Songbird Nature School
We are an outdoor immersion preschool that supports children’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development as part of a respectful learning community, while encouraging their curiosity of and love of nature.
Owner/Teacher Deborah Schlegel
Over 25 years of experience teaching children in preschool, public school, and enrichment class settings.
AA Early Childhood Education – Portland Community College
BFA Art Education – Arizona State University
MA Art Education – Arizona State University
Continuing education classes in Reggio Emilia, Constructivist education models, and UK Forest School certification
American Red Cross Pediatric First Aid and CPR certified
NOLS Wilderness First Aid
I currently teach children’s ceramic classes
Ceramic and textile artist
What teaching models are used?
I believe children are competent, strong, curious, and thoughtful and I employ teaching models that recognize and support this belief.
Foremost, the curriculum is based on unstructured play.
– Play is the tool a child uses to learn about and understand the world.
– Unstructured play, where the children choose what is relevant and personally interesting to them, enhances brain structure and builds prosocial and problem solving skills.
– I use the research of Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, and Constructivist educators to support my respect for children’s abilities to construct knowledge and understandings of their environments through hands-on experiences and reflecting on those experiences.
– I believe that leading children in recording and reflecting on their experiences is key to their understanding and learning and I use several models from programs such as the Reggio Emilia, Italy preschools to do this.
Songbird is inspired by the European Forest Kindergartens.
– Outdoor, child centered schools give children the chance to return to woodland and other natural areas on a regular basis over an extended period of time, witnessing the changes that occur with weather and the seasons.
– The forest is a dynamic, everchanging school room, bringing new opportunities for exploration, learning, and wonder every day.
– It is a natural laboratory that supports children’s curiousity and interest in nature and science. Nature provides the original “loose parts” play props, allowing children to use creativity and problem solving as they strengthen their storytelling and dramatic play skills.
– Outdoor nature play teaches children how to play safely with nature by giving them the opportunities to recognize and evaluate challenges and decide on a course of action. This negotiated risk awareness teaches children resilience, empowerment, and how to keep themselves safe.
What kind of activities are offered? Activities vary from day to day based on the children’s interests, the weather, and the seasons. You may see children building forts, engaging in mud/water play, working with painting, drawing, collage, weaving and other art activities, reading, singing, and storytelling, counting how many birds visit our feeding station, measuring the girth of our Douglas-fir trees to find the oldest one, catching tadpoles or going on insect hunts, observing what squirrels do during the day, turning into pirates, princesses, superheroes, bears, wildlife rescuers, or any other of the wonderful personas preschoolers practice being, experimenting with pulleys, seeing what their bodies can do on the “obstacle” course, creating small worlds, hiking, learning to use a map and compass (beginning orienteering), working in the ceramic studio, ……
What is the role of the Teacher? I believe the Teacher’s role to be one of a facilitator, supporting children in exploring, discovering, and knowledge building.
– This is done by being a keen observer of children’s play, actively listening/questioning, providing props to extend play, and giving support in scaffolding to new understandings.
– The Teacher is the group’s historian, recording interests and discoveries to help with reflection.
– The Teacher ensures the learning environment meets children’s physical, comfort and emotional needs, is safe from hazards, and sees that children have the skills and awareness needed to test their limits and negotiate risks.
What is the class adult to child ratio? Our class has a low ratio of 1:4/5 to allow for a deeper teacher role and awareness, to support community building, and to foster language skills.
Songbird Nature School 