There seems to be two camps when it comes to how August is viewed. There is a group of people who grasp onto to every wisp of summer breeze, stock their freezer with pops and honey drips, and refuse to wear anything other than a bathing suits or- at the most- shorts well into September. They have the countdown on the board and on their phone for their next vacation. You can tell where they have been last by the scent of sunscreen that trails behind. These folks are the “In the Moment” camp. They could teach professional development on being present in the moment- but only after the school year starts, of course. After all- Summer is the time to recuperate!
Firmly seated in the other camp, are those we will lovingly refer to as “The Prepared”. We all know the people who gleefully skip to the “Back To School” section in every store they stop in, hunt through the dollar spot for their newly themed classroom, and whose hearts palpitate at the thought of fresh new dry erase markers.
Okay, okay- it’s me. I’m “The Prepared.” Just writing that sentence made me want to stop at Target to let the store tell me what I need. When I was in the classroom, the thoughts of next school year started moments after my students walked out of the door. I was famous for scouring the local store for clearance ANYTHING that I could add to my classroom, or give out as motivational tokens. Pinterest was my part time Summer job and I would often go down the rabbit hole of the internet trying to find that one more idea to make the school year better.
So I am going to ask for grace from the “In the Moment” camp now. This week’s blog is about preparing to make your next year blossom… with a spot of Professional Development and a dash of information about programs that introduce easy activities to bring into your classroom.
I know! It’s Summer! Hear me out! I AM going to share an opportunity for Professional Development that you can complete while in your bathing suit!
In Pennsylvania there are a PLETHORA of activities that bring you right in the sweet spot of summer. Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
presents their Summertime Stories in the Children’s Garden series. This is a great way to introduce children to nature who may be hesitant to dig in dirt yet. Every Thursday a nature book is read aloud followed by a nature walk. This is an easy FREE event for children ages 3-8. After your stroll through the gardens, you can stop by the JOHN J. WILLAMAN Education Center. This can be a gentle way to introduce our relationship with nature for those timid friends.
What about the adults who are a bit squeamish about getting their hands dirty? No judgment here! Let’s set you up with a Gardening 101 class, presented by the Greenhouse Project in Scranton. You will be able to learn from professionals who know the difference between weeds and edible plants- and possibly which weeds are edible!
Now for my “In the Moment” crowd, I hear you- you may find it so much better to stay at home with a cool drink relaxing on your lounger. Thankfully, Child Care Lounge offers an online learning experience that will teaching you how to identify the value of gardening activities, provide a list of basic tips for gardening with young children and help figure out which plants are the best for young learners! This hour long class is self-paced, so if you really need to cool off in the middle of it, you are able to dip in and out of the pool, as needed.
Don’t forget to check in next week as we continue to focus on the healthy eats of Summer!