Current Research around Forest School
Forest schools within the UK are currently becoming more common and
implemented within settings of schools, nurseries and preschools. Joyce (2012)
states that:
“Forest
school is an important manifestation of contemporary outdoor learning”
However are forest school
practitioners of the UK really understanding the true meaning that signifies
outdoor learning? Joyce (2012) continues to suggest that:
“The
Scandinavians are also a less industrialized and urbanized culture which has
retained its closeness to nature”
Implying that in the UK our
connection with nature is slowly being demolished, as we continue to build upon
what seems to be very few natural areas that are here still. Do you agree that
in the UK, our natural environment is potentially being taken from us and that
the future for our children will be a world away from ours?
In Scandinavia, where forest
schools were first established, the purpose of the movement was to take on a
‘child centred’ approach to develop and challenge children. The ethos included
many principles that Froebel had devised and amongst them was that:
“the
focus is on letting children develop their own learning agenda, pursuing their
own interests, and going at the pace suitable for them”
(Bruce,
2012)
and within Scandinavian
practices, the aspect of being child-centred is still followed today. This is
gradually being introduced into the forest schools of the UK and Rowlatt (2013)
visited a college to inform her of an example of current practice that is
implemented in the UK today. She noticed that:
“It’s
picturesque, and surprisingly purposeful. The staff hover nearby, supporting
rather than controlling the children’s play”.
This approach holds more benefits for children, promoting independence
rather than creating structured play that is adult initiated and requires adult
support throughout. In contrast to this, an interesting comment made by Tovey
(2007) is that:
“the UK appears to place more emphasis
on identifying curriculum potential outdoors”
Instead of recognizing children’s competence to explore, be independent
and imaginative, showing that overall in the UK, it is the minority who take on
children’s interests when outdoors.
Tovey
continues by describing how Norway has an emphasis on “imaginative, creative and collaborative play.” This demonstrates that
children are capable of working together to create an experience that they can
learn from. Perhaps the practitioners of the UK should acknowledge the benefits
and lifelong education that unstructured forest schools offer for their
children. This approach could be more utilized for learning as it would work
alongside the children’s interests, rather than a ‘curriculum based’ way of
teaching them about the outdoor environment.
Louv (2008) describes how
children’s:
“physical
contact, their intimacy with nature on a day to day basis is fading”.
This comment is sustainable
for the way in which technology plays a huge factor in the lives of adults and
children today. Many sources of information or education can now be located in
some sort of technical device, which essentially prevents children from
experiencing real life situations that could guide them further. In contrast,
Waite (2011) looks at technology as an advantage to outdoor learning and states
that it can:
“encourage
creative thought, interpretation and questioning” when
it is combined with science which will “allow
for extended activities that can develop a more holistic understanding”.
Maybe technology should be
considered within the outdoors to aid learning and encourage questioning of the
world around us.
In regards to the preceding
point, a report conducted by the U.S Forest Service (2008) found that the
reason why:
“diverse populations do not participate in
outdoor activities more often is simply lack of interest, followed closely by a
lack of time”.
(outdoorfamiliesonline.com)
What does this hold for our
future generation? It is alarming that the adults of today do not make the time
or effort to explore and gain real life experiences outdoors, which could
provide such quality learning. The learning is important to the children of the
next generation as it enables us to instil and convey the skills that we have
developed. Demonstrating that the outdoor environment is so valuable to their development,
understanding and curiosity from such a young age.
To evaluate and conclude, the
current research on forest schools today is wide spread, proving different in
international perspectives. The common standpoint in the UK seems to be using a
more structured approach to maintain curriculum based learning, rather than
free exploration that is child-centred for each individual, such as the
practice in countries like Norway and Scandinavia. It is important to consider the places that Forest School was established and understand their practices, in order to offer great quality education in the outdoors, centred around children's interests and needs. The issue with the current generation in the UK and the lack of natural environments has been highlighted within this post, in order to get you thinking about the future for our children. If Forest Schools are going to continue to be developed within this country, then we must review our surroundings and find ways to overcome the issue of natural land being built upon and the decrease in children going outdoors.
Post by Gemma Nield
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