Nature Preschool Program
Roots and Wings (ages 4-6)
Winter Visit Days: Wed. Feb 10 and Fri. Feb. 12, 2010. See the Vist Days Flyer for more details.
NOTE: You need to register for visit days with our office: 425-788-1301 or email lindsayh@wildernessawareness.org
In Roots and Wings outdoor nature preschool, children ages 4-6 have fun and explore the natural world around them through nature activities for kids, such as songs, stories and walks, and by observing plants and animals with all of their senses.
As with all Wilderness Awareness Youth Courses, enrollment in our nature preschool is limited to ensure individual attention and mentoring opportunities for each child.
Roots and Wings Nature Preschool is committed to planting seeds for children's growth and connection with nature; safely, with confidence and fun.
Activities and Focus
- Circle time with songs and stories
- Nature walks
- Familiarity with the four directions
- Nature awareness games
- Nature activities for kids
- Safety in nature
- Plant and animal awareness
- Sensory awareness
- Nature skills
Register for Roots and Wings
| Apply | Ages 4-6 $1900 (one day per week), $3,700 (two days) September to June, Wednesday and/or Friday, 9am-1pm At our land in the Cascade foothills near Duvall, WA (60 min from Seattle) |
2009-2010 Nature Preschool Information
Course Registration Open registration starts March 3rd, 2009. For more information about course registration or to apply, please call our office: 425-788-1301
Class Meets Wednesdays, and/or Fridays; 9 am - 1 pm; Linne Doran, Duvall*. Participants choose to attend one, or two days per week. (*We are 15 min. from Woodinville, WA; 20 min. from Redmond, WA; 30 min. from Bellevue, WA; and 50 min. from Seattle, WA).
Classes start Sept. 4th and 9th, 2009 are the first days of the Fri. and Wed. programs
Classes end May 29, 2010 (Fri. class), June 3, 2010 (Wed. class)
Information nights
Wed. Feb. 11, 2009 (7pm-8pm) at our land in Duvall (no children)
Wed. Feb. 25, 2009 (7pm-8pm)at our land in Duvall (no children)
Sample Class days
Tues. Feb. 24, 2009 at our land in Duvall (10am-noon)
Tues. Mar. 3, 2009 at our land in Duvall (10am-noon)
To Apply
Call the office: 425-788-1301
Tuition
Annual: $1900 (one day per week), $3,700 (two days)
Non-refundable Deposit $475, due upon registration. The remainder of tuition is payable in three
payments due September 1, January 1, and April 1.
Scholarships If you require tuition assistance, we invite you to submit a Scholarship Application along with your application for Roots and Wings Nature Preschool (download a Scholarship Application in PDF format, complete it and mail it in).
The non-refundable registration deposit is required to hold the place of all registrants, regardless of scholarship status. If, within two weeks of scholarship notification, scholarship applicants decide not to commit to the course, we will refund your deposit in full. (This is the only event where the deposit is refundable.)
NEW-Tuition Assistance for Roots and Wings!
Your homeschooled child
(age 5+) can receive valuable tuition assistance that can be applied
toward costs at
Roots and Wings! More
details
Our Educational Philosophy
At the core of our approach to educating young people is our concept of
"Passion-based learning." This is the idea that every one of us has special
gifts to bring to the world, things that spark our passions in life.
Our school's fundamental goal is to awaken this spirit in our students, and to help them identify and pursue their gifts. We believe that the most effective learning happens when young people are pursuing what they love, and so truly desire to learn.
Equally important is our philosophy that the most effective learning happens when students figure things out "on their own."
In their efforts to do this, they are individually guided by mentors who strive to create experiences and opportunities for students to discover their own answers.
We call this method Coyote Mentoring, a technique that encourages creative thinking rather than providing answers, and results in much deeper learning. It also stimulates the growth of problem-solving skills, and stretches the students into greater self-sufficiency in their living and learning.
Our Instructors
Sol
Marie Doran is a Coordinator and a Lead Instructor at
Roots and Wings. She is also a lead instructor at Youth School. She came
to Wilderness Awareness School from southern California, where she worked
with Wilderness Youth Project, ran an early childhood outdoor program,
and earned a B.S. in Ecology. She currently studies naturalist skills
with Kamana and herbalist skills at Ravencroft. Her other passions include
beekeeping, ethnic dance, and gardening.
Stephanie
"CW" Etley serves as an instructor with Roots and Wings.
She is also an avid Kamana student! Before coming to Wilderness Awareness
School, Stephanie worked as a Licensed Massage Therapist, was an instructor
for another local wilderness school, and has been caring for children
(including her own) in a variety of settings for over 20 years. Stephanie
is very excited about combining her love for children with her passion
for nature. She is also passionate about music, health and healing,
birds, soccer, and camping with her family.
Laura
Hersh is an instructor with Roots and Wings and Youth
School. She is a lover of all things nature, and grew up by the Salt
Marsh on Long Island where she spent many days in the woods fishing,
catching frogs and just daydreaming. Laura has been an outdoor educator
since 2001 with Nassau Boces Outdoor Education, Ferry Beach Ecology
School, Touch of Nature Education Center, The Cache River Wedlands Center
in southern Illinois, the SCA in Alaska - where she created a Junior
Ranger program - and Nature Vision in Redmond, Washington. She is a
2007 graduate of Wilderness Awareness School's Residential Program.
Laura loves mentoring children and learns daily through their wonder.
