Zena Learning Center, LLC

After Social Isolation, Preparing Our Youngest Students to Thrive How early-grade teachers tackled a chaotic year and helped the youngest learners acclimate to life in (actual) school. It’s work that's likely to continue this school year.

"What Grade Are You In?" The Folly of Separating Children by Age School's a place for kids to learn. Everybody agrees to that. That's why they exist. Well, but kids learn all the time; it's part of human nature to learn. People have known that forever. The opening sentence of one of the most famous books ever written, Aristotle’s Metaphysics, starts with “all...

Slide: gray background with green leaves and navy blue text that reads: No meaningful learning occurs outside the will of the learner. We were all born knowing this, feeling it deep in our bones. We held onto that truth despite authoritarian and coercive system(s) of education that tried and failed to teach us that we didn’t deserve and couldn’t handle our own freedom. -The Only Right Way to Learn is Freely, by R.L. Saunders

Students become problem-solvers who think outside the box when they "own their learning."

Sketchnote via John Spencer

For Young Kids, The Power of Play-Based Learning New research shows play-based learning can be more effective than direct instruction at improving outcomes for early learners—particularly in the development of mathematical and spatial skills.

Outdoor programming is essential to reading, self regulation and a positive attitude about learning!

Reading Readiness Has To Do With The Body Movement is a key factor in reading readiness.

We Drastically Underestimate the Importance of Brain Breaks When it comes to optimizing learning, we don’t value breaks enough, neuroscientists suggest in a new study.

We will have a 4-Week Forest Kinder on Mondays, May 2 - May 23, 12:30-3:30 pm. $150. Class size will be limited. It’s a great way to try our program! Ages 4-7. Message here for information.

In Salem, Oregon.

Our 3s Class is still looking for more friends! Do you have an older 2 year old (3 before March 1st) who would like to join us? Ask us how!

This week Teacher Kat took us on a rainy nature hike, and these lovely colander hats were the agreed-upon tactile table uniform. Come and play with us!

[image of 3 small children playing with colorful toys in a bin of blue water, each of them has a colander with a handle on top of their head, worn as hats.]

Solar flare means the Northern lights may be seen in the PNW this weekend The Pacific Northwest could be in for a treat this Halloween weekend. A strong solar flare sent a mass of energy toward earth on Thursday and is expected to reach us as early as Friday night. That means the Northern Lights could be seen as far south as Oregon. However, KATU Meteorologist Rhonda Shel...

Never forget this. 🙌

Forced Schooling, Anxiety, and "Learning Disorders" Early academic pressure creates learning blocks, diagnosed as disorders.

What’s All The Buzz??

June 3- August 5, 2021
Wednesdays and/or Thursdays
ages 6-11
9 AM - 2 PM

We have 3 teachers this year, small groups by age, with fun programs, guest artists, and research to do on the farm! We are always 5-10 degrees cooler then town!

Cost is $250 for 6 classes/or $45 per class. Each day is different, so students can attend Wednesdays and/or Thursdays.

Week # 1 / Pollinators ( the whole camp!!)
Week #2 / Soil Secrets
Week #3 / Water and Farm Animals
Week #4 / Furs and Skulls
Week #5 / Geology and Birds
Week #6 / Native or Invasive Plants. Contact here or at [email protected]

Such a turning point for traditional American education!

https://www.businessinsider.com/ive-homeschooled-my-kids-3-years-time-to-reimagine-school-2020-9

I've homeschooled my kids for the past 3 years. School, as we know it, is over — now's the time to reimagine it. Tyshia Ingram has embraced self-directed learning for her two children the last three years and seen its positive impact over traditional schooling.

Something to try!

Nature Spy Explorer Kits! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nature-spy-explorer-kits-tickets-111700465098

Wondering about those COYOTES roaming the streets and farms of our country?? Here is a free talk from Oregon State University. The talk is today at 3 pm Pacific...just register to get the program link.

https://extension.oregonstate.edu/clackamas/events/tree-school-online-coyotes-wild-free

Tree School Online: Coyotes- Wild and Free COVID-19 Advisory. OSU Extension is active across the state providing Extension services and programming virtually, and employees are working remotely.

Thank you, our neighbor, Zena Forest Products, for the project wood, and the tremendous shout out!

The students at Zena Springs Farm School painted these whimsical pieces on Oregon ash from Zena Forest.

Said teacher Anne Walton-Cupich (Zena Learning Center, LLC) , "As we study nature and form through biology, math and art, we decided this year to use our knowledge of the Fibonacci spiral to be the basis for our art pieces. A Fibonacci spiral, which is found in a large variety of forms in nature, is approximated using quarter circle arcs inscribed in squares derived from the Fibonacci sequence."

I love the combination of math and design as well as the idea to use local wood as a canvas. Hats off to these students.

Some of you may have caught these in person as part of the Young Artists' Showcase at the Bush Barn Art Center. It's closed now due to Covid 19, but you can still see the show virtually here:

https://salemart.org/events/young-artists-showcase/?fbclid=IwAR0lDBL06zAusZlkLU8oGduU5W7xUomLP5YlA0K00B9dwbTkyIzHmP-bHk0

Girl bullied for her love of bugs is now a published children’s author After being bullied for her love of bugs, 11-year-old Sophia Spencer continued to follow her passion and is now inspiring others with her book The Bug Girl.

This is a great article reminding parents that your children’s future is their future. It is healthier for us to prepare them for the ups and downs of getting there, rather then an expectation of a one way to their dreams.

Kids Don’t Need to Stay ‘On Track’ to Succeed When parents portray success as a linear progression of SAT scores, acceptance to selective colleges, and high-powered internships, they set kids up for disappointment.

"We had our own world. We were solid in our own world. It was a world of children."

- Alum

This was just shared in a local group. What great, supportive words for all of us.

https://www.5sensesll.com/index.php/2020/02/20/homeschooling-through-a-mental-health-crisis/

Homeschooling Through a Mental Health Crisis • Five Senses Literature Lessons So your child is struggling right now with anxiety, depression or another form of mental illness. Maybe you always homeschooled, or maybe this mental health crisis has led you to homeschool. Either way, here you are now, wondering what you do.