|
Charlottesville, Virginia
|
|
Who
is The Living Earth School?
Kate
and Hub Knott are the
founders/directors of The Living Earth School in central
Virginia. We are lovers of life, the earth and the peace it brings.
We started the school to share earth skills and lessons in natural
awareness to help people connect to the earth in a deeper, more
meaningful way. It is a way that carries over into every
aspect of life, enriching our daily experiences. Nature is a
great place for people to slow down and just be in the moment.
Come taste the earths wild greens, learn to see through the eyes of
the wild using tracks, smell the smoke of a fire made without
matches, sit on the earth and listen....... just listen.....
and then sleep on the earth wrapped in a "sleeping bag" of leaves
and sticks. Come alive!
Many teachers along
the way have helped shape who we are and ultimately the roots of this
school. We have been blessed to be able to learn from tracker and
author Tom Brown Jr., whose wisdom and skills are beyond compare.
Jon Young started us firmly on the selfless path of the mentor, which
continues to grow inside of us. There have been many teachers and
Native elders who have shared their wisdom that can be found in our
programs. And the earth itself is a teacher and ally that gives
endlessly. To all of them we are deeply grateful and indebted.
We have many talented
staff that are the backbone of our school. As one parent said to
us, “the quality of your program is because of the quality of
your staff”. We agree and always seek to find and keep the best
instructors we can.
The core (or trunk) of our
program is based
around nature and our mentoring approach. We honor the individual
and their gifts; encourage students to be self-sufficient learners;
find unity amongst the group and seek to rekindle their relationship
with nature. Nature is our classroom, where we seek to understand
our role as caretakers, practice routines that enrich our awareness,
tell stories, practice the art of survival, track animals to learn how
to interpret and link our experiences, and laugh a lot. We create
a safe learning environment, where students can be who they are and
have experiences to grow. We balance learning with fun, because
we believe that if life isn’t fun then something is wrong. And as
curious beings, healthy learning is food for the spirit.
Our branches, so
to speak, come into
form in our programs for both youth and adults. That's where we
create opportunities for people to come together and learn from nature,
and meet new friends. We currently offer programs for adults,
homeschool children, and summer camps for kids throughout the
mid-Atlantic region. We also provide programs for schools
throughout Virginia. We are trying to add programs where students
can be involved year-round.
| |
About
our Logo: It symbolizes to
us the opportunity we have on this earth and the
vision
for this school. The turtle symbolizes
the earth itself. Within the turtle’s
back is an acorn, the seed that lies within all of us. If that
seed has a good home, nurturing,
support and the opportunity, it can grow into the grandest oak tree
ever seen.
And we know that if humans are given the opportunity their gifts will
take root
and be shared with the world.
|
|
