An innovative nature school with hybrid options
What makes us different?
Wild Forest Academy offers full-time kindergarten, 1st-grade, 2nd-grade, and homeschool hybrid options. Our curriculum and teaching methods are designed to create innovative, out-of-the-box thinkers and problem solvers. When we teach science and engineering, our students learn how it applies to systems and use it to develop solutions to everyday challenges. We teach reading and writing designed to help students become confident, effective communicators and gatherers of information. Understanding how to use and apply knowledge is more effective than memorizing facts.
Most teaching methods used in the U.S. were created before or around the time of the Industrial Revolution. So much has changed over those two hundred years, but our schooling systems have not. We at Wild Forest Academy aim to provide a system of learning that prepares students for the world in which they currently live and the world they will enter as young adults.
Teaching Methods
Our teaching methods are based on experiential and contextual learning, nature-based exploration, and the development of critical thinking skills. Teachers seek to individualize student experiences based on student learning styles and interests.
The goal of W.F.A. teachers is to create a healthy balance of learning and personal growth through time in nature, the creation potentials found in S.T.E.A.M. education, and robust communication skills and life skills.
Curriculum
We have curated curriculum created by experts in their fields. It is built to allow us to create learner specific lessons that align with our contextual and experiential teaching methods.
Our curriculum is centered around Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (S.T.E.A.M.), coupled with the development of life skills, language arts, and emotional health through the use of our Three Pillars.
Learning in Action
Experiential Learning
Experiential learning is an educational approach where knowledge is gained through direct experience and reflection on those experiences. It emphasizes active participation, allowing learners to engage with real-world scenarios, experiment, and learn from the outcomes. This hands-on method enhances understanding, retention, and the ability to apply knowledge in practical situations.
Design Thinking
Design thinking is a problem-solving approach that emphasizes empathy, creativity, and iterative testing to develop innovative solutions. It involves understanding the user's needs, brainstorming ideas, prototyping, and refining solutions based on feedback. This human-centered methodology is widely used in various fields to address complex challenges and foster innovative outcomes.
Growth mindset
Developed by psychologist Carol Dweck, growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication, hard work, and learning from experiences. People with a growth mindset view challenges as opportunities for growth and see effort as essential to mastering skills. They embrace feedback and find inspiration in others' successes, believing that their own abilities can improve over time.
Our Three Educational Pillars
The Head
The Heart
The Heart
Students learn to utilize critical thinking skills, logical step formation, and scientific method exploration.
The Heart
The Heart
The Heart
Students identify and understand their own emotions and those of others. They learn to build a “toolbox” of healthy emotional management skills.
The Gut
The Heart
The Gut
Students learn to connect to their own internal navigation system, instincts, and intuition.
How we got to the Wild Forest
Our Founder's Story
My 20-year journey as an educator and lifelong learner began as a wilderness guide for Outward Bound, where I witnessed the transformative power of nature. It can challenge us to rise to the best version of ourselves and heal our most broken parts. In nature, one can build an unshakable sense of self, discover one's true strength, and find profound meaning and connection. I believe nature, in its essence, is a classroom for us all, inspiring us to reach our full potential.
After my time in the woods and on the water, I became an experiential S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, arts, and math) educator in different capacities for many years. During this time, I learned that real education is found in experience, not memorization. Experience-based learning is about understanding what to do with facts and information, not just memorizing them. When students experience the wonders of physics, the power of math, or the magic of literature, it plants a seed that, if nurtured correctly, can grow into a beautiful personal and professional path. In this role, I also understood the power of effective communication. Learning how to teach complex topics clearly and effectively to young learners only reinforced my belief in the importance of effective communication. You can be the smartest kid in the room, but it is lost if you don't know how to share your knowledge. This understanding shaped our English and Language Arts curriculum to help students learn effective communication through writing and oratory skills.
My final position in the larger context of education was as the Director of Student Life at FAMU FSU College of Engineering, a cutting-edge engineering college shared by Florida State University and Florida A and M University. I was constantly surrounded by some of the most innovative science and technology. Students and professors used technology, science, and math to solve significant problems and create impressive systems. However, what I learned had little to do with science and engineering. I learned the importance of intentionally bringing different communities together to live, work, and create. I saw people from all walks of life working together to address problems big and small, overcoming differences to collectively address challenges. It was clear to me that learning how to build a community based on connection matters for the long-term health of our students, micro-communities, and society as a whole.
Today's education system stands at a critical juncture. It clings to outdated methods and is mired in politics, leading to a breakdown of nearly every aspect of our once esteemed institutions. The need for a new approach, one that prioritizes experience over memorization, effective communication, and the removal of all politics, has never been more urgent. It's time to reevaluate our methods and embrace a more effective approach to education.
Here at Wild Forest Academy, we strive to offer a fundamentally different approach to education. Information and knowledge are taught through application and experience. We learn by doing, not memorizing. Students grow by being challenged. We celebrate successes as the next stepping stone in our lifelong path of learning and growing. We view failures not as a dead end, but as a redirection, a chance to learn and grow. Community is built through connection. Everyone is welcome. Political views and ideologies are kept for dinner table discussions. Here, we will focus on what brings us together and build the skill sets that will move us forward into the future. It is my dream that the United States education system can one day be the true example of innovation, creation, and exploration that it once was.