It was a beautiful May morning, and groups of teachers from Old Firehouse Schools were wandering around a Berkeley park. Some were heading towards the beach, some towards a copse of tall pine trees, others towards a bench in a sunny spot. Each of them carried a clipboard and pencil, and as each teacher found a space to settle down, sketching began. Crows and seagulls flew overhead, herons were in the water at low tide picking up crabs, and squirrels darted from burrow to burrow. There were 30 minutes—what felt like a lifetime—where there was nothing to do but look at nature and draw.

For some teachers, the sketching came naturally and they drew flowers, animals, and plants. For others, it took time to settle in and be comfortable with the amount of time they were given to sit and observe the environment. After 30 minutes, the teachers regrouped and shared how this time made them feel and what they noticed.