IRW’s fall programming is officially underway. This semester we’ll visit 21 schools with eight authors and illustrators on Maine’s islands and throughout Washington County. IRW also planned two special programs: an upcoming program for homeschooling families (November 10) and an inter-island day of exploration with our friends at the Maine’s Seacoast Mission’s Teaching and Learning Collaborative (TLC) to kick off the academic year.

It was a beautiful morning for a ride on the mailboat from Stonington out to Isle au Haut with orange-tinged clouds dappling the sky. The charming captain of Otter (the boat’s official name), and his first mate greeted us on the pier, showing us where to park and welcoming us. Author and naturalist Kim Ridley met us there and off we went across Penobscot Bay. The smooth waters were spotted with islands of granite and conifers that looked straight out of a Chris Van Dusen painting.

Kipp Quimby, host of the inter-island event, a program of the Teaching and Learning Collaborative (TLC), greeted us when we arrived on Isle au Haut in her island Jeep. (A glimpse into island life: cars on the islands often haven’t been inspected for years and people rarely wear seatbelts.) We were brought to the one-room schoolhouse, where personal learning goals for each student were posted on the wall. The school garden was overgrown from a long summer, but the calendula blossoms were bursting with color.

What’s the TLC?

The TLC is a “long-standing, teacher-created network that connects Maine’s one- and two-room island schools to reduce isolation and expand educational opportunities. Serving island communities where geography, low enrollment, and limited resources are perennial threats, the TLC provides a flexible blend of virtual programming and in-person gatherings that support students, teachers, families, and communities.” For this particular program, students from multiple islands (an “inter-island” group) came to Isle au Haut to camp together overnight.

Exploring Nature with Kim Ridley

When we arrived, kids and adults alike were busy making their way to and from tents, the school, the shore, or the community building. Nearby roads were posted with homemade traffic signs alerting the locals to their presence.

We began our program in the schoolhouse with all 24 inter-island kids gathered on the floor for Kim’s presentation. Kim always begins with gratitude: for IRW, the Maine Seacoast Mission, for parents, teachers, and friends. After sharing with us about her life as an author (and the fact that she recently adopted two crazy kittens!), she walked students through her process of observing in nature.

“Use your five senses, notice, wonder, and think what things remind you of.” 

For writing her advice is: research, make lists, organize, share some surprising facts, and say why you care.

“Hook your readers with wild, delicious words!”

Kim noted that revision is how you make your writing shine. Start with a riddle! Our words can change the world—just like Rachel Carson, one of Kim’s heroes.

From there, we piled into a variety of vehicles to make the short drive over the bumpy roads to the shores of Long Pond—a place described as “a mile long glacial gash.” Kids were broken into groups: one went swimming (with great enthusiasm despite the fairly chilly temperatures!), another headed off on a hike, and the last joined IRW and Kim to do some shallow water, shoreline observations. With clipboards, Rite in the Rain waterproof paper, nets, collection jars, and an abundance of curiosity, they splashed and scooped and found all manner of interesting creatures and natural items. They found a feather that may or may not have been from a Northern Flicker, some minnows, a spider, sowbugs, and more. We shared our observations and took notes for drafting zines.

This was the first step in a long-term zine project. When students and teachers return to their respective islands, they’ll begin to create a shareable zine library that represents the flora and fauna of the ecosystem around Long Pond and the islands of Maine.

It was a day made up of charming and delightful experiences: a step back in time to when life slowed down, everyone waved, and children were free to explore uninhibitedly. We are grateful to the Teaching and Learning Collaborative with support from the Maine Seacoast Mission, Yvonne Thomas, Kipp Quimby, and all the supporting characters that made this visit possible.