Episode 2: Nature-Based Learning: Cultivating Curiosity at the Tennessee Nature Academy
The Tennessee Nature Academy is a free public charter school that blends academic rigor with nature-based learning in southeast Nashville. In this episode of Back to the Whiteboard, host Scott Campbell sits down with the founder of TNA, Jay Renfro, to discuss why the Academy’s unique model includes outdoor classrooms, hands-on projects, and extended play breaks.
As you’ll hear in the interview, TNA is designed to support a diverse group of learners, particularly students with disabilities, while promoting character development and community engagement.
Education Beyond the Walls of a Classroom
At TNA, students don’t just learn about nature, they learn surrounded by it. Instead of being confined to a traditional classroom all day, TNA students frequently take their academic lessons outdoors.
“We are trying to instill in our kids that the classroom is not the only place you can learn,” Jay explains. “That could be taking class to our classroom in the woods that we call the Rockatorium, or just doing math up on the hill under some trees.”
With a focus on nature immersion, project-based learning, and holistic student development, TNA is proving that school can be both rigorous and joyful, a place where students thrive academically while developing a deep connection to the outdoors.
TNA’s “diverse by design” model addresses a major gap in modern education: the growing disconnect between children and nature. Jay believes the divide is especially exaggerated with students of color, “either because there were perceived barriers about who belongs in the outdoors or actual barriers to green space or a wooded place to do free play with your friends after school,”
“We recognize Nashville has a history of school segregation that persists today even. Schools are not really any more integrated than they were 50, 60 years ago,” Jay says. “TNA is. We're diverse and integrated. And so there's something neat about our school model that is drawing families together and it wouldn't be able to do that if it were not a public charter school.”
Studies show that time spent outdoors boosts focus, reduces stress, and enhances creativity, something especially beneficial for students who struggle in traditional classrooms. By integrating nature into the school day, TNA is not just improving academic outcomes but also supporting students’ mental health and well-being.
“The first thing that makes TNA unique is the way we've designed the schedule to be kid friendly, especially for students who are more active,” Jay shares. One of the benefits of an outdoor-centric school includes frequent breaks during the day to explore beyond the classroom. Instead of long stretches of indoor instruction, students are allowed to go outside for “unstructured playtime.”
“Students will have class for 65 minutes and then the doors open and the kids run outside and they have 15 minutes to play,” Jay explains. “It really is letting kids create their own games and it's their time. They get to go into ‘kid world.’”
Beyond play, Jay describes subjects like science, history, and literature come to life when taught outdoors. For example, while reading The Most Beautiful Roof in the World, a book about the rainforest, students study underneath a tree canopy from inside an actual forest rather than under fluorescent lights.
“It's their unit on figurative language. And so ‘the most beautiful roof in the world’ being a metaphor for the rainforest,” Jay explains. “There's no better place to read certain parts of that book than sitting in a forest looking up at the roof above you, reflecting on the imagery and the use of different shades of green.”
Another benefit to the nature-based approach addresses the needs of neurodivergent students. Many TNA students have ADHD, autism, or other unique learning needs, and the school’s active, hands-on approach helps them to thrive.
“Our student body has a higher number of students with disabilities than the zoned public schools. Those are typically like 12 to 14%. We're looking at more like 22% with ADHD,” Jay shares. “But this model really, really works for them. Kids can focus when something is interesting, but sometimes they just need that break.”
The results, of course, speak for themselves. “These students are thriving here. So what does that tell us about teaching and learning as a whole?,” Jay asks. “What is it telling us about teaching and learning for neurodivergent kids and how can we really buff up those parts of the program so that all students are thriving?”
Project-Based Learning: Making Education Hands-On and Meaningful
TNA believes in learning by doing. Students don’t just study concepts, they apply them to real-world projects that develop problem-solving skills, teamwork, and creativity.
“A group of students wanted to do something more meaningful than just camping, so they decided to grow pumpkins,” Jey recalls. “We had never done it before, so we all figured it out together, dealing with fungus, learning that milk could treat it, and making mistakes along the way.”
“There's something cool about adults and kids working together to solve some sort of problem or even just to make some kind of product,” Jay says. “That makes school fun, that makes learning really fun in a way too.”
This collaborative, hands-on approach has since evolved into a core part of the TNA experience.
Some other examples of project-based learning at TNA include:
Field Work, not Field Trips: Instead of just taking field trips, students will conduct research and complete assignments while visiting places like the Nashville Zoo and the Parthenon.
Building a Clay Oven & Making Paper: Hands-on projects allow students to work with their teachers to create functional structures and materials.
Physics through Golf Course Design – Why just read about Newtonian physics when students can design miniature golf courses that incorporate friction, acceleration, and resistance?
Welcome to the Rockatorium: Nature as a Writing Lab: TNA offers a large rock formation on campus that serves as an outdoor writing and reading space, making literary analysis and creative writing more immersive.
By blending traditional subjects with hands-on, nature-based experiences, TNA ensures students don’t just memorize facts, they understand and apply them.
A School that Feels like an Adventure
Tennessee Nature Academy isn’t just redefining education, it’s creating an environment where students love to learn. From camping trips and creek exploration to problem-solving through real-world projects, TNA makes learning an adventure.
As Jay reflects on one of his favorite moments, watching students experience a total solar eclipse together in Illinois, he says it captures the heart of TNA’s mission. “To have a diverse and integrated community on an epic adventure together,” he shares, “that’s what TNA is all about!”
“Those sorts of learning experiences, again, are really powerful for kids who struggle in a traditional setting,” Jay says. “It makes learning so much fun for kids and makes them want to go to school. And maybe that's why we have such happy students.”
Why Parents Should Choose TNA
If you’re a parent looking for a school that embraces innovation, engages students in the learning process, and fosters a deep appreciation for nature, Tennessee Nature Academy is the perfect fit.
A School That Embraces All Learners: TNA’s flexible, movement-friendly approach is particularly effective for students with ADHD, autism, and other learning differences. “We want to lean into what’s working. If students with disabilities are thriving here, what does that tell us about how all kids learn best?”
A Balance of Academics and Outdoor Exploration: TNA is a fully accredited public charter school, meaning students take the same standardized tests as traditional public school students while also benefiting from extended outdoor learning opportunities. “We have the full academic programming you’d expect—math, science, ELA, social studies—but we also get kids outside, where learning feels natural and engaging.”
A Community That Values Diversity and Inclusion: TNA is one of the only diverse-by-design nature-based public charter schools in the country, bringing together students from different backgrounds in an inclusive, supportive environment. “We plan to use our campus, not just as a traditional school where you learn academically and then you leave, but a place where the community can come together and food can be grown, food can be eaten, animals can be taken care of. All that really neat stuff that is a part of our model.”
High School Expansion with Work-Based Learning: As TNA expands into high school grades, students will have opportunities for apprenticeships, entrepreneurship programs, and real-world work experience, helping them explore career paths before graduation. “There’s no reason why high schoolers shouldn’t be able to leave for part of the day to apprentice or try out a job they’re interested in.”
A New Campus Designed for Hands-On Learning: TNA’s future campus, located on 23 acres adjacent to 300 acres of city parkland, will feature: a schoolyard farm where students learn about agriculture and food systems, animal care opportunities, nature trails and outdoor classrooms as well as workspaces for hands-on projects.
How to Get Involved:
If you’re looking for a school where your child can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally, Tennessee Nature Academy is the place to be. But Jay urges interested families to apply early!
“If you think TNA might be the right fit, apply now. We run a lottery in February, and if you wait too long, spots might not be available.”
The Tennessee Nature Academy is currently enrolling students for grades 5-8, with plans to expand into high school grades soon. To learn more and apply, interested parents can visit TennesseeNatureAcademy.org or contact the school for enrollment and open house details.
