Let's Learn Outside
A thoughtful outdoor component is something that I seriously seek for my child’s education. Like many parents, I want my child to grow up with all of the tools he will need to navigate the ever-changing world, both as a self-sufficient person and as someone who values connection with others. And in the midst of a global pandemic, flexibility, creativity and problem solving are much-needed skills in our society and the current environment…
MSCS Students Exploring the Natural World
Backpacking trips, bird banding, paddling 28 miles on the French Broad River, learning primitive skills, and spending a night in a tent: these are some of the things Mountain Sun Community School students do throughout the school year…
What is Natural Play?
Natural play can take on many forms, but at its core, it is self-directed, imaginative play in outside spaces that include elements of the natural world. It is exploring and discovering; it is building and demolishing; it is creating and imagining; it is interacting with the environment in hands-on, physics testing, common-sense-building ways…
Another Camping Trip?
When I looked at my calendar as February turned to March, this question popped in my mind as I saw our next camping trip approaching. You see, camping trips are a lot of work for us teachers. So when it’s about a month (or more!) out from a trip, it’s time to start preparing…
Thoughts from the Front of the Boat
We all have control issues. For some of us, it’s right there on the surface. For others, there’s a slighter, more subconscious element about it. But it’s there. This need is why get a little twitchy when the dishwasher’s not loaded right. It’s why we want the dollar bills facing the same direction and our toilet paper roll to be hung the absolutely correct way…
Storytelling
When I think back to my childhood and some of the stories I heard from my parents, I smile at the images that come to my mind. My favorite was one that my father told often about cooties and the spoon that found them. It was magical, and I always wondered how he knew to use such an amazing tool to identify the infected…
Boundaries in the Outdoors
One of the places that the children play is an open area of grass, with some large beautiful boulders, and an old hemlock tree. There are boundaries that the children learn and respect. They understand how they are helpers in that they do not venture into the well-manicured flower beds…
Water Water Everywhere
Living in a temperate rainforest comes with the good, the bad, and the sloppy. Grab some rain boots, a good book, or settle in for good times inside and out. Snuggling up at home, in your pajamas, with your family and pets is certainly one of the most enjoyable things that come with rainy weather…
Mountain Sun Community School Raises Trout with Trout Unlimited
Each year the Monarch class (grades 4-6) at Mountain Sun Community School raise trout from eggs in the classroom. The local Trout Unlimited chapter provides the class with all the materials needed to raise trout, and this year the class successfully released 80 trout into the Davidson River on February 6th…
Backpacking with the Coyotes
Plans change and often for the better. On a recent backpacking trip with the Coyote class, we made the decision to delay our departure by a day to avoid a downpour. We managed to miss the storm and maintain the opportunity to exercise our flexibility from staff to students and parents…
Experiential Learning at Mountain Sun Community School
Our journey began with a silent hike down a steep and winding trail, minds full of anticipation and excitement for a different kind of school week. As the trail came to an end, the landscape opened up into the beautiful valley of Buffalo Cove Outdoor Education Center…
Mountain Sun Students Work with Birds at Southern Appalachian Raptor
Mountain Sun students trekked to the the Big Bald Banding Station to aid the Southern Appalachian Raptor Research Center (SARR) in their conservation practices. On September 14th and 15th, the Monarch (4th-5th graders) students participated in raptor trapping, owl banding, hawk watching, and songbird migration monitoring…
Mountain Sun Community School’s Pack of Coyotes Embark on First Backpacking Journey
At Mountain Sun Community School, learning about the history of Transylvania County and its natural resources is not confined to the classroom and textbooks. The Middle School students, also known as the Coyote Class, backpacked through Pisgah National Forest to explore the real-life impacts of early Transylvanians on the local land, economy, and culture…
Man, Nature Makes Me Uncomfortable
Albert Einstein said, “Look deep into nature, and you will understand everything better.” This quote encompasses my love of outdoor education. Each time I enter the wild places, I learn a lesson I did not anticipate…