When Learning Comes Alive
Summer has officially arrived, and with it comes one of our family's favorite traditions: a camping trip Fall Creek Falls.
For months, my boys have been counting down the days. Of all the places we visit throughout the year, this is the trip they anticipate most. Not because it is extravagant or packed with entertainment, but because it has become a place filled with adventure, discovery, and memories.
Every year looks a little different. Some years we spend more time hiking. Other years are filled with fishing with nets, exploring waterfalls, riding bikes, or simply sitting around a campfire together. Yet no matter what the trip holds, I am always struck by how much my boys learn without ever opening a textbook.
As an educator, I have spent much of my career thinking about learning. What helps information stick? What experiences shape us? Why do some lessons fade while others become part of who we are?
The older I get, the more convinced I become that some of the most meaningful learning happens when children are fully engaged in the world around them.
At Fall Creek Falls, science is no longer something confined to a chapter in a book. It is found in the ecosystems surrounding the trails, the movement of water over rock formations, and the countless creatures discovered along the way. Geography becomes real as children learn to navigate trails and understand the landscape around them. Problem-solving happens naturally when a fishing line becomes tangled, a shelter needs to be built, or a new trail presents an unexpected challenge.
Most importantly, learning becomes connected to relationships.
The kiddos overlooking the falls at Fall Creek Falls State Park in Tennessee.
Some of my favorite moments from these trips are not the hikes or the waterfalls themselves, but the conversations that happen because of them. There is something about slowing down, stepping away from the constant distractions of everyday life, and spending uninterrupted time together that creates space for deeper discussions. Questions arise. Stories are shared. Faith is discussed. Memories are made.
When I think about the vision behind Rooted Educational Cooperative, these experiences often come to mind.
REC was never created simply because I wanted a different schedule or a different educational model. It was born from a growing conviction that children learn best when they are actively engaged, when curiosity is encouraged, and when education is connected to the world God created.
This does not mean academics are unimportant. On the contrary, a strong academic foundation matters deeply. But learning was never intended to exist apart from wonder, discovery, creativity, and meaningful relationships. The most effective education helps children connect knowledge to real experiences and see God's hand in all of it.
One of the reasons I am so excited about our upcoming "In the Field" series is because it reflects this philosophy so clearly. We want children to experience learning firsthand. We want them to see, touch, explore, question, and discover. We want education to feel alive.
Years from now, my boys may not remember every worksheet they completed or every fact they memorized. But they will remember these experiences. They will remember the time spent together. And perhaps without even realizing it, they will carry the lessons learned through those moments for the rest of their lives.
With grace and grit—
Kehla
