Jaime Peterson and Rebecca Westbrook Toker, co-founders of Reconnect Nature School in Chattanooga, advocate for nature-based learning for middle schoolers. They share their journey in creating educational alternatives, emphasizing the need for outdoor environments, especially for neurodiverse learners. The discussion touches on the emotional challenges of transitioning schools and the exciting yet daunting path of entrepreneurship. They envision expanding their programs into high school while promoting community support and personalizing education for all.
Rebecca and Jamie emphasize the importance of creating alternative educational models that prioritize hands-on, nature-based learning for middle schoolers facing traditional system limitations.
The founders aim to establish Reconnect Nature School as an accessible micro school that fosters community engagement and supports diverse learning styles for underserved students.
Deep dives
Founders' Educational Backgrounds
Rebecca and Jamie, co-founders of Reconnect Nature School, share their unique journeys in education that have shaped their teaching philosophies. Rebecca realized her passion for teaching at a young age, recognizing systemic shortcomings in traditional education while actively engaging in various teaching roles from a summer camp to a self-contained autism classroom. Her experiences fuel her desire to create a more inclusive educational environment that caters to diverse learning styles, particularly for students who struggle in conventional settings. Jamie, with a background in community-based education, underscores the importance of connections between schools and the communities they serve, emphasizing that a supportive environment fosters engagement and effective learning.
Challenges of Traditional Education
Both founders discuss the challenges they faced in traditional educational settings, particularly regarding administration and curriculum constraints. Rebecca highlights her efforts to engage students through hands-on, outdoor learning, only to be met with opposition from a system that prioritizes rigid structures over creativity. This disconnect resulted in frustration for both her and her students, highlighting the need for new educational models that emphasize exploration and interaction with nature. Their shared experiences in public schools illustrate the necessity for alternative approaches that empower educators and meet students' needs more effectively.
Innovative Nature-Based Learning
Reconnect Nature School aims to provide a hybrid educational model that combines outdoor exploration with indoor learning suited for middle-grade students. Acknowledging the unique developmental needs of adolescents, the school will offer both unstructured outdoor time and a dedicated indoor classroom, where technology and resources are readily available. This flexible approach allows students to connect with nature while still engaging with essential academic concepts in a supportive environment. By integrating natural sciences and hands-on learning, the founders hope to foster a love for the outdoors and a sense of responsibility for the community and environment.
Path to Accessibility and Community Engagement
The founders are committed to making education accessible to all students, regardless of their socio-economic background, and are exploring various funding options to reduce or eliminate tuition costs. They plan to gain recognition as a micro school, which would streamline enrollment processes and expand accessibility, particularly for families in underserved communities. By leveraging their backgrounds in community-based initiatives and teaching, they seek to create a space that serves not only as an educational facility but also as a hub for local engagement. Their vision emphasizes collaboration with community organizations to ensure that the school reflects and serves the diverse needs of the city.
Forest schools and similar nature-based programs are often concentrated in the preschool and early-elementary grades, but Jaime Peterson and Rebecca Westbrook Toker recognized the demand for these programs for middle schoolers and beyond. Listen to their founder journey to create REconnect Nature School in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
***
Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly LiberatED e-newsletter on education trends at fee.org/liberated.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode