Extremes
Forest Schools is a concept of which I have longed for even before Forest Schools became a thing. The idea that children learn in nature, from nature and with nature at their own pace and of their own doing sounds, well, natural!
Within my classroom program the natural world and the opportunities for hands on, scientific discovery have factored heavily. I teach naturally within this type of environment. It can seem a little chaotic at times, slow at others but isn't that the natural way of things? There are ebbs and flows in most systems yet the more I teach within a classroom the more I fee that the schooling model, with however much freedom one is afforded does little to mirror this.
As this school year has begun along with my own Forest Schools journey I find myself very much in the middle without a clear focus and feeling the need for some clarification of expectations. School has paid for my Forest School learning, there is a strategic goal agreed to by the board and staff alike and based on our communities wants for their children that aims to foster creativity and innovation. I feel excited, I feel as though there is an opportunity to really try a new approach whole heartedly and to weave this with the kaupapa of our little school to offer an opportunity for children to learn naturally, together as a community, as citizens.
However, there is another target, one to raise student achievement. This target is easily measurable, it can seek the help of proven programs, intervention strategies backed by research and I feel as though it is being given priority.
These two approaches are at two ends of the spectrum as I see it, to put it bluntly, self discovery versus a didactic style with a side element of fear. To write it and read it back, it sounds harsh but it is the reality, exclusion of children from their community of learners, forced learning with no say in what is being learnt and no opportunity to talk or make real connections to the learning as it is so 'fast paced'.
How can I truely 'test' or explore the forest schools concept with my group of students when it is being underminded by these interventions? How can I talk about self discovery, exploration and learning at your own pace in one session to flip to the other in the next. Building relationships is based on trust, trust is established through routine interactions in which both parties are honest and consistent.
I don't know how I will approach this as yet. I will ponder and see whether there is some form of connection that I am missing.
Within my classroom program the natural world and the opportunities for hands on, scientific discovery have factored heavily. I teach naturally within this type of environment. It can seem a little chaotic at times, slow at others but isn't that the natural way of things? There are ebbs and flows in most systems yet the more I teach within a classroom the more I fee that the schooling model, with however much freedom one is afforded does little to mirror this.
As this school year has begun along with my own Forest Schools journey I find myself very much in the middle without a clear focus and feeling the need for some clarification of expectations. School has paid for my Forest School learning, there is a strategic goal agreed to by the board and staff alike and based on our communities wants for their children that aims to foster creativity and innovation. I feel excited, I feel as though there is an opportunity to really try a new approach whole heartedly and to weave this with the kaupapa of our little school to offer an opportunity for children to learn naturally, together as a community, as citizens.
However, there is another target, one to raise student achievement. This target is easily measurable, it can seek the help of proven programs, intervention strategies backed by research and I feel as though it is being given priority.
These two approaches are at two ends of the spectrum as I see it, to put it bluntly, self discovery versus a didactic style with a side element of fear. To write it and read it back, it sounds harsh but it is the reality, exclusion of children from their community of learners, forced learning with no say in what is being learnt and no opportunity to talk or make real connections to the learning as it is so 'fast paced'.
How can I truely 'test' or explore the forest schools concept with my group of students when it is being underminded by these interventions? How can I talk about self discovery, exploration and learning at your own pace in one session to flip to the other in the next. Building relationships is based on trust, trust is established through routine interactions in which both parties are honest and consistent.
I don't know how I will approach this as yet. I will ponder and see whether there is some form of connection that I am missing.
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