Moon School
A safe & creative space for our wildlings to BE
Moon School is a welcoming and creative space, designed especially for the community of the Wild Within Motherhood Gathering.
Lovingly designed as a space for childhood, Moon School honors imagination, nature, creativity, play, and expression. Most importantly, Moon School is a place for children, Mamas/Grandmothers/Aunts to slow down and just BE. A wide variety of materials and experiences will be offered in the Moon School space (think storytelling, natural/man-made materials for exploration and expression, movement, meditation, dance, paints & clay!).
As well as facilitating simple, creative explorations, Moon School Teachers will gently support children in their relationships, community building, and play!
Why the MOON?
We chose the Moon as inspiration for our children’s space because to us, the Moon symbolizes wonder, magic, beauty, creativity, and the rhythms of nature - all things we will weave through our Moon School space.
What do you mean by “SCHOOL’?
Did you know the word “school” originated from a Greek word meaning ‘leisure”? Well, we are taking the word “school” back to its origins and reclaiming the kind of learning that comes from a place of leisure - as well as life itself! Moon School is inspired by a conscious education philosophy that emphasizes teaching and learning from the heart.
We warmly welcome your wildlings to Moon School.
The Moon School concept and programs are designed in collaboration with We Are Nature Network, exclusively for Wild Within Retreats.
Meet the Team
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Gill Howarth
is a Conscious Educator, an Educational Change-maker, Storyteller and Mother to 3 bright, beautiful and wild boys. With over 20 years experience working in education, studying and travelling across the world, I spent my early years immersed in a world of nature and the imagination. Days were spent mixing sand into the water, playing with the earth, asking questions, making up stories, and listening to the trees. I now find myself an advocate for nurturing these same elements in learning – for adults and children. I believe we create a strong foundation for education (and life) via a strong connection to our inner world. I have always felt a connection to Teaching/Learning. I am a university qualified Early Childhood Educator and I also hold a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing and Philosophy. I have studied and practiced different forms of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness since the age of 16 and am a qualified yoga and meditation teacher.
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Sam Lycett
is a Mother to three beautiful, earth loving, nature kids - two of which I homeschool. I am passionate about following my children's interests when it comes to education and I especially love learning new things as a whole family. I encourage curiosity, wonder and awe in my children's home education journey. I use my water colour paints and visual nature journaling to help strengthen my connection to nature and self. I also enjoy playing with herbs, making magic, talking to trees, reading, cooking, crafting, painting, gardening and being creative with my children. I express gratitude and respect to Mother Earth through my love of ritual and I'm committed to looking after the planet alongside my children.
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Emily Patterson
is a Mama of three with a passion for gentle and respectful parenting, and conscious, natural, child-led education. I have an extensive background working with children, having been a Nanny, Childcare Educator, Early Childhood Teacher, and Creator and Facilitator of an Early Childhood Homeschool program. I have a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Studies and a Masters in Special Education but even with this knowledge my biggest lessons, knowledge and understandings have come from Motherhood. Children are our greatest teachers and motherhood is a spiritual practice with lifelong opportunities to expand, grow and uncover all parts of ourselves. We re-parent ourself as we practice this way of parenting with our children and embody this within our work with children. I love holding a gentle and safe space for children to truly be themselves, at their essence, and I am inspired to learn from their presence, creativity and curiosity.
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Lacy Garrison
supports both the Born Wise and We Are Nature Network, having worked as an Educator at Born Wise and is part of our relief team. Lacy is our resident mystic, she travels the world visiting sacred sites and brings what she learns back to share with our community. Her intention in life is to “walk peacefully on the Earth” - and Lacy brings this peaceful energy to her work with the children she works with.