at school.  Our son is better at sharing, cooperation and listening because of Michele's care and investment in his development.  What we really like is the idea that the day's agenda is dictated by the children's pace in exploring on their way to the forest, climbing tree, lake, or elsewhere.  It is not focused on getting the children to learn to read, write or be potty trained before they are ready.  Still, she incorporates these skills daily by teaching them to write their names with their fingers in the sand or snow, or to read the street signs, for example.  What we also like is that our son interacts with children between the ages of 2-6, so he learns to help out younger students while also learning from the older students.  It is more realistic to the interactions he would have in society.  The groups are small and Michele works with you on your schedule and the budget.  We feel very fortunate to have found her especially since so many "nature" schools are popping up when in fact they don't spend most of the time outside.  How will that work in the winter?  Just as it did when we were kids.  They don't stay outside the entire time when it's very cold. They come inside, get cozy and then go out again!  What do they do when it rains?  They put on a rain jacket and pants and go puddle jumping!  It's a real nature immersion school that teaches our son the appreciation of his environment and all its living creatures and how he relates to that environment in space and time.   In that respect, he learns about his own body, his emotions, himself, and others.