Toris Jaeger: Immersing Children in Nature for Over Four Decades

    Toris Jaeger began her career as a traditional teacher, but her mind always wandered to what was going on outside her classroom windows. The pull of nature inspired her to earn a master’s degree in environmental education at California State University, Hayward, and the rest is history – specifically, Orinda history.
    In 1978, Jaeger began working as the resident naturalist at the Nature Area at Wagner Ranch Elementary School. She taught children about indigenous plants and animals, California pioneers and the lives of Native Americans who once inhabited the area. Her curriculum was experiential – teaching biology in the creek and botany in the garden.
    Jaeger never planned to get married, although she once thought she might still have children. But destiny had another plan. Instead of bearing children herself, she birthed a nature program that has educated and inspired over 12,000 students in the course of more than 
40 years.
    The Nature Area closed in March 2023 due to winter storm damage, although a small portion of it – the biodiversity garden – has since reopened. Jaeger has been volunteering her time on Sundays with open garden sessions and working with the Friends of the Orinda Creeks on Saturdays, although she hopes to eventually see the entire Nature Area rehabilitated and to continue her work there.
    Read on to find out more about beloved Orinda legend, champion of nature and Orinda’s children – Toris Jaeger.

Where were you born and what was your childhood like?
    I was born in Clovis, New Mexico, in 1943. I’m the oldest of 10 siblings. My brother Mark and I have the same father, but everyone else has our same mother, but a different father. I think my mother was ahead of her time. She was trying to improve the gene pool, the way I look at it. By the time I was a teenager, I’d already been to 48 states – either living there or traveling with my family.

What led you to enter a convent at the age of 17?
    One of the places I lived, along with my sister, was a boarding school run by the Ursuline nuns. A couple of nuns saw my potential and encouraged me to join them. I finally gave in and entered the convent, but I always felt like a fish out of water.
    They made a big deal about learning humility. While in training, I was told I was going to have a problem with authority. And I said, “I won’t have a problem with authority if they don’t ask me to do dumb things.”
    Looking back at my background and my family life, [the experience at the convent] kind of saved me. It gave me an education and a teaching credential. I think it influenced me to become more giving, caring and empathetic, and to have more compassion – all important things.

How long have you lived in Orinda and what do you like about it?
    I’ve been in my house for 36 years. It’s a stone’s throw from the Nature Area. I got it because I could walk to work.
    I like that the people in Orinda care about each other, their children and their community. I love Orinda because of its nature, and a lot of non-profit groups have done everything to preserve it.
   
Why do you think people feel so passionately about the Nature Area?
    The main reason everyone values the Nature Area so much is because it’s their “wellness center.”
    Students of all ages tell me they are so happy to visit on a field trip. The pressure is off, they can be themselves and have freedom to explore while knowing they are responsible for what they receive from the experience, their behavior and safety.
    I’ve been teaching at the Nature Area for over four decades. I’ve taught the children of my former students; when I see them again as parents, they go on and on about what the Nature Area meant to them. Above everything, what stood out to them about school was their experience in the Nature Area.
    A lot of people think it’s very complicated to teach children, but it isn’t rocket science. My philosophy is to bring them in and give them freedom. Don’t make them sit at a picnic table the whole time and don’t talk at them. Let them explore.
    They appreciate the experiential part of the program – getting in the dirt and creek, gathering acorns and rocks, gardening, using a knife and cooking food. This creates a lifelong devotion to the environment. The way you encourage students to volunteer and be a part of something is you do it yourself and you teach by your passions.

You’re 81, but you’re not ready to retire?
    I’ve been advised by friends and siblings who tell me maybe it’s time for me to pack up my tent and go out with a bang – go out on the top. I tell them I’m not ready to retire. I’m sorry. I’m just not there yet. I’ll let you know when 
I am.
    I think I have another good 10 years left based on my parents’ longevity and my lifestyle. I could work [at the Nature Area] for the rest of my life.
    But all we really have is the moment. I try to live in the moment, but it’s hard in modern times.

What’s your advice for young people about work and careers?
    I tell them to choose something that will make them happy, or they’re really suited for. It’s not necessarily the thing that’s going to make lots of money, but it’s one where they feel like they’re making a difference.
    Sometimes a child is into something like feathers. And I tell them, that could be your career. You could be a person who studies birds and identifies their feathers. I encourage them to think about it. Of course, the parents might have other ideas, but if children share their interests, maybe the parents will listen.
    I lucked out. I found my niche. I had to stumble around the classroom for 12 years before finding what makes me happy, but I found it here.

Is there anything you would like to add?
    Do you think this article will generate more support and involvement from the community for the Nature Area? I hope so.