Letter to an Educator on a Natural Classroom for Problem-Solving

Dear Dedicated Educator,

I am Nature, and I pen this letter not with ink but with the rustle of leaves and the murmur of streams. As you embark on your learning journey every day, I, the ever-patient teacher, extend a humble invitation to you and your students: come, explore my realms, for here you shall discover the art of problem-solving that will support your students in their learning journey for a long time to come.

As a teacher myself, I believe that problem-solving isn't a skill reserved for textbooks or classrooms. It's the heartbeat of survival, the essence of existence, and it thrives in every corner of my world. From the humblest microorganisms to the grandest redwoods, every life form here holds a lesson in ingenious solutions.

Your students are my students too. And I can teach them the lessons of life right here in my lap. I can show them not only the wonders of how creatures evolve but also the value of making the right choices in their respective environments through critical problem-solving.

?

They will also understand how important resilience is in the face of adversity. Life persists, no matter what. In the wildness of my heart, I will give them the tools to persevere through the problems that might come their way. Send your students the way of my forests to hike through rain and sun and see their joyful faces when they reach the top!?

Don’t worry if you are concerned about sending your young students straight through my tougher doors. Your students are capable of more than you think. With the right support, they will understand how to manage their risks and resources. On a hike, as they put their toes first when they go up and their heels first as they go down, they will sway in my rhythm and cut the possibility of slips or injuries away. They will also ration their food and water, stripped of the luxuries around living that human beings have built for themselves.

?

They will understand the basics of life and living and will come back feeling empowered to take charge of their lives. If they can calculate and manage their resources on a hike thoughtfully, then they can definitely balance that chemical equation, right? If they don’t, then I have given them the tools to persist with the problem anyway. They will experiment their way to a solution.

?

It is an ultimate win-win, if you ask me. Your students will learn to care for me and will be enthusiastic about solving my problems of climate change, migration, etc., even as they solve problems in their lives unrelated to me. They will see the value of resilience in problem-solving, learn to see far into the future to foresee possible problems too, and ask for any support they need to achieve their vision. Most importantly, they will learn to stay grounded in themselves in the face of a turbulent world.

?

Yours in the spirit of exploration,

Nature.