COLLABORATIVE RISK ASSESSMENT
She climbed up fast…it took her only seconds to reach the domed top of the “nature den” the Tink children had built. And in this case, built actually means wedged and woven. The builders had propped and pushed branches upright and once a number of the larger branches were leaning and wedged just so against the chokecherry tree, they began weaving in smaller branches.
YOU WON’T GET LOST. JUST FIND THE SCAT.
“How will you find your way out of the forest? You already know the signs! You have the directions! Remember the deer scat? If you find it, you won’t get lost!”
“What’s scat? Do you mean the deer poop?”
YOU HAVE TO KNOW IT’S THERE (THE FOREST PROVIDES)
On our way back from our hike, just as we were leaving Sligo Creek, we heard the kee aah call of a red shouldered hawk calling to his mate. She flew ahead with grasses collected in her talons. He continued his swooping arcs probably looking out for crows. We stopped, turning and looking up — their habitat is one of tall trees and water and that’s where we were. Behind us was the creek, edged by trees, and ahead of us was the Parkway and the hill that would take us back through the apartment complexes to our school.
Crying
Think about the last time you cried…do you remember why?
Apologies in advance if this brings any reader to a place of discomfort. This is not my intention. Rather, I want us to consider the many sources of our own tears as a way to give children the room they need for the same range.
The Cache Builders
To the uninitiated, it looks like there are gigantic piles of debris everywhere. To us, the teachers, parents, and children of The Cooperative School, these glorious pile-ups look like expressions of joy.