What is an IDENTITY?

What is an identity? Psychology Today says “Identity encompasses the memories, experiences, relationships, and values that create one’s sense of self.”

For Dewey children, that means getting to know one of New Hampshire’s amazing creatures. Children learn about their animal identity's habitat, eating habits, physical being, and what part they play in our ecology in a personal way. Not only do they come to know their own animal, but the properties of their classmates' creatures as well. As adults we may have our favorites such as the amazing Pileated woodpecker or sweet opossum and then tend to shy away from others such as snakes, skunks, or bees. But all of our creatures have a place in our ecosystem. From our smallest creatures, cricket and ladybug, to our larger mammals such as the coyote or bear, and all of the birds, reptiles, and amphibians in between, we want the children to value all creatures great and small as well as each other. Nothing is more powerful than having the identity of the Great Blue Heron and seeing it gracefully fly overhead, feet out and neck back. It is a moment of awe...a connection to our earth.