What We Do
Root and Rise Nature School is a nature-based program with a variety of classes for all ages. Our curriculum is a balanced rhythm of free exploration and adult-led, integrative activities. We use art, fiber arts, music, forest exploration, organic gardening, basic carpentry, sustainable living, cultural studies, wilderness survival, and stewardship of the land as tools to guide students to a spirited and well-rounded learning experience.
Our Philosophy
Children thrive when exposed to many different forms of creative expression and when given plenty of time and space for outdoor exploration. This rhythmic balance of free imaginative play and adult-led, integrative activities, using our natural surroundings as tools for creation, provides children with self-esteem, purpose, skill, and opportunity. Art, music, basic carpentry, the ability to cultivate and harvest organic food, and to live simply and sustainably, are important areas of study that are conducive to healthy cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. These are also areas in which core learning can unfold naturally as we examine and explore our surroundings in inquisitive and creative ways. In addition, learning to be stewards of the Earth, and to nurture themselves, one another, and their surroundings, helps children to become empathetic and honest, and creates a solid foundation for future relationships with their peers, family, and environment. We feel that outdoor experiences should not be limited to brief intermittent “recess” times, but instead should play a large role in imaginative growth and learning throughout a child’s day. Through this integrative, nature-based approach, children are able to ask questions, make connections, and discover within themselves a true love of learning.
We do not subscribe to any particular school of thought, though we have studied and admire aspects of Waldorf, Montessori, and Reggio educational practices. Our philosophy is contrived from studying nature and our history as a species. From this we simply conclude that children and nature should not be separated, but instead nature should be the classroom in which children discover themselves. Our curriculum allows children to experience their individuality and to learn about their personal interests through hands on exploration in the forest and garden. We feel that children can benefit greatly from having a basic knowledge of the plant, animal, and mineral world that surrounds them and that they become empowered and connected when they learn to cultivate, identify, and utilize these companions respectfully. Furthermore, we believe that it is essential that the curriculum for preschool aged children is composed largely of “free” play and exploration. Imaginative play allows children to explore the world in a way that opens unlimited doorways of self-discovery, social/emotional dynamics and health, and it creates strong roots for them to rise into their life-long educational journey upon.
Meet the Teacher
Miss Myria has lived on Lummi Island with her husband and two children since 2017. She has a lifelong passion for working with children and connecting them with nature. She attended Colorado State University, where she studied Music Education. She went on to travel the country playing music, and after meeting her husband, moved to North Carolina where they built a homestead and studied many different methods of living off the land. There she worked at numerous preschools, teaching in both Waldorf and Montessori settings. She taught music both in private lessons, and at various preschools as well. She eventually opened up her own Forest school in North Carolina, which she ran until her family made the move to Washington State in 2017.
She has her Early Childhood Education Credential, as well as years of hands-on experience working with children from all different backgrounds. More recently, she has been a para-educating substitute at Beach Elementary, and has also been the Reading Corps literacy tutor for Beach. She has served as the Chair for L.I.F.E (Lummi Island Foundation for Education) and has volunteered numerous hours working towards providing educational opportunities and events for children. Her passions are music, storytelling, fiber arts, wilderness skills, foraging, gardening, and spending time outdoors, and she uses the skills she has attained in these areas to bring a unique and valuable learning experience to her students.
Forest Exploration and Wilderness Survival
Arts, Music, and Cultural Studies
