Ultimate Frisbee, Scaffolded Independence, and Democratic Civic Engagement 

/ Cliff DesMarais

We’re about fifteen minutes outside of Montpelier heading north on interstate 89. I glance back in the rearview mirror as I hear one of the team’s captains read the lines for today. Today’s games are a little bit different than our typical hard fought games against JV high school teams in southern Vermont. This is the first time since ultimate frisbee came to Flood Brook school in 2019 that they’ve had the opportunity to play against other middle school teams. The athletes are excited. It shows on their faces as they cheer for the lineups. We’re about to go against experienced teams of ultimate players from around northern VT-most of which have been playing for years, many on teams that have existed longer than the Taconic and Green School District has even been an idea in our corner of the state. Our team of 23, now split into team 1 and team 2, will be short on substitutes today. But the players don’t mind. This gives them more time in the game as they battle other middle level teams in the 70 degree heat of a sunny spring weekend.

Flood Brook emerges from pool play undefeated. Team 1 and Team 2, playfully renamed Team “Splish” and “Splash” after the water trodden tiger painted on our basketball court at home, play hard but spirited games against athletes from two teams coming from Montpelier’s Main Street Middle School and two teams from Burlington’s Vermont Commons School. Yet the real victory is in how Flood Brook organized itself today. Democratically elected captains sat side by side on the bus ride up and poured over the roster. They weighed receivers vs. handlers (the name for position that advances the disc up the field, think like a quarterback in football), they weighed first year athletes vs. seasoned players, they weighed ability level and sportsmanship*. The captains had a robust conversation about how best to split up the team to balance the two teams. There was no yelling, no disparaging words, there was no real “argument.” It was a calm and insightful back and forth. After reaching a consensus, one captain raised the roster above their head and announced, “Alright, we’ve got the teams. We did our best to make sure each team had a balance of throwers and receivers. We tried to make sure there are experienced players on each team. We’re going to pass the list around now. Please let us know if you are okay with the teams and come and talk to us if you have questions.” The team erupted in cheers again and the list circulated.

It seems unusual, but at a time when so many like to lament about the “kids these days,” I’ve got to agree with tiktok personality, now retired science teacher on the team where I student taught, John Wolf, “the kids are great.” It’s true, childhood has changed… a lot… but young adolescence presents most of the same problems today as it always has. Students want to be challenged. They want to learn (not necessarily in school, but they do want to learn). Students want autonomy and a chance to step up and show you what they’re made of. That’s why ultimate frisbee is such a great sport to me. Competitive play, no refs, no umpires, and seemingly endless possibilities on the field. Student athletes are forced to step up, learn the rules, and make good calls about their own infractions. 

So it should come as no surprise that as the 8th graders began to plan the middle school’s spring retreat, we wanted to provide a similar opportunity for kids to step up, and make good calls. Our mission was to pass on to the students of next year the culture of positivity that some of our students have worked so hard to cultivate. Sitting down with myself and Sarena from the Taconic and Green Success program,  the 8th graders got right to work. It wasn’t always easy. In fact, at times it was downright chaotic.  Sarena and I worked tirelessly to provide these young leaders with an authentic leadership opportunity. Again, students need autonomy. They want to be successful. They like to be challenged. 

Which is why after one particularly challenging planning session, the team did not abandon ship. We did not “take away” any privileges or opportunities. We doubled down.  We set clear expectations and provided the group with the freedom and support to work towards the goal of passing on positive culture at Flood Brook to the next generation of middle schoolers. There were no teacher assigned groups, no specific requirements for reporting out ideas and strategies. There was MUCH adult to student interaction, and lots of probing questions: We asked students “what parts of the fall retreat do you think are important to building community?” and “what role will you have in making sure these activities, ideas, and events are part of this spring retreat?” The results were impressive. Given fewer restrictions and clear constraints for planning time and resources, 8th graders were able to prioritize which whole group activities they felt built middle school unity, which opportunities encouraged student empowerment and autonomy, and what the schedule of the retreat would ideally look like. While adults circulated to assist students in small groups, extent student leadership became visible. One precocious student even pointed out that some of the 8th graders had not been to the mountain campus and proposed a site orientation prior to the retreat. They found a date, assisted in completing the field trip request form, and rallied their fellow classmates to make a list of things they would need to verify on site. Our next step? Engage the sixth and seventh graders in planning for a celebration of the 8th graders as they pass the baton at our spring retreat. We don’t know what it will look like yet, but like those student athletes on the bus to their first ever middle level tournament, we’re enthusiastic and optimistic about what the future holds.

Thanks for reading. Reach out if you want to help out or if you have any questions about school, leadership opportunities, or ultimate frisbee.

-Cliff (7/8 social studies, ultimate coach… and all that other stuff)

Works Cited

“(￣￣;).” YouTube, 23 February 2022, https://www.tiktok.com/@wolf_science/video/7107730410255273258?lang%3Den&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1683642721058987&usg=AOvVaw17XDDBQiH-EncJqDoRaxA6. Accessed 9 May 2023.

“The News Project – Success Program Expanding – GNAT.” GNAT-TV, 18 August 2021, https://gnat-tv.org/the-news-project-success-program-expanding/. Accessed 9 May 2023.

Lewis, Samantha. “Mixed gender teams, democratic rules, no referees — is Ultimate Frisbee the future of sport?” ABC, 17 January 2023, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-18/ultimate-frisbee-utopian-sport-future/101244622. Accessed 9 May 2023.

Novak, Alison. “South Burlington Science Teacher Goes Viral With TikTok Lessons.” Seven Days, 24 May 2022, https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/south-burlington-science-teacher-goes-viral-with-tiktok-lessons/Content?oid=35641627. Accessed 9 May 2023.

Stephens, Edward. “The Ultimate Frisbee Glossary – Features.” Ultiworld, https://ultiworld.com/feature/ultimate-frisbee-glossary/#h. Accessed 9 May 2023.

Current Events and “Using Your Time Wisely”

/ Cliff DesMarais

One of the phrases that I cannot stand, and this has pretty much always been the case for one reason or another, is “making time.” As a kid, I could not for the life of me understand why people say that they are “making time for something.” As an adult, the phrase implies to me that it is our responsibility to make an unrealistic expectation somehow manageable. We’ve got a thousand things on our plate every day and yet someone says “make time.” As a young, energetic, concrete thinker, I was even more frustrated. It bothered me intensely that people always said “make time.” YOU CANNOT MAKE TIME. There is only so much time to go around, and that’s the real problem, right? Time is kind of like currency, and there is only so much time to go around. So where should we spend it? And doing what?

This is why in the last few years, when someone changed the narrative for me I was immediately on board. We were discussing something that needed to happen outside of school and I relayed how busy I was (again we all are… always). A friend and colleague turned to me and said, “Yah we’re all busy. Don’t say you weren’t able to do something. The problem isn’t that aren’t able, or that you’re busy, this just wasn’t your priority. And BOOM! I was on board. The instant I begin thinking about what I have to do vs. what I want to do, and what it would be nice to do, I got much less stressed out about “what I’m not able to do.” I’m not always able to prioritize things in my life the way I want, but I feel much better letting people know that the thing I didn’t complete just was not my priority.

Which brings us to “using your time wisely.” It is by far one of THE MOST important things we can do to work with young adolescents in regard to improving their executive functioning skills and getting them ready for high school. Time management is TOUGH. While some students struggle more than others, there are actually quite a few concrete ways to help kids get better at “using their time wisely.” See the source, How to Teach Time Management, cited at the end of this post for a full description of each step.

Steps You can Take to Teach Your Teen Time Management

  • Advise your teen to write down (their) schedule.
  • Avoid nagging. 
  • Encourage your teenager to develop routines. 
  • Give your teen time management tools. 
  • Help (them) to set goals. 
  • Help your teen prioritize activities. 
  • Model good time management habits. 
  • Set limits on electronics. 

Now admittedly, none of this is really ground breaking. It is pretty much what most of our parents did with us when we just did not complete our work, “wasted” our time in class, or forgot to do homework assignments. The important thing to remember here is that most teenagers do not inherently want to do this work. It takes a certain kind of scholar to willingly work towards good study habits. This is why we teach skills like this in school and we model and practice them at home. The results, often times, speak for themselves.

Take these three student examples from our recent current events homework in social studies. The first student is a high achieving 8th grader who goes out of their way to complete enrichment activities, always does their best on assignments, and willingly self selects challenging topics when given the choice. It won’t surprise you to see that this student went above and beyond on their first current events homework of the year. After completing the initial assignment template as a sort of plan for their submission, they drafted a written narrative explaining the current events topic they learned about, they scheduled a time with their teacher to come and revise the submission during WINN block, and they made revisions that helped them show their best work. You can see their work here, by clicking on the link to see a copy of their first Friday current events submission. While every 7th and 8th grader at Flood Brook was offered this time during WINN block, less than a dozen students took advantage of the opportunity after reminders that this time was an option.

Student number two: This student is clever, as all middle schoolers tend to be, but to be honest they do not always complete their work. Usually engaged in class, but not ever the center of our discussions and pretty much always sitting in the back. The submission was late, it has errors that could be easily corrected, but it is HANDS DOWN more work than this young person has independently done in my class. With some teacher encouragement, an extra layer of rigor (current events homework) and a topic of personal importance to them, they completed their work and presented to the class, showing off their knowledge of the current events topic while connecting it to their life in Vermont. This share was just magic.

Student number Three: This is a kid who always has a lot to share but does not always want to share with peers. They checked in with me regarding this assignment ahead of time, used their WINN time responsibly, but largely worked on this at home. The student did not necessarily seek out teacher help, but checked in from time to time to make sure they were o n the right track. One of the most amazing parts about this submission is that the student began working towards the next level of proficiency on the class’ homework assignment before it was even required, using multiple sources to see how different media outlets covered the same event. You can see their amazing work here!

So there you have it. Three very different kids, three ways to interact with their work that are worth celebrating and learning from. Reach out if you have any questions. We’re still working on getting homework club up and running (it’s looking like this will be an option starting after February vacation) and we are always here to help if you need us. We are just a phone call or an e-mail away.

-Cliff

Works Cited

“Does time management work? A meta-analysis.” NCBI, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7799745/. Accessed 31 January 2023.

Morin, Amy. “How to Teach Time Management Skills to Teens.” Verywell Family, 8 November 2019, https://www.verywellfamily.com/teaching-time-management-skills-to-teens-2608794. Accessed 31 January 2023.

“Youth activity: Manage your time for well-being.” University of Minnesota Extension, https://extension.umn.edu/youth-skill-building/daily-time-management-wellbeing. Accessed 31 January 2023.

Personalized Learning at Flood Brook Middle School

/ Cliff DesMarais

Recently I’ve been thinking alot about personalized learning. Prior to COVID, this was one of the shining stars of the Flood Brook Middle School experience. Students were routinely engaged in rigorous thematic project based units of study, they were active members of student leadership committees working to make the middle school a better place to learn, they pursued personal interest projects tied to academic proficiencies and Vermont’s transferable skills, and they shared their learning with members of the community in trimesterly exhibitions of learning. In fact, a quick glance at Burr and Burton’s (our largest receiving school) 2021-2022 Academic Awards recipients shows Flood Brook students receiving effort and recognition awards across all four high school grades, with two of BBA’s Spire Awards and the Jesse Ameden Citizenship Award going to Flood Brook students. Like all schools working to recover from the learning interruptions of the COVID pandemic, we’ve got a lot of work to do, but our students are achieving and doing great things after leaving Flood Brook.

After tons of work and loads of intentional work getting “back to schooling” following remote learning and pod-classes it finally feels like we are digging back into the hard academics that makes Flood Brook School unique in public education. The middle school’s Tuesday club time is off to a great start; We’ve got middle schoolers working with younger students across the building, groups engaging in maker space learning, students who are pursuing filmmaking, and even a cooking club that is serving up tasty treats as they work to practice real world culinary skills.

But the thing that makes me most excited about all of this personalized learning? Watching students own their successes, clearly express what challenges they face, and concisely identify their goals for middle school. In short, I was super impressed with student’s thorough job explaining their learning at our recent fall student led conferences! Far and away the majority of students that I had the pleasure to hear from did an amazing job talking about their work. This is admittedly one of the most challenging things that we ask young people to do today in education. As one parent pointed out, “a lot of adults can’t even do this!”  So while this is challenging work, it is important to pause and remember that it is work worth doing. Not only is Act 77’s requirement to have students co-create personalized Learning plans nearly a decade old (Act 77 was passed in 2013 and has been gradually implemented across the state since then), it is the learning that is most likely to stay in student’s mental toolbox. We know from studies of student learning, memory, and looking at neurological approaches to teaching that students who are asked to think metacognitively (thinking about their thinking) are more apt to remember their learning and strengthen their skills as they identify personal and academic goals.

Lots of the success for this current round of student led conferences can be attributed to student readiness to dig in and do the hard work of looking at examples of student led conferences, learning from the work of others, and practicing routinely. While there are always going to be kids who struggle with this task, the vast majority of kids are able to step up to this challenge. If you think about it, most of our students already have plenty of experience with this work by nature of engaging in good discussions of their learning with you and the rest of your family at home. I was recently reading a book that my first grader’s teacher recommended to parents, How to Raise Kids Who Aren’t @$$4073$: Science Based Strategies for Better Parenting-From Tots to Teens, by Melinda Moyer (I highly recommend this book, a lot of it you probably already do, but there’s some great reminders and probably new learning for most of us parents) and it dawned on me how skilled so many Flood Brook parents are in one of Moyer’s great tips. She shares that although kids pick up on the values of their parents through interactions, subtle social cues, and the general environment, the single most effective way to communicate what you value is by having a direct conversation where you share said values with your child. This is the kind of interaction that is clearly going on in the homes of so many Flood Brook families. It comes out in class discussions, in student reflections on learning, and it comes out in the general climate that middle schoolers have worked so hard to build this year. It starts at home and they’re clearly listening when their caring adults check in with them.

Students are talking about their learning. They are working to make their peers feel welcome. Students are digging in and getting to learning in ways that we have not seen for a while. In the words of one 8th grader who was recently overheard at lunch, “Cliff’s class is mad hard this week..” so of course, I asked more about that. The response, “but like… it’s good. It’s just harder than it’s been at all this year.”

All I can say is thanks. This kid’s “hard work” is everything we need to keep us going. Reach out if you need anything. The student led conferences are your child’s time to shine and show off their hard work, but your children’s teachers are here to talk about their progress whenever you need the adult-to-adult meeting. You can reach out by e-mail, call the school phone. We’re here to help your children build a successful year.

Works Cited

“Personalized Learning | Agency of Education.” Vermont Agency of Education, https://education.vermont.gov/student-learning/personalized-learning. Accessed 10 November 2022.

Shea, Alissa Alteri. “Teaching Young Students How to Reflect on Their Learning.” Edutopia, 13 July 2021, https://www.edutopia.org/article/teaching-young-students-how-reflect-their-learning. Accessed 10 November 2022.

“What is Act 77: The Flexible Pathways Initiative?” Vermont Agency of Education, 18 September 2017, http://education.vermont.gov/sites/aoe/files/documents/edu-plp-what-is-act-77.pdf. Accessed 10 November 2022.

Keeping the Fire Lit, Winter Carnival and Joy in the Middle School

/ Cliff DesMarais

We’ve almost made it to February break. It has been an admittedly tough slog at times, but kids are hanging in there. They are doing surprisingly well in fact. Admittedly, they’re tired…  Of course they are! Students are tired. Teachers are tired. Families are tired too! So, it should be no surprise that when we(the middle school team) sat down to look at this week… tired was the primary condition that we had to battle. You see, every year at this time we tend to plan something really fun to celebrate the hard work that our community does throughout the year. Most years we have a community celebration before every break! Unfortunately though, many fun, unique and interesting events have been eliminated this year for health reasons, safety reasons, or for reasons of sheer fatigue. With everything that students have lost this, we feel strongly that school celebrations SHOULD NOT be another important part of school that falls to the wayside. If nothing else, we want to maintain the joy we share at school. So our 7th and 8th grade team doubled down on our outdoor time this week… The result? Friday, February 12th is the “Winter Carnival.” A day of celebration of learning and the beautiful winter weather we have been so fortunate to get this year. Students will compete in a “bean bag biathlon (ski/snowshoe/run and corn hole), snow sculpture building, and enjoying outdoors. Of everything that we’ve lost, we couldn’t bear to lose celebration and joy. Just enjoying each other’s company, snowshoeing, nordic skiing, and playing in the snow… okay… maybe a little campfire too.

I probably don’t need to tell you that this is a weird school year. You’re very aware. If you’re reading this, then you either have a kid here at Flood Brook or you’re in someway connected to the education community. I really don’t need to tell anyone that the school year looks different, and the chances are pretty good (if you’re reading this) that I also don’t need to tell you to waste any time worrying about “kids falling behind.” They’re just learning different things. See Kimberley Moran’s great article from  WeAreTeachers from last May (Moran).

So what AM I going to tell you? Well, I won’t say “the kids are okay.” There is plenty of research by better equipped people than me regarding the unique challenges that COVID schooling presents for young adolescents (Singh et. al). It’s not as dire as some are making but it is the reality that we work with when we meet kids where they’re at. What I will tell you is this– of everything that has to go away, of everything we have the opportunity to re-envision, re-work, or try again, we need to cling most strongly to any school event that can safely promote joy in learning. Which brings me to my real goal for this year: To keep the fire lit. 

Fortunately, kids are not falling as far behind as we worried, see NYTimes Dec. 2 piece by Erica Green (Green). Even if the COVID gap was as big a threat as people worry it is(trust me, it’s not EVERYONE ON THE PLANET IS GOING THROUGH THIS) there is something you can do. Even with the constraints that are in place due to covid restrictions, there is one thing you can do for children’s education that doesn’t cost you anything. It does not require you to be an expert in the field where your child is struggling. It just takes us all being present. If we can do nothing more this year, we can endeavor to keep the fire lit! We can do everything that we can to make sure that when this is all over, your child still has the burning desire to learn. Something. Anything. Whatever makes your kid really want to learn… The most important educational goal for your child at the end of the pandemic is that they still love learning. Do what you can to keep that fire lit! Reach out to your child’s advisor if you need suggestions.

Thanks for reading!

-Cliff 7/8 Social Studies

Works Cited

Green, Erica L. “New Data Show Some Children Aren’t Falling as Far behind as Predicted.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 2 Dec. 2020, http://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/02/us/new-data-show-some-children-arent-falling-as-far-behind-as-predicted.html.

Moran, Kimberley “Kids Arent Falling Behind.” We Are Teachers, 4 June 2020, http://www.weareteachers.com/kids-arent-falling-behind/.Singh, Shweta, et al. “Impact of COVID-19 and Lockdown on Mental Health of Children and Adolescents: A Narrative Review with Recommendations.” Psychiatry Research, Published by Elsevier B.V., Nov. 2020, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7444649/#:~:text=The children may develop feelings,et al., 2020).

Music, memory, and the nostalgia of Understanding

/ Cliff DesMarais

WHAT IS GOING ON? WHAT ARE THEY THINKING? WHY DID THEY JUST DO THAT?

Just a few of the great questions you might ask when you find yourself frustrated with a young adolescent. I was reminded of these questions recently upon receiving an e-mail from a frustrated parent. Riddled with the kind of language we all fall victim to when frustrated, “they cant…” or “I don’t know why they…” It was hard to read. Particularly, because as with all of my students, this is a student that I have seen succeed in so many ways over the years.  So after responding with a quick affirmation that this student in fact CAN do this and IS an amazing part of our class, I began to think about the questions above, and how often we ask them.

Truthfully though, these questions aren’t worth asking if you’re not focusing on how amazing the process of brain development is. Think about it. Really sit back and realize that young adolescents-in the best of times- are working through one of the most active periods of brain development in there entire life (Spear). As their brains rewire, a process referred to as synaptic pruning, they are constantly growing, learning, and adapting to their environments. This while they are still fully a decade or more away from developing the portion of our brain that handles decision making and executive control.

So when a teacher friend or a parent of a middle schooler asks me… “How can I possibly understand? Or “I do not honestly remember what this was like,” I tell them about one of my favorite strategies; When I start tearing my hair out, saying to myself, ‘WHAT THE CUSS IS WRONG WITH THESE TINY HUMANS?! I try and put myself back in the mindset of a young adolescent. I stay late after school. I close the classroom door. I put a song on the speakers at the highest volume they tolerate and I clean the classroom- listening to one of my absolute favorite songs from middle school. 

As most of us know music is powerfully connected to memories, kind of like how smell can remind you of a place you haven’t been in thirty years? As neuropsychologist Lutz Jäncke writes, “Hearing music associated with our past often evokes a strong ‘feeling of knowing” (Jäncke). Sometimes just listening to art that spoke to you when you were feeling all those intense emotions of young adolescenthood… It makes it come flooding back to you and you remember what was so hard about being “all jacked up in the brain pudding.” That great big pile of neurons on top of our heads, swimming in neurotransmitters. 

So when you’re pulling your hair out, take a deep breath. Pull out that special album from your time as a teenager instead. Try and remember what it felt like. Because there were moments of pure joy. There was extreme excitement. But there was also disappointment. There was confusion. There was likely great frustration at times. Remembering that can go a long way to getting to a place of understanding.

It’s advice that I take myself all too often.

So where am I heading next? Well, school in a time of COVID isn’t always fun and games in the woods… so I’m going to go find a place to play some music that reminds me of the friends and family that got me through the period of adolescence. Feel free to click below if you need a little bit of punk rock in your life… or if you just need to hear the message that we’re here if you need it.

“If I fall back down, you’re gonna help me back up again. If you fall back down, your gonna be my friend.” – Tim Armstrong, Rancid 

Thanks for reading!

-Cliff 7/8 Social Studies

Works Cited

Brennan, Casey, et al. “SiOWfa16: Science in Our World: Certainty and Controversy.” SiOWfa16 Science in Our World Certainty and Controversy, 16 Sept. 2016, sites.psu.edu/siowfa16/2016/09/16/why-does-music-trigger-specific-memories/comment-page-1/#:~:text=In regards to music bringing,are implicit and explicit memories.&text=They also seem to last,attached to a certain emotion.

Jäncke, Lutz. “Music, Memory and Emotion.” Journal of Biology, BioMed Central, 8 Aug. 2008, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2776393/.Spear, Linda Patia. “Adolescent Neurodevelopment.” The Journal of Adolescent Health : Official Publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Feb. 2013, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3982854/.

Outdoor Learning in 7/8

/ Cliff DesMarais

It’s a rare thing, sitting outside among 10-20 young adolescents and quietly taking in the world around us. In a world where we are constantly bombarded with new and competing information, moments of calm and serenity are often fleeting. Yet every week, the 7th and 8th grade team at Flood Brook has the amazing opportunity to spend time sitting quietly in the woods, journaling about the natural world around them, and thinking deeply about the successes and challenges of our week. It is with our shared experiences outdoors, that we build the community of learners.

I say it’s rare, but increasingly less so here at Flood Brook; to sit quietly with a group of people-usually bursting with youthful energy and to simply enjoy the crackle of a campfire or the song of the birds. It is rare, but students at Flood Brook Middle School experience this weekly if not daily. You see, the 7th and 8th grade team here at Flood Brook has made a conscious decision to spend as much time outdoors as possible. Students have been learning to identify tree species on campus, they have studied the skills of a scientist-observation and inquiry, and they have focused on their writing, their team building, and their mindfulness while exploring the natural world.

While the necessities of managing healthy and safety requirements for COVID have indeed impacted our decision to work outdoors as much as possible, as many of you know this is not a new trend here at Flood Brook. Our students begin their journey into the outdoors as Kindergarteners. By the time they reach us in the middle school, many of them are well equipped to spend even the coldest days outside. So why do Flood Brook students spend so much time outside, even when we are not in the midst of a global pandemic?

The answer is as simple as you might guess. We spend so much time outside because that is what people are built for. In a world where our response to a pandemic includes additional screen time and further social isolation, we as teachers choose to double down on what we know is right for kids-being outside with others. So without any further ado, I give you… a short list of the benefits of outdoor learning.

  • Increased focus on social emotional learning: through team-building, reflection, and authentic interactions based on inquiry and outdoor projects students are practice VT’s transferable skills of Clear and Effective Communication, Problem Solving, and Responsible and Involved Citizenship
  • Health: not only are students getting more time involved in long-term cardiovascular exercise but simply the act opf being in nature has been shown to improve people’s immune systems, reduce production of stress hormones, and lower attention fatigue in students with ADHD
  • Practice in Autonomy: The natural world provides a place for students to explore, investigate, play, and try out their theories on how the world works. It is a safe place for students to practice autonomy, regulating themselves and working on executive functioning skills such as time management and accountability.
  • Fun and Play: Let’s face it, at a certain point, these students are still kids at heart. They deserve time to play and learn through play. Growing up in Vermont it’s important that they have adults in their lives both in and out of school who can model that there are safe and fun ways to play in Vermont regardless of weather.

Thanks for reading!

-Cliff 7/8 Social Studies

Works Cited

“Benefits of Place-Based Education.” Benefits of Place-Based Education | Promise of Place, promiseofplace.org/research-evaluation/research-and-evaluation/benefits-of-place-based-education.

“Immerse Yourself in a Forest for Better Health.” Immerse Yourself in a Forest for Better Health – NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation, http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/90720.html#:~:text=Phytoncides have antibacterial and antifungal,infected cells in our bodies.

“Outdoor & Place-Based Education in the Now.” Shelburne Farms, 26 Aug. 2020, shelburnefarms.org/calendar/event/outdoor-place-based-education-in-the-now.Publishing, Harvard Health. “A Prescription for Better Health: Go Alfresco.” Harvard Health, http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/a-prescription-for-better-health-go-alfresco.