November 2019
Learning to listen to nature
Gabe Goldman, a noted Jewish educator and nature enthusiast shared this story: A rabbi in the Old Country taught his son every morning. Every afternoon the boy would take his Bible and Jewish books and go into the forest on his own. The father didn’t understand why his son would do this, so he said to his son, “Why do you go into the woods to learn about God and your Jewish heritage? They are the same every place.” His son responded, "Yes they are father, but I'm not."
After a recent walk at the Essex County Environmental Center, our Early Childhood Center teachers are not the same.
The entire faculty ventured out for a walk through the wooded wetland forest on the center campus and visited the frog pond, geodesic growing dome, compost bins, red wiggler worm bin, and other points of interest. Along the pathways we talked with the center’s naturalist about best practices for getting children engaged and learning about nature.
The experience connected the teachers with nature and with each other. It gave us a chance to bond our teaching family and deepen our understanding of the Earth.
This year the focus of our faculty learning is on listening.
Before the teachers ventured out on the walk, Susan Werk framed the experience by talking about the Sh’ma — the prayer we say that encourages us to listen. Outside, the teachers listened to the sounds of birds and squirrels and insects. Everyone became aware of the myriad colors and sights and sounds in the natural world.
After the faculty walk, the teachers shared their reflections and thoughts about how to bring what we learned and what we felt back to the children.
We are certain that this will have a wonderful impact on our year together.
