[A response required to receive training credits. The final reflection is in addition to required 8 posts for training credit. All posts and final reflections should be completed by Friday, March 6th].
For your final reflection, talk about new learnings, if any, that have come from this book and this discussion. New ideas? New information? New connections? New attitudes? New priorities? Can you identify any one idea as having had the greatest impact on your thinking?
In addition, talk about specific changes in your practices you contemplate making as a result of this experience. Do you anticipate changing the environment(s) you make available to children? Your schedules? Your policies and forms? Your staff orientation and training? Your communications with parents? Who do you feel the urge to talk to about these issues, and what do you intend to tell them?
And, of course, feel free to share any other final thoughts you deem important. Your final reflection should be at least the equivalent of a one-page, double-spaced paper.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
20 comments:
When reading the byline of Richard Louv’s Last Child in the Woods, “Saving our children from nature-deficit disorder,” I was intrigued by the idea of labeling our children with another disorder. What is happening to society as a whole to have so much “wrong” with us? Although I was aware of the epidemic of obesity and formerly adult diseases now affecting children and the underlying cause being the electronic age and lack of exercise, I hadn’t really thought about the aspect of a disconnect with nature. Louv’s ideas brought forth childhood memories of experiences in nature and the awareness of the great void in our children’s lives today.
Many parents and caregivers are focused on providing children with the newest gadgets and play equipment which usually translates into electronics and plastic toys. The outdoor equipment is bright, colorful plastic and we want to have it all. I was no different. Even though I purchased my items from the yard sale market, I had it all and I was always on the lookout for more. I also had “loose parts” on my property that children were drawn toward but when I thought of the playground I fell into the trap of focusing on plastic products rather than naturally occurring play spaces.
I am no longer in the business of direct care of children, however, I do intend to discuss Louv’s ideas with the preschool teacher of the Young Children’s Community Center funded by our Community Partnership for Children and encourage her to take a look at the outdoor space she uses to examine how she might make use of the “loose parts” and surrounding opportunities to provide the children with more experiences in nature. In addition, I will be recommending Louv’s book to members of our council, many of whom are family child care providers or directors of child care centers or preschool programs in Attleboro. As a CDA advisor to family child care providers, I am in a position to speak with them about their outdoor environments and discuss the benefits of connecting children to the natural world. With enough interest in the topic of nature deficit disorder, this could then translate into a workshop and exchange of ideas for transforming the play spaces in our early childhood community. Perhaps with the buy in of our centers, preschools, and family child care providers to Louv’s philosophy on children and nature, the end result will be a re-education of parents in the community.
Louv’s book has certainly awakened something in me that I think was always there but hibernating. I found myself going for more walks and hikes over the past month then I normally would during these bleak winter months. What I found happening with myself was that when I did take the time to get out for a walk in the woods these past weeks, much of my “after-work fatigue” seemed to dissipate and I had more energy to do what I needed to do in the evening hours (like posting blogs to this forum!) Last Sunday, as a storm was predicted to come later in the day, I told my husband that I was in the mood to go for a hike at Rocky Woods. He looked surprised but agreed that it might be a good idea to get out before the weather turned wet and cold. We spent over three hours walking through the snow in the woods looking for any signs of spring. All of the sudden, winter did not look so bleak after all. I could not help but reflect on what I’d been reading and really taking the time to notice so many things that over the years I’ve started to take for granted. By the time we came back home, we both were so glad that we set out that morning.
I think one of the things that reading this book and getting out more myself has made me realize is that I want to help “spread the word”. I already have this subject on my agenda for my next staff meeting. Although the location and nature of our playground does not leave too much room for change, we can at least change the way we allow children to play outside. Perhaps taking them out of the playground for more community walks can be another way to expose them to what we don’t have in the playground. I may only be one person but if I make a point of sharing what I’ve learned with my school parents through parent meetings, newsletters, and in-house workshops, then maybe some will begin to understand the importance and value of nature in their children’s lives. Parents, I think, would be especially impressed with some of the examples that Louv shares regarding the effect of nature on troubled children, children with ADHD, and so on. Perhaps, as I discuss these findings with staff and parents, I’ll reach just a couple of people. If that happens, then hopefully those few will go out and reach a couple more. In time, we may even make a difference.
This book has opened for me the importance of the need to promote a greater understanding of the reason to educate children and families on the need for nature education, the need to “write nature into their lives”. It has brought forward for me ideas I would not have focused on had I not read the book and participated in the conversations on line that I did. Louv’s book is compelling and motivating. It was a great first choice for this forum.
Louv’s plea to encourage children and families to be “environmental stewards to serve the need to protect nature” is compelling for me. Louv’s assertion that we must “struggle to save what is left of our natural heritage” is hard to ignore with excuses that it is someone else’s responsibility, it won’t work nowadays or that we cannot effect enough change to make it worthy of the attempt.
As educators we struggle with mandates, those that come from the state and accrediting agencies and those we feel personally compelled to fulfill. How much more can we do, what is the scope of our responsibility? To my mind, one answer lies in creating cooperative partnerships with families and local nature organizations to share the mandate of nature education and fulfill its promise. Perhaps by bringing it down to a local level and “know one mountain instead of climbing many” we can find a way to create our own nature “galaxies”. This seems doable to me.
Though we may not be able to significantly change our day-to-day routines and accomplish this all on our own, we can also begin to educate the community: children, teachers, and families, to see nature as an alternate and additional classroom to the one we offer. We can offer activities, resources, experiences and education. We can host a nature advocate for a parents’ education workshop. We can offer an all school ramble through a local state park.
Louv says “behavior leads to behavior” so if we start, in whatever ways we feel we can, we will effect positive change. I am committed to exploring the idea of promoting Louv’s book, website and ideas to our school community. I will start a conversation with our local Audubon Sanctuary about a more formal relationship as an addendum to our current practice. I will work with teachers and our community to explore ideas of more open-ended nature experiences either during or outside of school time.
Again, thank you to all who have shared their opinions and experiences, it has been a great discussion and opportunity for learning how to write nature back into our lives in a meaningful way.
Louv’s book reconfirmed what I initially believed that nature is an important part of our inner needs. It reminded me of the importance of a balance of nature all of us need in our lives. I found myself beginning to reestablish more outside time for the children in the program during the school year rather than wait for late spring early summer for this experience. For myself, after school I began taking outside walks arousing neighbors and friends to do the same even now in the cold winter days and nights. Making the effort enjoying the breeze against my face and the warmth of the sun quietly listening to the sounds of birds arriving back and the smells and signs of spring.
I would love to change our outdoor space for the children and if EEC that a would allow a more natural play space we could allow the children to enjoy a space outside the fences discovering the small creatures living in their natural habitats by enlarging the area but also allowing us to keep it natural, yes, by leaving the stones someone might fall and cut himself but also teach the children how to be safe, how to protect themselves in areas of concern. I would like to add a small pond, can you imagine all the discoveries and excitement it would add to our play space as well as open up our curriculum adding more science and nature. In the past we have limited the water play outside due to the frowning of parents at pick up time, needing to take the time to clean up their child to go home, water play in ponds was a place I found calmness and serenity. Of course our schedule will have to change bringing our learning outside especially in the fall and spring months (eliminating the hassle of boots, snow pants and jackets) making outside part of our curriculum. We will need to convince the parents that this water play will be safe and of course supervised not by helicopter teachers but by teachers that will allow children the freedom yet by asking pointed questions allowing the children to discover on their own.
I would like to convince EEC that they are not allowing children to have a natural play space due to all their restrictions and regulations. I realize that due to the lack of supervision of childcare professionals in the past created these sterile play spaces. Each time we hear in the news a child has fallen in the care of daycare facility, we can be assured their will be new regulations on playing and restrictions placed on daycare play spaces.
It intrigued me on how much the media influences society in Louv chapter discussing how the media has damaged the way parents now view unsupervised outside play. Louv’s dubbed the phenomenon the “Bogeyman syndrome” bringing into light that stranger danger is the most compelling force that parents use to protect their children from outside unsupervised play. A portion of our society is sick and prey on naive young and some older children. We need to protect them and enlighten them of the possible dangers of these unfortunate sick individuals. As louv stated that the actual number of children abducted were far less than the media reported and for the most part the predators were not strangers. Louv argues that by keeping children inside the house or under rigid control, it will deprive a child the chance to become self-confident and unable to interact with neighbors or learn to build community, which is a defense against sociopaths. Real dangers do exist in nature, but to some extent they are over exaggerated by the media.
I have begun promoting the ideas of Lou’s book to parents and teachers in our center with hopes and possibilities of convincing everyone that early education should not only be pencil paper tasks but to have a balance of meaningful contact with the natural world.
As early childhood educators, we all know that it is important for children to have time to play and explore the outdoors. We are able to see for ourselves the positive effect that being out in the fresh air has on both the children in our classrooms and on the adults who educate them. I have to admit, when I first started reading Louv's book, I felt that t the information provided in the book was simply common sense.
After our first group discussion, and as I delved further into the book, I realized that Louv is trying to push us one step further. I came to realize that nature deficit disorder is a societal problem with long term effects. We live in a society that values structure and sedentary activities, and that lets technological advances get in the way of social interactions. Louv's most important point in my opinion is, "If we hope to improve the quality of life for our children, and for generations to come, we need a larger vision."
It is our responsibility as educators, to provide information to our parents, to engage in conversations with our colleagues, and to join in group discussions with members of our community, as we are doing right now. We could simply focus on the small group of children and their parents that we see everyday, but these families will not benefit in the long run if we don't work toward societal change.
With regards to my own work environment, I'd like to continue this discussion in our staff meetings and encourage all of my peers to read Louv's book. In the immediate future, I'll be focusing on our own garden, pointing out the positive outcomes of the children's experiences, involving all the staff in this process, and documenting all the natural learning experiences to share with the parents, visitors, college students,and all who enter our center. The value of these activities needs to be emphasized if we are ever going to see change in attitudes.
I'd like to conclude by thanking everyone involved in this discussion. I feel lucky to have heard from such an experienced and knowlegeable group of educators.
One of the new connections that has occurred is the connection with the past, with my childhood and the experiences I had outside. I used to follow my brother to the “sandpits” ( now the South Shore Plaza) to hunt for snakes and turtles and to dig up clay to make bowls and ash trays. We were allowed to take risks around the water and the wildlife. Once my brother brought home a 18 inch snapping turtle – it barely fit into a crushed garbage can. I still remember my father’s reaction – the turtle was returned to his home very quickly and we learned a lot about the danger of snapping turtles. We did however have snakes in cages and a snake pit in the back yard, shared with smaller turtles. Now reptiles are forbidden in the regulations.
I feel that I have connected with the other people in the group and am trying to figure out ways to continue those connections. The sharing we have done has brought me new ideas and has inspired me to think of ideas that I didn’t have before. I’m still looking for outdoor ideas that will work in our space, but I want to implement some of the ideas in involving and sharing nature with the parents. I’m thinking of an outdoor parent night and some weekend take home activities, as well as expanding our display of pictures. I also realized that we need to do an outdoor staff meeting. When we started our playground we did a training on remembering outdoor play we had experienced as children. We need to repeat that as we have some new staff and to extend it by having a staff meeting outside to let the staff play and explore without having to supervise children. We also have to revise our orientation to include a lot more on outdoor play – the rational, the benefits and the degree of supervision needed.
I hope that we can continue this blog in some way to allow us to support and validate each other as we move forward. It is so much easier to make changes if you have others with whom to share the progress and the challenges.
Reading Louv's book was like a lightbulb going off, an ah-ha moment. All of a sudden so much that is going on in todays world makes sense. The first sentence that made me step back and think was the "illegal use of open space". It seems, in this circumstance, the community (society?) did not allow tree houses, playing in trickles of water, skateboard ramps etc...But aren’t that how we using to play? We had to make use of what was outdoors as being indoors was never really an option. We were kicked out after breakfast and told to come home when we were hungry for lunch then again when the streetlights came on. We used every part of the outdoors that we could. We even had freight train tracks (that were being used) in our neighborhood that we played on regularly. After the rain, next to the tracks, there was a gully that filled up with rainwater. We would play in that, getting soaking wet. And that was ok.
I am going to do a 'mini' workshop at our next staff meeting. I will bring the info learned from Louv's book with lots of reasons and examples of why being outside is good. I feel the discouragement of natural play is the norm for our outdoor play at our school. Play with the plastic toys, climb up the side of the plastic slide and slide down properly, don't run you may fall. Where is the experimenting, creating, examining and just plain having fun?
I have to share my favorite line of the entire book. I plan on having this printed on many newsletters in the future. "direct exposure to nature is essential for physical and emotional health. For example, new studies suggest that exposure to nature may reduce the symptoms of ADHD, and that it can improve all children's cognitive abilities and resistance to negative stresses and depression." This quote alone is enough to make me want to get up and yell to all our parent's "turn off the TV, send them outside."
And the section that tells us about obesity and higher rates of physical and emotional illnesses being side effects of staying indoors is plain scary. And when you think about it, it is almost common sense.
I was very interested in the part that talks about how it seems that most artists (writers, composers etc...) were outdoorsy children. Having had to think things through to make the fort in the yard, or trying to figure out why the worm comes to the surface is all helping children think things through, to work it out!
Due to space issues only one class is allowed outside at a time in our school. Most of the other classes just stay in when it is not their play yard time. Some of us walk. We walk around town, to the tiny town forest, and over to the park. We have already begun to entice the other classes to join us. We can only try.
My goal is to make parents aware of the risks of keeping their children indoors and to help them understand how some of the risks they believe they are saving their children from by keeping them in are maybe not so risky.
This workshop has been incredibly informative and I am so glad I joined it. Thank you.
Final Reflection:
I have but one chapter left to read in Louv’s book, but in any sense, I will certainly complete it. In reading his book, I did not learn anything new regarding being outside and what nature has to offer. But it did give me an insight as to what many others across our continent think and feel about nature and its concerns regarding the changes that have evolved, even within just one generation. It was a fantastic read, and for anyone who has yet to get their children outside, this book is certainly an eye opener. Just the views and perspectives that are made regarding the benefits of nature and how any child can and will benefit from it are enlightening.
I personally don’t think “changes” I could make will make a difference within my day care realm. It’s the changes that need to be done throughout the whole. As a day care provider, there are so many restricting rules and regulations regarding our space and outdoor play areas, that if we don’t take the children anywhere, they wouldn’t get to take advantage of nature and unstructured spaces. Yes, we get out as much as possible, especially in the spring and summer months, but having so much restriction on the regulated licensed play areas takes away from the advantages a child will have with the reality of nature. It’s the realism of the child care business…. One mistake made by any other child care provider, ruins it for the entirety, and just adds another rule to the long list of existing rules. So much emphasis is put on these rules, it creates panic and fear. In my personal home space, when my children were young and starting to get around and into their toddler years, I NEVER “child proofed”. I don’t believe in it. And my children are fine. They didn’t get under the kitchen sink to drink all the cleaning chemicals, they didn’t eat all the trash, they didn’t drown in the toilet, they didn’t burn themselves on the hot stove, nor did they open the oven to get inside… etc. But these “child proofing” gadgets are required everywhere, and parents think they are essentially necessary. I don’t intend to change my current day care environment, as EEC regulations may prohibit that, but I do intend to continue to enjoy the outdoors as much as possible with the children, and continue to teach them the wonders of what nature has to offer us. Parents are aware of what I do and they know their children are safe, well cared for, and fully enjoying themselves. This makes all the difference.
I fully intend to share many passages from the book with my day care parents, and will continue to enforce outdoor play within my day care realm, and know that keeping my children outside will not be an issue; I will utilize Louv’s ideas and methods to keep things interesting for everyone.
I enjoyed this book as well as the input from others, and will definitely share it and recommend it to family and friends.
Final Reflection- Last Child In the Woods- March 2009
I enjoyed reading the Last Child in the Woods and participating in the book discussion with other educators. It is evident through the face to face discussions and blogs, that we have similar interests in promoting nature with young children as well as educating their parents. I thought his ideas and research studies were relevant to the children today both in our lives and in the classroom. It was fun to reminisce with everyone about our different childhood experiences that were evoked by the images in his book.
The following are some of the new ideas that I have gleamed from the book.
1. I like the idea of saying to children , “pay attention, rather than be careful”. I think this back fired with my own daughter because I was always leary about her exploring the neighbor and nearby park, especially when alone. Now that she is a teenage for a couple of years, she tells me that” I never take risks and that she is not afraid of anything or anybody, so there is nothing to worry about. I’m still here and nothing has happened to me.” I know I did a lot of praying and still do when she goes off with her friends or alone to the park to play basketball. We cannot always be with our children, so we have to trust that they will be safe with their judgements which we have taught them as well as to problem solve through difficulty.
2. I was interested in the “biophilia theory” mentioned by Edward Wilson. It suggests that how strong and positively people respond to open, grassy landscapes, trees, water, etc. New research on the impact of nature on human physical and emotional health. A 2003 survey of 66% preschoolers are on antidepressants. I believe children should have the opportunity to explore nature to improve their physical and emotional health. What better place is there to learn about oneself as well as life and death. You need practically all of your senses to experience all that nature has to offer. Unfortunately, one cannot say the same for all of the electronics that children have at their disposal.
3. A topic of further research is Howard Gardner’s theory of “naturalistic intelligence”. Professor Leslie Owen Wlison suggests some descriptors for children.
a. Have keen sensory skills.
b. Notice and categorize things.
c. Like to be outside.
d. Notice patterns.
e. Interested in plants and animals.
f. Notice things others miss.
g. Create scrapbooks, logs, journals
h. Very interested in T.V., book, videos concerning the environment.
i. Early learning of characteristics, names, data about objects, species
4. I had never heard of “echophobia” that David Sobel talks about in chapter 11. This term means the fear of ecological deterioration of the land. I would be interested to learn more about this subject in the future.
5. I would also like to learn more about Martha Erickson’s “attachment theory” mentioned in Chapter 12 .
6. I had never heard of technology being referred to as “silicon faith” before that John Rick talks about in Chapter 11 . This is a focus on high technology and nature in the laboratory. Have we become so industrialized in the classroom that there is no room for nature? I certainly hope this is not the case and I wish to continue to be an advocate for the children I serve so this will not happen in our lifetime.
As far as priorities are concerned, I think I will start saying “pay attention”, rather than “be careful. ” This will lend itself to a more positive, open ended experience for the child as they explore, instead of focusing on what could happen to them. I would like to start to think more “outside of the box” as well as to encourage the children to ask questions about what they see as they explore the outdoors. I am going to continue to take advantage of the land and trees around our playground to give the children the freedom of no fences to explore in depth. For parent education, I will continue to promote a love of nature through newsletters, articles, conversations and web sites. If we all do a little at our programs, it should help to give parents some ideas and encourage them to be advocates for nature learning also.
These are some of the many things that educators and parents can do to encourage and
preserve the love of nature in children. “Happy trails” to all as we are awaiting the signs of spring
and the expectancy of new growth around us.
Thank You- Debbie Drago
Reflections: Personal
The Last Child in the Woods, the blog, and the group discussions have made me take a critical look at myself both personally and professionally. I joined this group because the topic is near and dear to me. I thought back to the important role the outdoors has held for me throughout my life. However, as I look closer I realize that I too am growing away from nature over time. For the most part, I’m also spending more time with technology, (not out of desire, but for work and communication and even for this group) than I ever did. I come home from work and turn on the computer. I’m watching less and less TV over the years, but more and more movies. I hate the heat of summer so I’m indoors on humid days. My new car even has AC. I ride my bike less and less. I used to go for long walks almost daily, when did that stop and why? I now realize that what is happening to me is so similar to what has happened to the children of today. Not out of fear, but happening nonetheless.
As I spend more time indoors, I feel the vicious cycle of stress, which brings lethargy and depression within reach. This has been a real wake-up call to get me back outdoors! This experience has motivated me to resume my long-term relationship with nature. For me it has always been a spiritual thing. The slow change of growth, the seasons, the smells and sounds that calm me that clear my focus and renew me. Initially it will take some effort to carve out the time for the walk, to turn off the computer or TV and replace it with outdoor time. Nevertheless, I expect the habit will be easy to return to as I find the peace that being outdoors provides.
Some possibilities:
Expand my vegetable garden
Sit outside in the sun everyday even if it’s just to read the paper
Join the Blue Hills walking club because they have a regular schedule and hikes planned
Reflections; Professional
This experience has brought back many memories from decades past about the kinds of outdoor activities we used to do with young children while at “work”; a day of camping in a state park, “topless” children running through sprinklers, planting snow peas on the fence and letting the children eat them off the vine, flooding the sandbox with the hose so kids could play barefoot up to their knees in mud, baking pies with the wild blackberries we picked in the woods, taking the children by bus to picnic places… What was so different then? We didn’t worry about so much, the world felt safe, we knew that these were rich experiences and we just did them. It wasn’t always easier than staying indoors, in fact much planning went into some activities- although many great things just happened on the spur of the moment. I feel like I need to get back some of this attitude. I’m turning into one of those old, boring teachers. I find myself thinking, “We can’t do that” (sledding), “the playground is sterile” etc rather than turning them into opportunities to do something to change it.
I have come to realize that my high school student’s do not have a relationship with nature to go back to. For them I need to start at the beginning and get them to start being comfortable with the outdoors. Teach them about bugs, clouds, weather and plants and get them excited about things they can enjoy with the children, rather than stand at the gate, impatient to go back indoors.
Some of the practical changes I’m considering:
Move ‘free play’ outdoors as soon as the weather permits so that children can start their day outdoors, not just end it out on the playground “if we have time”.
Bring my high school students out for little nature adventures whenever possible. They learn by doing too.
Plant some interesting things in the playground.
Promote, defend and educate the preschool parents about outdoor play through the parent newsletter, the handbook and by adding books to the parent lending library.
and finally replace "Be careful" with "Pay attention"!
For me, the basic learning or reaffirming that comes from the book, Last Child in the Woods, is that we as humans are creatures of nature and we need nature as a part of our physical, emotional and intellectual development. In the last two decades we have unwittingly removed nature from our children’s lives with damaging results. The over scheduling, the pull of technology, the shrinking of green space and the increasing culture of fear that views nature itself as a kind of “bogeyman” have all eroded our children’s relationship with nature. The toll of this deprivation can be seen in the rise in childhood obesity, depression, and even ADHD. This book raises an awareness of this issue which is always the first step in bringing about change.
I know I will keep this concept front and center from here on in my work with young children. To encourage them to bond with nature I plan on allowing for more unstructured time, letting children take the lead more often, teaching observation skills, and saying “pay attention” rather than be careful as strategies to enhance my children’s nature experiences. Nature nurtures children and it needs children to nurture it. Hopefully our direct, hands-on interactions in nature inspire children to become the stewards of the future. Louv talks about how children need to connect to “the place” in which they live and this is one area that I feel I can foster for the children in my care so that they know and are aware of the environment in which they live. As a child and as an adult I have always known the rough areas of the yard were the best and now, thanks to Louv, I have the term “loose parts” to describe it.
Parents are the most influential teachers for young children, so getting them on board with Louv’s theory is key for its success. I hope to implement some of the ideas and suggestions offered in our blogs to educate not only children but their parents as well. To effect any real change we need to educate the parents. We also know that when families connect in nature, they connect with each other.
This book brought to light just how overwhelming life is in our society and just how much influence the media has. It really opened my eyes to how disconnected we are from nature. I found it to be a great motivator for me to share this issue with others and I have already lent it to one parent and mentioned it to all the parents in my program. With more and more people aware, just maybe we can begin to change our children’s lives for the better.
I enjoyed reading and learning about Nature Deficit Disorder through Louv's book and from the educated postings from the blog. The study has opened my eyes to see the "big picture"; if we do not educate our children to appreciate their outdoor environment, to try to preserve what we have not yet destroyed and to try to mend what we have already caused damage to, then we won't have any green spaces left to enjoy. As an adult, I hadn't seen the impact this was having on everyone else around me, I felt this was "progress". But it's not just the land we are destroying but also the animals, birds and insects that all work together to keep nature in balance so flowers, trees and vegetables will produce their fruits. Our fore fathers were able to live off the land, they were able to produce their own food, make clothes for themselves, create a home to live in. I'm afraid we've come a long way from appreciating what the land has to offer.
In my home daycare, I am able to take the children out as much as I like. The parents are always glad to have them out playing, there usually isn't any problem about them getting a little dirty. I like to take them on nature walks in the woods near my house, I plan to do this more often now after reading this book. I want the children to enjoy and respect nature.
I had a conversation with one of the parents the other day regarding this book, she is now reading it. She realized that all the outdoor activities she allowed her children to do were always structured and very limiting. She is planning on changing this, so her children will start exploring and become more involved in nature.I hope more parents and educators will try to keep the children interested in nature and try to keep or at least limit the time the children use these had held games, they are such a waste!!! A waste of time and brain energy.
Once again, I think this was a great study, I am a big advocate for nature, I know it allows me to "clear my head" and "get a second wind" while I am working with the children. We are now starting to plan a vegetable garden and a flower garden. Last year I tried watermelons, something ate our melons, but at least the children had helped to plant the seeds and watched the plant grow and flower. Of course I had to buy watermelons to replace the lost ones but they still had a good learning experience from the whole deal. Speaking of which,.....spring is coming soon (so they say), so now is a good time for us to put to practice some of the ideas we have learned.
Final reflection
I have enjoyed this experience entirely. This is a topic a colleague of mine and I visit at least once a year. We reminisce and then try to recreate some of our memories for the children in our care. I love the quote that Louv included in his book by Rachel Carlson: “If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder [he] needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in.” (pg, 166) I have had that quote posted on one of my cabinets for the last six years. It reminds me daily what my real job is when teaching children. I refer to this often and not just about nature,although mostly in that context, but also when dealing with other adults. It sums up Louv’s ideas about reconnecting with nature so soundly. This book was a confirmation for me of the theory I have followed for many years. Chidlren need more than just the academics to pass from one stage of life to another. Innately we need what God has created us to take care of, the outside world.
I also take from this book the realization that while I have to teach my children about dangers present in THIS age, or this era, I cannot shelter them from all experiences. If I never let anything happen to them, then nothing will ever happen to them. I think I got that from Alice in Wonderland, pretty profound I know. But this is really true when you take it apart and thing about it. I don’t want them to be abducted, so I won’t let them play outside alone, but I don’t have to be RIGHT THERE when they are playing. I am not quite the helicopter mom I lead you all to believe. I am usually the one encouraging some independence. I let them jump off the swings in mid air, and I let them swing from the ropes on the trees. But as for the fear, I do teach them not to talk to strangers, and how to hold my hand in all the stores. But since reading this book, we have been outside more, we have explored the tracks of animals throughout the neighborhood. We let the kids walk a little farther ahead of us than we used to. I let them say hi to people they don’t know and try not to assume everyone is a potential child molester. I take this lesson from this book. And although I am embarking on a long journey of trust (of others, of my and my children’s instincts, and of the safety of the world around me) I am trying to embrace the fear for it is necessary to learn survival, but also to learn from letting it go.
I am also developing a series of cards to be made into postings for our playground that can briefly explain what skills are being learned on what equiptment, and at what areas. This will include a sign for our grassy area and the small wooded area out back. I think another possible way to enforce change is to create a workshop for our staff, and invite others to attend, that will include a short nature walk outside. I have already asked permission to go on a walking field trip of out neighborhood to check out different ways we are using the land and to help children see the nature in even the developed parts of our community.
In the future, I plan to involve the State representative in forcing changes at the DOE/DEEC level. It will be hard to change upper level classrooms as we have enforced so many regulations around the MCAS testing, but if we can effect change at the early childhood level we can influence a love of learning that may shape a lifestyle in the future. I plan to write to the Rep, and ask her to visit our center, and watch the learning that occurs outside in the natural playspace. I also hope to ask for her help in changing OCCS/EEC regulations about outdoor play and the types of loose parts and “equiptment” that are necessary for learning. I would like to provide her with a fact sheet based on this book of the reasons why changes need to occur. And ideally I would love to write a petition for the changes that I would like to see in the regulations at the early childhood level that revolve around giving children more natural play spaces with less restrictions. Very ambitious. I usually dream big.
But for now, I will work on myself, my family, and my classroom, and do the best I can with what I have, armed with the knowledge I have gained from this experience. Thank you for sharing it with me.
Amy Cabral
I think that what struck me most about reading this book was not only the content but also the amount of flashbacks I had to when I was a child. It made me much more aware of the role that nature played in my development. All those little moments that were deeply buried in my memory resurfaced again much to my delight and surprise! I had forgotten what it was to be young and immersed in the natural environment where time loses meaning and exploration is everything. I was prepared to learn but that I would be re-connecting with me – well, that was what really surprised me! I enjoy the time I spend in nature as an adult and the time that I do spend as teacher with the children but it took those jogging of memories and consciously reflecting on how they assisted me in developing that truly brings the meaning of this book home! Children need less structure from me and more time spent in nature so it can be their teacher!
Louv’s statement of “Immersion in the natural environment cuts to the chase, exposes the young directly and immediately to the very elements from which humans evolved: earth, water, air and other living kin, large and small. Without that experience as Chawla says, “we forget our place; we forget that larger fabric on which our lives depend.” , also really struck a cord with me. We need to ensure our children’s bond with the earth before our fears paralyze us into inaction. The stream of anxiety and fear we seem to have instilled into ourselves as a society is clear by the evidence in the book, our blog posts and the face to face discussions. I say allowed because I do have to wonder if our fears are really founded. Are we doing more harm than good in listening to them? I would say yes and that is what we really need to be afraid of!
I believe that more often than not as early childhood professionals, we serve as teachers and role models not just for the children in our care, but for the parents as well. Parents look to us to help them understand what is in their child’s best interest. It is our job to let them know that while there are risks in nature, there are also great possibilities for growth in a multitude of ways. The children of today are missing out on having a meaningful relationship with nature as a result of our fears and clearly it is up to us to assist them in re-establishing that bond. I do believe it is up to us to make changes in the way our society views nature and this is a prime time for those changes. We can do it even if it is one child at a time, one parent at a time.
Thank you to everyone for sharing your thoughts and listening to mine. It was a pleasure to be a part of such a great group of dedicated educators and I hope to see you all again at the next discussion!
Some final thoughts about the book. I think I have always known how important it is for children to outside. I know as a child my parents and my sister and I were always outside. I have such wonderful memories of a variety of ways I experienced nature as a child. Louv really brought me back to those days. Even when my children were young I stressed their being outside to play. As a family child care provider I had those kids outside a lot as well. Even the babies would get bundled up and brought out to experience the world outside the house.
I would say the information that hit me the most were the statistics Louv presents particularly around the idea that it is so much more dangerous now due to stranger abductions. That is definitely information I plan to pass on to parents.
As far as changing any policies or communication with parents, we have always stressed how important it is for the children here at the preschool to get out and play, not only for our own sanity but also for their well being. Although we have had parents from time to time say to us that they do not want their children to go out because they might get sick, we try to educate them to the facts that if they stay in they have a better chance of getting sick due to germs and the children breathing and coughing on one another.
As far as staff, I think that one change I would make is to look for more training for them to really use the outdoors as an extension of our classroom and curriculum. I would like to see them ‘set up’ not so much the activities but the concepts of what children might see and experience and facilitate with magnifying glasses and nature books.
All in all I really enjoyed the book, the blogs and the face to face meetings. I can’t wait for the next one!
I chose to respond to the question "Who do you feel the urge to talk to about these issues?" for my Final Reflection. When I think of Louv's book, its message, content and evidence that it provides, it fills me with energy to look at my life as a teacher through a different lense.I have found myself bringing up this book in conversation more times than I can count. I am doing Parent - Teacher Conferences now and I have frequently referred to this book.
Ultimately I will take this message right to my parents! I'm looking forward to launching a new year long theme on the importance of outdoor play and nature awareness. I've started a folder to put my curriculum ideas in a safe place to be rolled out in September. The book "The Last Child in the Woods" will be my centerpiece and I will pull out specific quotes, studies done and statistics from it in each newsletter.I can circulate it to be read by any interested parent. I feel I have more reason to highlight the Bird ID and wildlife in your backyard components from my Science program. There were so may simple low cost ideas to implement into our existing play space.Rusty Keeler's (next week's conference keynote speaker) website easily added to this. I love the "loose parts" theory. I enjoyed compiling our own "loose parts" list.
I would consider the year a success if I can give parents "permission" to relax with a cup of coffee while their children play in the backyard. I want them to understand not every valuable learning moment has to have an adult(parent or teacher) at the center of it! I would like to calm their fears and help them come up with reasonable safeguards and then step back. It may possibly work to supervise with vision only and not have to hear every word. I would love to define the "new Playdate" (a la Target T.V. commercial) to be one of parents relaxing together ( and building community ) while the children "go play" outdoors.I do think the time is perfect as many families will be spending more time at home. I would like my parents to understand the value of letting go of some of the structurred, paid for, extracurricular activities that they do with all their children at all ages. Let's try to simplify with outdoor play. My families need to understand the value in this.
As far as new learnings from this book I have many, but prefer to call it an awakening. This book awakened the child in us all as we remembered hours of total stress free enjoyment. How we need that today in our adult lives! As teachers we can look back and validate all the educational importance those activities had. We recognize the self direction piece as one of the most valuable. To us "children" we were just having fun. Isn't that what Early Childhood Educators are all about? First and foremost isn't the mind most receptive to learning when you are having fun?
I really enjoyed reading this book. I borrowed it from the library for the class but have all intentions on buying a copy for myself. The responses here have been fabulous to read & I am truly sorry I was unable to make the face to face meetings. I believe it would have added an important dimension to the experience.
I am one of those "tree-hugging dirt worshipers" & I found myself literally yelling "YES, YES, YES" at certain points in the book. It is such a pleasure to realize I am not alone in my beliefs. Although I have "felt" this way for a long time it was a great joy that someone was able to put it into words & do the necessary research.
I found myself really brought up short by the fear factor. I spent a lot of time contemplating this & seeing where I held it in my own beliefs, I am still working on this!! I guess that was what had the greatest impact on me.
One of my new priorities is to not accept any excuses from Providers who do not take the children outdoors often. First, it is in the regs & second, it is the best thing for them!! The book has given me new facts & points of discussion to share with Providers.
I anticipate that I will gently encourage the family child care programs I work with to take a good look at their space & activities & to incorporate more outside curriculum in their programs. I have already begun doing research for a workshop I am hoping to offer to our Providers based on the info & ideas gleaned from this forum. I am really excited about the possibilities!
At some point I would love to have a discussion around these issues with EEC licensors, perhaps setting up a way to work together to address the REAL needs of young children. This would also have to be brought to the DOE but this is not a forum to discuss my issues with standards! They need some tweaking...or perhaps we need to get creative in how we interpret them??
As far as my communications with parents I think that during our intake interviews I will stress the importance of outside play in family child care & perhaps write a piece for the agency newsletter.
One of the questions asked is who do I feel the urge to talk to about this? EVERYONE!!! I have actually suggested this book to whoever will listen! I have brought it to the attention of the folks I circle with & have sent them the same links I have posted here. I have shared the ideas with my family, we had a lot of discussion around the "fear factor" & I know it will continue to pop up at dinner table conversation. I am sure my teenagers will find a way to use it to their advantage..ha ha!
So, thank you for this opportunity & thank you all for all your thoughts & ideas. Now "pay attention" & go hug a tree!!
Final Reflection
Well, I am starting by planning on building a tree house. I asked my daughter if she wanted to build one with me this spring – she said yes, but how? I told her we would get some wood, I’ll help with a base/lift (I’ve seen one that doesn’t harm the tree – you build around a tree or two) and then get her tools and she could go to work with sides and a roof. She said if she needed help she’d get me or her brother to help. I’m not sure if we’ll be as ambitious as Louv was with his “crew”, but I am certain we will have fun during and that she will have hours of fun and forge friendship with the product. We left our snowgirl project (we collected neat plant material from last season for the hair and features) to scope out where the tree house is going.
Louv’s book re-affirmed what I thought – I do completely understand the basic need of safety (and regulations fall into that category), but children can learn so much when they are left to play and explore in less structured environments. I enjoyed reading about Doyle’s forays in to the canyons in California, especially the twig theory – his approach to not necessarily providing the correct answer, but to listen and encourage the theories of his student. The “new gates” attitude which Hubbell expressed after the fire, the opportunity for discovery and birth was another passage I found uplifting. Both in the postings and book itself, the concept to allow, even plan, the “loose parts” for children, so that they can discover, control and grow were meaningful. I feel so frustrated with the “liable” society. The section where the future of scouting and Narayan states that children are expected to be returned “without a scratch” was, I think, a bulls-eye with the talks I have had with fellow caregivers. Fortunately, there seems to be quiet movement to allow the “loose parts” and the bumps and bruises that go with them. The re-training our staff and parent education strands emphasized the need to take forward steps to encourage Louv’s theory and help end some disconnect. Several useful links, readings, and actual sites were shared by the participants; I look forward to exploring those in greater detail.
I have begun to and look forward to incorporating the “pay attention” phrase. The phrase is empowering. I also found Janet’s game “Not a Creature Stirring” delightful. How lovely to discover the silent, strong, clear beauty in nature. I so often enjoy the sound of waves, rain and gentle winds – I look forward to trying this game and others with children.
I think the ADHD/nature chapter really provoked my thinking. I recall from when I was the “behavior teacher” in a public school system and colleagues used “the wall” as a “punishment” for misbehavior or incomplete work (Children were expected to stand along the wall of the school building instead of participating in recess). I recall the complete uphill battle I had to plead with them to at least allow “the wall” children to walk; they were expected to stand still. These were the very kids who needed to run and move if they were to succeed for the rest of the school day. The current trend of reducing recess (to increase time on learning and ultimately increase test scores), eliminating recess entirely and reducing physical education is scary. I will advocate for school policy change to incorporate outside time – studying outside and playing outside. Louv makes a good case for nature given the rise in the number of childhood health issues, obesity, attention, and depression.
I look forward to talking with my children’s school and school committee members I know regarding recess. I look forward to talking with the director of the Museum (who gave me the book to read, as she had so enjoy it and found it inspiring). I am inspired to re-look at the beautiful outdoor space we have created at the Museum and looking for ways to improve our visitors’ experiences within our fenced in garden. I look forward to discovering new ideas to share with parents and educators about how we can prioritize and incorporate nature experiences for the children we share. Given the opportunity, I would enjoy the challenge of working with EEC and MA DOE to recognize and incorporate nature into the mandates they write.
I appreciate the opportunity to share thoughts and ideas with such a diverse group of professionals. I am certain I took more from the book because of the face-to-face meetings and the trendy blog postings. Thank you.
Jane Rotondi
I have always felt that it was, and is, important for children AND adults to spend time outdoors using their senses to learn more about their natural surroundings....to LISTEN to the birds singing, animals chattering, and water rushing by... (At the time that I was writing this rough draft, I was listening to the snow bounce off my car and the dead leaves nearby).... to WATCH the snow fall, wind blow, birds fly, and to look for a rainbow after a summer rain.... to SMELL the flowers and plants and freshly cut grass.... to TOUCH the rocks, the bark on a tree, the soil, and stop and wonder about all these wonderful gifts...
When I read the title of Louv's book, I became very excited. Here was someone who felt as I did....Nature is an important part of our wellbeing, growth, and development, not only as children but as adults too.
Louv not only touched upon several relevant topics about technology and its effects on society but he backed it up with research and many quotes from other professionals in the field. This makes it easier for me to share the information in his book and to recommend it to others to read.
I borrowed my copy from the Library but have now decided to purchase my own copy. This way I can use it as a reference and also share it with others.
I have enjoyed our face to face meetings and conversations and discussions online. Reading the book has been thought provoking and a challenge. I looked forward everyday to see what had been written that day-to think about it and to hopefully respond with my own thoughts on the subject.
I know that after reading this book I shall never say "Be careful" but "Pay attention" to what you see around you. I have already started doing this both at Maples and Stony Brook and have seen a difference in the children.
I know that I want to continue to share Louv's research and ideas with my staff and perhaps look more closely at our curriculum to bring more unstructured time filled with "loose parts" into the children's daily routine.
I would like our newsletter to include more information for parents about nature that goes beyond what our class is doing next month.
I would also like to have someone come to our center from Mass Audubon for a staff training workshop--- to take us for a walk around the nursing home and surrounding areas to point out and teach us about the trees, wildflowers, wildlife, and habitats with suggestions on how to incorporate them into our curriculum.
I would also like to go on "grown up" field trips which would include staff and parents BEFORE we visit the zoo, farm, or wildlife sanctuary. My goal is to have someone at these locations walk us through the visit to point out things of interest and to give us the background information we need to help us be better prepared for the trip.
I would like to thank everyone for their interesting thoughts, insights, and ideas. It has been a wonderful experience. I am looking forward to the next one.
Take care.
Rosemary Murphy
For the last several years as part of my facility tour for parents looking to enroll their children in our program, I have spoken about the differences between my childhood experiences and those of children today. That conversation usually includes something about how I went outside after breakfast, returned for meals and then in at night when the lights went on.
While I usually recount those experiences as a way to promote the benefits of preschool in this day and age, I have long felt that children today have been tremendously short-changed, especially in a preschool program. Reading this book has confirmed that belief and reawakened a desire to provide children with some of that wonderful, carefree, exploration time that I enjoyed. I know that the children's experiences will be different than mine, but if we can somehow help them to reconnect with nature, really enjoy and relish their time in it, then we have really given them an important gift. I want to be part of that.
I'm excited about this subject and want to make it the focus of training within my center. I also want to open our training sessions up to the parents in our program. We are at a point in our playground renovation that allows us to switch gears a little and make some changes in the way we set up the outdoor space. I want more "loose parts" and I hope to actually create some "rough edges" as we go forward with the playground set-up.
I've already begun to share some of this material with my staff members and many are already nodding in agreement. My next step is to roll out the new playground and the new "rules" about how the children are to be allowed to use it. By rules, I mean to allow them less structured play, fewer organized games and no rules(except concerning safety) about the loose parts and how they should be used. That's for starters - once we've had time to dig a little deeper into the subject I hope the teachers will be as excited as I am.
And, as much as we have emphasized to parents our policy of taking the children outdoors and the need to dress the children in appropriate clothing, I am planning to change my parent handbook to strongly state the importance we place on outdoor time and how we will encourage exploration and inquiry in our "outdoor playspace". (I intend to discontinue using the word playground.)
To have what I suspected and believed be validated by research has been very empowering! It energizes me and gets me motivated to make some changes across the board. I do plan to use it in every area, from interviewing prospective staff members, to trainings, to individual classroom schedules.
I have enjoyed not only reading this book but having a forum to discuss it with people who understand and are equally inspired! Thanks for that.
Post a Comment