Helping four and five year olds disconnect from the high tech society we live in is the mission of July’s Teacher of the Month, Meg Murphy. Meg is a kindergarten teacher at Nature Connect, a Montrose based preschool, kindergarten and home schooling program committed to reconnecting children with the natural world.
“I love teaching and finding a place where I can do it outdoors, in nature, has been a blessing,” shared Meg. “We use a nature-based curriculum to meet state standards for kindergarten and do it while spending our days outside.”
The Nature Connect program allows students to learn basic kindergarten skills like reading and writing while also incorporating plant and animal studies, story telling, nature skills and more.
“We incorporate our natural environment into our lessons, which really keeps the students motivated and engaged. It’s much more fun using sticks to practice counting, or rolling a log down a hill to learn about gravity,” said Meg. “The students are able to spend time exploring and playing, which not only develops their minds academically, but socially and emotionally.”
Meg has a Bachelor in Business Administration from the College of Charleston and a Master’s in Elementary Education from the University of Phoenix. She has been teaching for 13 years, first in Arizona, then relocating to Alabama about two years ago. After obtaining her teaching certificate, she secured the position at Nature Connect. Now that she is teaching in an outdoor school, she plans to further her education in this area.
“At our school, everything we do is outdoors, in the wooded area around our campus. This includes time playing in the creek, building forts, foraging, learning about insects, plants and so much more. There is a barn with books and Montessori-inspired activities and a screened-in porch where we do some of our work. However, unless there is lightning, we are outside, rain or shine,” Meg shared. “Knowing that my students are growing, academically, socially and emotionally is what keeps me motivated to teach. I feel a sense of pride and excitement when I witness these kids doing things they couldn’t before.”
Meg and her husband Mike recently landed here on the Eastern Shore for a change of pace and to be closer to family. They have three kids: Addison (11), Colin (10), and James (4), and a puppy named Rebel. They enjoy spending time with family and friends, watching movies and going to the beach.
