September 2023

"A love of nature that is nurtured early on can lead to a lifelong love of nature - a noble passion, indeed."

— Tanya Rakhmilevich

Letter from the Head of School

From the heart of Amanda Martin...

Happy September Wauhatchie families!

We are almost a full month into this school year! It has been wonderful to see everyone’s faces and begin our adventures into the forest together.

I've spent some time these last few weeks visiting different classes at all of our campuses. I asked some of the kids, “If you could use one word to describe how school feels so far, what would it be?” Here is what they said: School! (That might be my personal favorite), Trees! Magical. Fun. Mysterious. Calm. Interesting. Good. Wild. Loved. Different. Hot. (I am right there with you kid).

Their responses remind me of a couple things. One being my personal schooling and the other being a powerful book called Coyote’s Guide to Connecting with Nature. Many of my educators would have said those descriptive words - magical, good, wild, different - should not be part of a child's education. Truthfully, a good part of my own education felt incredibly serious and had very little play. I felt scared to give any answers in fear of being lectured and/or criticized and think many of us can relate to those kinds of moments in our own educational journeys.

What a gift it is to hear these children respond so genuinely without any fear of being shut down. And how beautiful that they connect to these words that bring such an important aspect to the way they learn.

Coyote's Guide is one of the books we often use and shared the practices of, especially in these first six weeks of the school year. It lays out a clear and succinct guide for those “who work with kids of all ages, from one to a hundred.” Part One is the Mentor's Manual, which lays out the principles of Coyote Mentoring and Part Two is the Activity Guide, which outlines so many games and other exercises that allow leaders and students alike to put the guide into practice. It is a great read to experience if you haven’t already.

Children are curious naturalists and we are beginning to see some adverse effects of the formal, classroom education that gives zero time outside. Our children are the ambassadors of our future. They deserve more than the status quo and we believe a big part of that is mending the bond between child and nature.

We are honored you all have entrusted us to do so.

Ask your kids this week what words they might use to describe how school feels. Draw a picture together. Share how school felt for you. What did you like? What didn’t you like? These bonds are sacred and I believe we are all here together because we are mending our own bonds with nature. If you end up doing this activity and feel like sharing pictures, quotes, or conversations that your family shares, we would love to see it on Minga in the All Wauhatchie School group.

Have a great September everyone!

Meet Ms. Rebecca

Wauhatchie School STEAM Integrationist

Hi families,

I sure am enjoying meeting all of our new friends and laughing and adventuring with returning students. I’ve had the pleasure of introducing some of our classes to their class pets - the worms that will live in their vermicomposters this year! This first activity is how we’re launching this year’s STEAM focus: SOIL!

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Rebecca Westbrook Toker - Wauhatchie School’s STEAM Integrationist. What does that mean? STEAM is the acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics - those are all of my favorite things, especially the Arts and the Sciences parts! My role at Wauhatchie is to integrate STEAM programming into the teachers’ curriculum and connect our various classes and campuses through investigations, themes, and projects. I also help connect teachers to resources that they might need to make their best lesson plan dreams come true.

I grew up on a horse farm in rural North Texas. My Pawpaw was a butcher, so we always raised or hunted our own meat. My Papaw did everything from drilling for oil with his brothers to building circuit boards for Boeing. He could figure out how to do just about anything he set his mind to. While there was always a lot of work to be done, my free time was spent lying in the pasture, staring at wildflowers, and flipping through field guides until I found their names. 

From the time I could have any thoughts about it, I knew I was a teacher. My first job was as a Horseback and Equestrian Safety Instructor at a summer camp for children with Juvenile Diabetes - an experience set me on a path to study exceptional education. I earned my BA in Elementary Education with a Specialization in Special Education and a minor in Spanish from Southeastern Oklahoma State University, then I moved to Honduras to serve in the Peace Corps. After returning from service, I started my professional career, got hitched and had a baby, moved to Montana, got far too cold, and then moved back to the South. Along the way, I taught everything from Adult Literacy to English Grammar and Writing to Dental Hygiene to ESL, and I even led an Autism classroom!

My husband and I fell in love with Chattanooga while visiting my in-laws in Chickamauga. We’ve been here since 2014 and we LOVE it so much. I started with Wauhatchie School in 2016, and I have seen this school and community grow and change and flourish. I’m thrilled to be charting a course for the STEAM Program that takes us through a 5-year cycle of deep dives into larger themes as we move through the seasonal rhythms of each year. This year, we’re investigating everything we can about SOIL. Next year will be WATER, then BIOSPHERE, ATMOSPHERE, and, finally, EARTH AS A SYSTEM. 



I cannot believe that I have found a place to teach where I can lead with love and enthusiasm and curiosity. A place where I’m supported in dreaming big and creating magical experiences for our students. Thank you, families, for joining us on this journey. This truly is the best job in the world!

Sincerely,

STEAM Ms. Rebecca

Nickajack Bat Cave

Thanks to everyone who joined in for our Back-to-School Bat Cave Adventure. What a wonderful evening spent in nature with our community to kick off the school year!

Friends of the Forest

Wauhatchie's version of a PTA is open for any parents or family members interested in volunteering or being more connected to our school community this year! If you're interested, find the Friends of the Forest group on Minga and Request to Join to get plugged in.

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