…Said my grandfather as all four of my cousins and I finally piled into the car for the drive down to the Texas coast for the weekend. Packing for these trips, which we took on a regular basis, hardly ever went according to the plan, was never a smooth or timely process, but spending the time together was always a worth it. There were groceries to be bought, clothes and food to pack, children to be found and buckled in, and bathroom breaks to be taken. My grandparents were patient and somehow we always made it out of Houston and over to the bay house.

“And we’re off like a herd of turtles” was my grandfathers way of saying that we might not be winning the race, but we are well on our way.

That’s the important part. Even turtles manage to cover a lot of ground and this was a humorous expression to remind everyone, even himself, of the fact that no matter what, we are still moving and having fun.

As I have grown up, those words, possibly more than any others my grandfather has said, have continued to stick with me. Many times in my life I have found myself moving like a pack of hares instead of a herd of turtles. Moving quickly and focusing on the to-do list rather than enjoying the present and the taking time to put the day into perspective. There is surely a time and place for both mindsets, but I know that a day spent like a turtle, focused and active but not rushed, is a real treat for me.

Here at High Trails, everyone has the opportunity to spend a day like a turtle. There is always much to do, many places to see, and a lot to learn but its almost impossible to spend a day walking in the mountains without taking in your surroundings and getting to know the people you are with a little bit better.

The beauty of a program like this is in the opportunity to add observation and variety into the lesson plan. In a class like “Water Wonders,” there are chances to spend time observing a lake or a creek while learning about the significance of each.

There will also be chances to switch topics, seizing opportunities to discuss animals, plants, or other interesting finds, a colony of Mound Builder Ants, for example.

It is my hope that every student that comes to High Trails this year will have the chance to spend time in a herd of turtles. To fully experience and be intrigued by their surroundings and the beauty of a day spent moving slowly and enjoying the present.

At High Trails Outdoor Science School, we literally force our instructors to write about elementary outdoor education, teaching outside, learning outside, our dirty classroom (the forest…gosh), environmental science, outdoor science, and all other tree hugging student and kid loving things that keep us engaged, passionate, driven, loving our job, digging our life, and spreading the word to anyone whose attention we can hold for long enough to actually make it through reading this entire sentence. Whew…. www.dirtyclassroom.com