It’s Here! The Start of a New Year

It’s here! The start of a new year. Do you feel like August is the start of the year for you too? I have been a teacher since 1996, so I always feel the energy and hope (and dread, let’s be honest) of a new beginning this time of year, far more than in January. And, this year, it is especially exciting because I am launching something big and completely new: Nurture Our Nature Collective.

I have played with this idea in my mind for a long time and it has had many iterations. At first, I thought of starting an in-person group for teachers to gather and process and support. But, a core value I hold is inclusivity; and being limited to a small geographic area and requiring people to be there in real life felt restrictive. As I reflected on how we actually can use virtual platforms for real connection, I realized we would be more inclusive if we took advantage of tech. Folx who are caregivers as well as educators would be more likely to join in if they didn’t have to go anywhere. People with a variety of disabilities have said that virtual spaces are more accessible. Maybe a new amazing thought partner lives in Anchorage. So here we are, creating an inclusive virtual space. If you want to learn more about membership, hop over to our Why Join? page.

Here is a little preview. I have some things planned, and left room for growth. On the last Sunday of each month, we will open up a Zoom room for a “Lesson Plan Jam.” I added this opportunity because of a wonderful memory of a period of time when I was in graduate school. On one Sunday afternoon a month, a group of fellow grad students and I would gather at a coffee shop, (or bar, in all transparency) and work on lesson plans together. In that informal space, we talked about our teaching philosophies, explored what we were learning about ourselves as teachers, and shared resources. It was such a special way to deal with the anxiety of a new week and the stress of doing the detailed and sometimes heavy work of lesson planning. If you aren’t ready to become a member, but would like to check out a Lesson Plan Jam, email us here.

I am SO excited that we are kicking off our first book club with a special selection: Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone, by Brené Brown. I can’t wait to read and discuss with you! Check out our Upcoming Events page (link to page) to see what other events we already have planned.

So I have started with some basics, but where we go, how big it gets or how intimate it stays will be a collective effort. What norms will we co-create so our time together is meaningful, safe and valuable? Whom will you invite that you know would love to talk shop or share a passion they hold? Do we want to someday try to gather in person at a conference some of us are attending? These questions and their unknown answers make my heart sing. As we get ready to pull out our sweaters, and prepare for the season of harvest, we are also planting seeds for our collective future.

Let’s be together. Let’s be whole. And let’s nurture ourselves and each other.

Here we go!