About Samara Early Learning

我们帮助教育工作者创建以自然为基础的学校，或者将自然为基础的方法添加到现有的项目中. 通过我们在业务或教学方面的支持，教育工作者可以帮助幼儿学习 with nature to expand their worlds and live rich, full lives.

Our vision

We envision a world where all young children learn with 自然作为他们正规教育的一部分，以扩大他们的世界，过上丰富而充实的生活.

Our mission

萨马拉的使命是帮助幼儿教育工作者实施高质量的自然教育，让幼儿与自然一起学习，拓展世界，丰富生活, full lives.

Bringing the vision & mission to life

To accomplish this, our work falls into three broad categories:

  1. Help organizations or individuals start nature-based schools

  2. Help education leaders grow nature within their existing curriculum

  3. Conduct research related to nature-based teaching and learning

This work includes publications, courses, a membership community, workshops, coaching, and consulting.

Our guiding principles

  • Humans are part of the natural system, not separate from it. As a result, our physical health depends on the natural world. Our social-emotional and spiritual health also depends on the natural world. This is true of all humans—no matter their age, ability, ethnicity, class, whether they live in urban or rural settings, etc. Not only is human health, in all forms, impacted by the natural world, we recognize human behaviors directly impact the natural world.

    In our work with education leaders and schools, 我们支持所有类型的早期儿童项目，无论他们是为城市学生服务, rural, 高收入和/或低收入地区在努力实施以自然为本的方法. 我们还为所有项目提供服务，无论他们的起点是什么，都要持续地实施以自然为基础的方法, so long as we have a shared vision of what we’re working toward. Internally, 在萨马拉早教，我们意识到我们的商业决策如何影响自然世界，并做出合理的调整，以减少负面影响，同时最大限度地发挥积极作用，以此来践行这一信念. Further, 我们确保我们的团队成员有时间和机会培养他们与自然世界的联系.

  • Learning, and thus teaching, are socio-cultural activities. That is, we learn by reflecting on our experiences with someone else, and within a particular cultural context. 这种哲学与包括维果茨基在内的各种教育理论家所阐述的社会建构主义观点一致.

    虽然这一理念在我们与儿童的合作中得到了体现, it also emerges in how we work with clients. We believe in a mentoring rather than a contracting approach. In other words, 我们相信应该培养客户自己完成这项工作的能力，而不是我们为他们做这件事. Further, applying socio-cultural values means relationships matter. 我们与他人之间的联系影响着我们反思和从经验中学习的能力.

  • 正如自然界的多样性有助于形成一个更健康的系统，教育的多样性也是如此. As such, diversity is not something to tolerate, but embrace. 不同的观点和经验为我们提供了更多的学习机会，从而提高我们的实践水平. 拥抱多样性也意味着重视和维护我们工作的文化.

    在我们与学校和教育领导者的合作中，这意味着我们不仅承认具体的背景，而且将这种文化作为一种资产加以利用. 正是由于这个原因，我们将基于自然的方法视为一组原则，而不是必须实现的预先确定的脚本或实践清单. There is no one “right” way to implement a nature-based approach. 相反，该方法必须对实现它的唯一上下文中作出响应.

  • 对世界的系统研究是我们与自然的体验以及我们的教学的基础. 我们对环境的影响以及我们与孩子的互动方式都是如此.

    在我们的工作中，这意味着支持鼓励儿童对自然世界进行科学理解的教学法. 这也意味着对最佳教学实践的持续研究，以确保我们能有效地实现预期的结果. 通过积极参与研究以及支持从业者，我们弥合了研究之间的差距.e., academia) and practice. 忠实于科学，随着时间的推移，我们也在不断完善和修订我们对最佳实践的理解.

Why the name "samara"?

The term “samara” is meaningful for several reasons. First, it is the scientific term for the helicopters, whirlybirds, or whirligigs that children often play with. 把一个轮回抛向空中，看着它旋转着落到地上，这是一种纯粹的快乐! 以自然为基础的幼儿教育当然侧重于为孩子们提供充满快乐的经历和学习机会.

Second, the 名字通过科学的命名和分类，代表了个人联系和意义的交集. Technically a samara is an indehiscent, usually one-seeded, winged fruit from a plant such as the elm or maple tree. By helping kids understand that helicopters have another, more scientific name we are supporting their language, comfort, and identity as a scientist—someone who studies the natural world around them.

Third, 翅果的外观因其生长的特定环境而异, and yet all meet the basic criteria for being considered a samara. This is true for nature-based early childhood education programs as well. There are core commonalities in philosophy and pedagogy, but the details will vary depending on environmental, cultural, and community context.

Fourth, 枫树翅果对我们的创始人来说有着重要的个人意义，象征着她位于中西部北部的家春天的到来. 早春的时候，枫树会提供甜美的汁液，制成枫糖浆. Later in spring the leaves and samaras emerge on the tree. Both are symbols of renewal, growth, and hope for the future. 基于自然的幼儿教育在本质上是对未来充满希望的，因为我们正在为子孙后代的健康和福祉进行投资.

既然我们已经解释了为什么选择“samara”，我们应该讨论一下发音. The word can be pronounced “sam-er-uh” or “suh-mair-uh.我们通常使用“suh- mail -uh”，但你可以选择任何一种方式来表达. In fact, 最后，我们不管你怎么念这个名字，只要你需要行政管理的时候打电话给我们就行了, curricular, or research help related to nature-based early childhood education. 

 

Samara can be pronounced “sam-er-uh” or “suh-mair-uh.”

We typically say “suh-mair-uh,” but you can say it whichever way you choose.