Sixty educators from across the country gathered at the Ecology School in Saco this past weekend for the school’s annual Teacher Institute Winter Weekend.

The Ecology School, fosters hands-on learning on its more than 300 acres of pastures, gardens, woods along the Saco River at 184 Simpson Road. The school hosts about 3.500 students annually from area schools and beyond who come to connect with nature and learn about ecosystems and farming. This past weekend, teachers got the chance to connect with their peers, stay overnight in the dormitories, eat locally sourced meals in the dining hall, and learn from the school’s naturalists.

“There’s been non-stop smiles on everyone’s faces all weekend,” said Communications Coordinator Stacy Faivre.

The weekend started Friday night, and those who came early could participate in a Wellness Day to recharge with yoga, a bird walk, crafting or other options before two days of interactive workshops.

Saturday was a mix of outdoor and indoor sessions. The morning was spent outside learning about winter ecology and place-based winter activities. The rest of the workshops Saturday were inside, with some free time mixed in to encourage more outdoor exploration of the campus.

Apryl Cummings, a community outreach specialist with the Georgia non-profit Keep Forsyth County Beautiful said she discovered the Ecology School during the pandemic while attending an online conference. The recent teacher’s weekend was the fourth time she had visited the Saco campus.

“This place is special,” she said. “The staff here is wonderful.”

She said The Ecology School does a great job of connecting children with nature, and making them feel comfortable in the outdoors. She said she’s taken what she’s learned at The Ecology School and used it in outdoor education programs that she facilitates in Georgia.

Gardiner Area High School Science Teacher Sharon Gallant said this was her first time at the teacher institute, and it had been a goal of hers for several years. She said her earth science students spend much of their class time with her outdoors, and she is aways looking for ways to improve her lessons. She said the weekend was a great opportunity to learn from and share ideas with like-minded educators.

Gallant also taught a nature journaling class during the Friday wellness program at the teacher institute. During a conversation on Saturday she showed examples of the books her students had made – with illustrations of nature and neatly written documentation of their findings.

“If kids are doing hands-on work outside, it makes sense that their assessments are hands-on,” she said.

Ecology School Director of Educational Partnerships Meg Edstrom Jones encouraged participants to take outdoor learning “to the next level.” She asked them to think about what inspired them. She also told them not to let the fact that they have never done something before stop them from trying something new in the future. Instead, she said, think in terms of what they haven’t done yet, and think of it as something they can do in the future.

Saco Bay News Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.

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