Back to the Basics
We can return home to the basics whenever we’re ready to revel in their joy–we can stand outside with our toes in the grass, we can watch the clouds pass by, we can balance in tree pose and remember.
Being a parent or teacher is more challenging than ever in these post-pandemic, digitally connected times. Not that it hasn’t always been a tough job!
We need to pull out all the stops on what we know about how young people grow and learn to meet the challenges that they are presenting. There is so much we can do to help them grow strong and resilient. teaching and youth development.
The Next Step team draws from experience and experiments in education and youth development:
The experiential model, and hands-on education
Research on resilience; protective factors and other youth development research
Learning styles research
Best research and practice on parenting throughout life
We can return home to the basics whenever we’re ready to revel in their joy–we can stand outside with our toes in the grass, we can watch the clouds pass by, we can balance in tree pose and remember.
As I plunge the depths of art and yoga, as I travel more, and find new next steps, it’s great to have a team member that can finish my sentences, and pick up my work where I leave it.
Teachers ask me how people have time to bring Farm to School initiatives into the classroom. We all know how busy teachers are. Lucky for us, Farm to School activities are highly motivating and can slide into a variety of subjects and topics to enhance what you are already teaching.
Toward the end of the hike there were times I wasn’t sure I could make it. So I took another page from yoga and just breathed. And took one step and another. I passed groups, and groups passed me. Strangers cheered me on, and we told each other we were glad to be there.
…a sense of belonging is one of the most essential needs of humans. We also need to feel power over our lives, belief in our own abilities and a sense of generosity. Seems to me Covid has challenged our ability to satisfy all of those needs.
When things feel turned around and upside down, turn to nature for solace and safety. Breathe the fresh air and find joy among the trees and rocks.
Explore the parks around central Iowa with Shelly Johnson and her family. You’re sure to have an amazing adventure!
Stretch your parenting skills for your stay-at-home kiddos with the Next Step kids’ Garden Curriculum! Easy-to-use activities, experiments, and gardening tips for first-time AND experienced gardeners as well.
Research is showing that even a few brief mindful moments a day can help relieve some of the pressure that kids AND ADULTS are feeling. Moving our bodies is also key to sharpening our minds.
Pay and value are twined together very tightly together in today’s world. We need to VALUE domestic work; I think that’s what I’m learning from my adventures in keeping my own house clean and taking care of June. It’s simple but not easy.