Conversations at CSE
The Children’s School of Excellence
- Part 3 -
May 25, 2007 - Interview by Jean Isaacs
for MastersConnection© All Rights Reserved

The Children’s School of Excellence in Rainier, WA opened its doors in February of 1999. Although it has no official affiliation with Ramtha’s School of Enlightenment, students and teachers at this K-8 private school start each day with the disciplines that Ramtha has taught.
     While the school is geared to academic excellence, the development of individual choice and focused mind are strongly encouraged. Even the smallest children at CSE are aware of the workings of their own brains as receivers in an unlimited quantum field. They are encouraged to maintain a lofty perspective and to align themselves with nature, as well as knowledge of science, literature, and the arts. They are encouraged to experience practical results of mind over matter in their daily lives by intentionally focusing on their own creations.
     How does this work in today’s hi-tech world where most children are bombarded by influences that threaten their innocence and wellbeing? MastersConnection (in the form of Jean Isaacs and a tape recorder) visited CSE to talk with some of its teachers and students.
This week, MastersConnection is happy to present Jean’s conversation with Cheryl Nichols and two of her kindergarten students, Astroleah and Aries.

Astroleah: When I was a baby I was going to have a hip operation (for hip dysplasia).
My grandma said, “No!!! Don’t do it to my granddaughter.” So all my friends were
focusing on my hip for it to be better. So I went back to the doctor and the doctor said
I was a miracle baby.

Jean: You were a miracle baby because your hip was all healed?

Astroleah: Cuz we healed it! I was gonna have to have all this doctor stuff for my hips. But my family said, “Let’s heal this ourselves.” My brain was flashing on and on and on and on - back and forth in my brain. The flashing was saying ‘Heal! Heal! Heal! Heal! Heal!’ When my brain flashed the healing, the color was all different colors. My cells, my hips, they were focusing that they would get better, to be healed so I would be a miracle baby. My cells followed the instructions.

Jean: And you are five years old?

Astroleah: Yes and I have to go back to the doctor when I’m ten.

Cheryl: The doctors wanted to do surgery right after she was born. Then there was a noticeable change so they decided not to. The whole family worked on healing. What normally happens is they have casts and they do manipulations with the casts and it’s a very long process, many surgeries – none of that was needed. Complete healing!

Cheryl: Astroleah, can you say what part of your brain fired when you healed your hips?

Astroleah: [touching the back of her head] Like when you say the food thing, you’re saying, “Bless my food,” and the food says, “Okay! Okay!”

Cheryl: When we bless our food it is actually listening. We can affect what we eat with
our mind.

Astroleah: And it’s saying, “Okay! Okay!” That’s what my hip said too!

Cheryl: The children understand that our food is alive and it’s a part of us; it comes
from our grid. So when we’re blessing our food with the intent that we want it to have,
it’s responding to us. To get the kids to fully understand this interaction, I mimicked it
with this little toy frog, to demonstrate what’s happening. (Cheryl bounces the frog in response to a blessing.)

Astroleah: I bless my food to make me grow big and strong and healthy and big! So be it!

Cheryl: Our whole class has been learning about the brain for the year – two of our
group won the University of Washington Neuroscience Art Contest for Kids.

Aries: My picture says, “My brain helps me read.”

Jean: What else does your brain do?

Kids: We don’t know yet. We are still learning.

Aries: My drawing had a tree with rainbow leaves and the trunk was colored in with
rainbow colors. I chose a rainbow because it was like all the different colors of the thoughts. I drew a tree because it stood for neurons, and neurons fire different things
that you’ve done before.

Cheryl: Can you explain why we do remote view everyday?

Aries: We are opening up our brains. Because then we can learn how to see through
a box.

Jean: Have you ever seen a remote view?

Aries: Yah! When I was at the University of Washington a guy said, “What’s in my hand?” I closed my eyes for ten seconds and I said, “A paper clip,” and he opened his hand and it was a paper clip.

Jean: What do you think remote viewing can do for you in your life? Can you ever use it?

Aries: I might want to see through a wall.

Astroleah: If you focus really hard every time in the morning, then you see what is in
the box.

Cheryl: Would someone like to talk about creating your day? What do you put on your card?

Aries: I put that I’m never sick and it worked. I’ve never been sick since I focused on it
at the Ranch.

Cheryl: No sick days, that’s really useful. Astroleah, what did you put on your card?

Astroleah: I put a dog and a cat, and now I only want a little baby doggy.

Jean: Still focusing on that one?

Astroleah: Not very big. Like a Chihuahua, I want a Chihuahua.

(The children run outside to play.)

Jean to Cheryl: Please tell anything you want to say that you would want to pass on
to teachers and families around the world.

Cheryl: That’s a lot! First of all, this is a wonderful campus where the children can have time both in the classroom and outside in nature. They have great opportunities with loving teachers who are helping them to grow into young masters. They are learning that they are connected with everything, affecting the environment they are in. And because they’re connected with everything and their brain is the vehicle to do that with, they can be interested in something and have a moment to actually experience it in mind.
     We’re studying animals – we’re moving our bodies like animals, we are bringing animals into the classroom, going on field trips to experience them, or reading about them. They can also close their eyes and become those animals on the Field. Learning about the animals means they’re going to be manifesting experiences with them in their life. More knowledge means more experiences. And they do manifest it – and are excited about it – they come in to the class and say, “Guess what! This happened!”

Jean: Like if they focus on a deer, they’ll see lots of deer?

Cheryl: Right now they’re very focused on domestic animals. One student focused on a dog and came to me with big eyes, saying, “Ms Cheryl, I actually felt what it was like to
have fur on my chest! I had fur on my chest!”
     This student had parents that didn’t want animals, but after this experience the wife went to the husband and said, “How about getting a dog?” And he said “Sure!” She was very surprised because he was always in the reality that he didn’t want to have a dog.
But now this has changed.

Jean: So the child actually shifted timelines in his family?

Cheryl: She did! They did. What’s wonderful is that we can reinforce the experience by using it as an example. So it’s not just a quick experience, it can go into memory. It can
be wisdom that we all learn from and are inspired by. Like with Astroleah, she healed her hips. When she spoke about it in our class she said, “My grandmother focused on it, my mother focused on it, my father focused on it – and I healed it.” She was empowering herself, she knows that she did it but that other people helped her do it. And then when she falls on the playground she can pick herself up and say, “I healed myself then, so now
I can heal a scrape.” She makes a choice to see the healing. As a group we talk about it, and that helps them get out of the emotional reaction of it hurting. It all helps them move to the place where they can observe it.

Jean: How is CSE growing and changing?

Cheryl: We keep building every year – we bring in new knowledge, build greater curricula and experiences into our academic programs. This year we were happy that JZ donated
the FOSS science activities, hands on science. Using these materials teaches the student to be the observer and to make use of their observations, compare the data and then come up with their own activities to demonstrate their knowledge. They are learning to think like scientists. I’m very happy with what I saw this year. My class studied wood. They
compared different types of wood, dropping water on it to see what would happen, sinking it with paper clips and rubber bands to see differences. They were making particle board, making plywood, and now we’re going to make a wood sculpture. It is very exciting in all the grade levels to bring in experiential education.

Jean: Tell me about the "Book of the Soul" - what Ramtha taught about that and
what you’re doing with it.
Cheryl: One fall Marjorie Leyden paid for everyone at CSE, Kindergarten through eighth grade, to attend a beginners’ retreat at Ramtha’s School of Enlightenment. We had a fabulous time! Ramtha came out on the last day. He said that at five years old an entity has their awareness very close to their soul; it’s sitting right next to the soul in the fourth seal. He taught they would benefit greatly to create a “Book of the Soul.” Then he instructed briefly on how to do that.
     The purpose of the “Book of the Soul” is for unfinished business to be seen and to " be documented. At the beginning of every year, they take out their “Book of the Soul”, open it up and remind themselves of what they came here to do. And to graduate from Kindergarten they would completely be able to answer the questions and have that knowingness. So their early years will be to meet those opportunities, to feel the emotion and make a different choice, to own the old emotion so they have free space in front of them to be the genius creators that they came here to be.

Jean: Can you give an example of what the children are learning?

Cheryl: Sure- here’s a drawing of a tree; we studied trees, and our class tree is our oak tree by our Field. We noticed that our tree last winter decided not to use some of its underside branches this spring. The tree stopped using the branches that didn’t get enough sunlight. So we thought about that and contemplated what we can learn from that. In a class discussion we identified some emotions that we had felt but didn’t necessarily want to stick around. Those emotions like hurt and fear don’t serve us in our growth and our adventure towards the unknown. Like the tree and its lower branches, we don’t have to keep old attitudes around if we don’t want them.
     (Looking at another drawing) This student had a branch that said “not included,” because she has felt left out and separate before. Her other branches say joy and happiness. She understands if she keeps the old emotion, the old branch, she’ll keep manifesting “not included” moments. But when she doesn’t care about that anymore,
when she has dropped her fear and sadness, she gets to live her choice of being happy, fearless, and joyful. This year she chose to include herself and made many new friends.
     What we have in our life isn’t given to us from our mom or our dad, it may come through them but it is us whose thoughts create reality. In class we realize that we get everything from the quantum field. That’s why we bless our food, that’s why we’re interacting and knowing that we’re interconnected with everything, why we become what we focus on. We can have anything – yes we can experience jealousy, but when we know that we can have that toy too, we choose to spend our time creating it for ourselves.
I love the attitude “Great for them! I want it too, and I know how to get it.”

Jean: I imagine at this point they can express themselves, having learned to write and do some spelling – it must be exciting for you.

Cheryl: Yes. It’s very exciting for me as a teacher. And they love it, it’s how we spend each morning after we create our day, writing and drawing another page of their Book.
I bring in a few concepts and they get to explore and create with it. The children are learning that power is a byproduct of their focus. Their focus manifests results. They see this and they become even more empowered and more confident; and that confidence I think helps them to let go of the branches. It helps them let go of those attitudes of insecurity and fear and sadness that they don’t want.

Jean: This is really their life’s work already, expressed in their own writing and words and their own drawings. I don’t think there’s another school like it on the planet!

Cheryl: I see them using their mind in powerful ways. If they hurt themselves they move out of that emotion quickly. They have learned how to read very rapidly . . . their mathematics – I’ve introduced them to advanced concepts like fractions, addition and subtraction from the very beginning, just to introduce it to them; and now we’re coming into the curriculum that teaches these things and they’re just grabbing hold and moving quickly.
     The most important thing is how thoughtful they are, how respectful they are, like if the art teacher leaves his hat, they notice it and they go to him and they make sure he gets it.

Jean: Taking responsibility consciously.

Cheryl: Yes. And they love remote view, they love the opportunity of challenging their mind in new ways; they love learning! They’re stretching to use their minds in many ways.

Jean: You said they’re learning they are one with everything – how much of the science of that do they actually – are they able to converse?

Cheryl: Saying they completely understand they are one with everything might be too broad of a statement. I mean we’re exploring and using it by observing the ant that stops moving when we look at it. They don’t verbalize it too much – they’re so in their midbrains and just doing it. When they get older they will communicate more about their experiences.

Jean: They are doers, not philosophers, they love being in life.

Cheryl: Yes. If there’s an ant in the room, they collect it on a piece of paper and put it outside. Or a spider, or a bee. So they respect that part of nature. They know why it rains, it’s important and there are no complaints when it’s raining and it’s time for recess.

Jean: (to Astroleah who walked in) – What do you think of rain, why do you think it’s important that it rains?

Astroleah: Well the things that you planted in the ground and you want to eat, things you planted like strawberries - if you plant them, then rain will come and will make those strawberries come up. (runs back out)

Cheryl: Sometimes when really exciting weather happens outside we have to stop everything because that’s more important and exciting to them – the storm, the wind,
the rain, the hail, the snow. They have an extra set of clothes here to change into if
they get wet or dirty.

Jean: What about reading? Do you read aloud to them?

Cheryl: Yes, we have read-aloud time, but they love to read themselves with our leveled reading program. There is time for large and small group instruction, so different groups
do different activities. It’s phonics reading as well as whole words. The children actually choose jobs in the morning and one of the jobs is to be the book reader at the end of
the day. They picture read and tell the story as if they were the author and show it to everyone so they’re empowered by that kind of leadership moment, and now they’re starting to read the books themselves love sharing it with everyone.

Jean: They really have a working understanding of choice and of intent and it’s right there for them at the age of kindergarten.

Cheryl: Yes, the kids here are supported. Every individual has
a unique understanding, emotions, and experiences.

Jean: What are the benefits for you as a teacher at this school?

Cheryl: I love teaching. The benefit is that I have a reason to push myself to change and to become greater, to become present. The children can see my thoughts, my emotions, and if I’m trying to teach some new knowledge, I don’t want my emotions to get in the way. So I try to be clear and present. I include the students when I create my day, I see them as geniuses.
     I interact with them in that way - I’m empowering all those great thoughts and ideas that they have, so that they know that that’s in there. And when they read my mind I tell them, “That was just what I was thinking.” I bring in a larger vocabulary and greater ideas because I’m studying space, so I bring space into school. I’m learning about the quantum field, I can share that information with them, and that’s wonderful. I’m very honored and blessed to have the opportunity.

Jean: What are your dreams for the school? What would you like to see? What would
you like to see people contribute? What changes would you like?

Cheryl: We’ve had wonderful, humble beginnings. We have acreage but in all honesty as
a teacher, I would love a larger classroom where we can be as loud and excited as we want to be without being disrespectful to the classroom next door. I would love the continuation of the curriculum development. There’s some great hands-on activities out there, I want to get them on the computers, the digital microscopes, and taking the pictures and writing and typing about their discoveries in their science journals.
     We’ve been able to get to the point that we’re at because the community has all contributed – twenty dollars, fifty dollars a month and that has made a huge difference. The community has been involved in our auction and our other fundraisers. They’ve donated very generously and participated very generously. For everyone to know that
they can contribute, even 20 or 50 dollars a month, that really helps us build the cash
flow to bring in the technology and new equipment.

Jean: What would you say to parents and teachers in other places in the world who
don’t have a school like this?

Cheryl: To parents, I would suggest becoming involved in their child’s academic environment. Teachers actually like to see the parents and have communication with them. We want to share what they are learning so the parents can facilitate that at home.
Parents of students in public school need to be super aware of the curriculum and the philosophies behind what their child is taught. An example, in public school, kindergarten students typically are taught that some things are alive and some things are not alive.
      The parent needs to be right on that and teach their child that everything is alive and affected by them. They can heal or hurt with their thoughts. They can stop even the busy ant from its movement just by putting their mind on them. Their thoughts are a force.
Parents should also share their own experiences. When you create your day, share with your child what you created. At dinner, share what happened and share how you’d change it a little, how you would tweak it into a greater day. Help the creator come out in them.
If they want an ice cream cone, take time to help them visualize it in their mind. Make the hologram together, laughing and talking about it. The most important thing you can be is to be present with your child and to hold that magical state of adventure and the observer and the explorer - and to participate with them, to share all the opportunities in nature.

Jean: Help them fall in love with nature.

Cheryl: Yes! The parents are with the child more than the teacher is; the parent is the child’s greatest teacher. And to take on that role, to get up earlier if you need to but
make sure there’s lots of time to be present. In a busy life that’s a challenge, but the rewards come by being involved with them and teaching them how to take care of themselves.
     They love cooking so cook with them. They can create the shopping list, they can be
taught to read the signs on the way to the grocer, they can be taught to grow or to pay for the food, to collect the change and look people in the eye and . . .
Every moment is a chance to do some learning and growing.

SO BE IT!