inside out and outside in

As we continue to embark on our forest school journey, I thought others may be curious about the logistics. A forest school program will likely look very different in any setting you visit. Some schools can spend entire days outside in nature, where others may be able to spend one day a week or one hour a week in a forest school session. We can give every child one session every two weeks. This may not seem like a lot but we make the most of that time together.

So far our forest school days occur twice a week, with small groups of 8 children. My preschool partner and I created intentional groupings and these groupings will remain constant for the entire year. Even with such a small group I still need a partner and have been lucky enough to have amazing parent volunteer for every session. With 32 preschoolers this means I teach the same lesson 4 times. So far we have been on collecting walks, explored mud, told stories using mud tree faces, and most currently are beginning to bring tools into the forest as we saw sticks to create original works of art.

These small group outdoor learning adventures feel special to me (and hopefully to the children) but bringing nature inside the classroom - connecting the two worlds is important as well. I want the two environments to feel integrated, fluid, and connected.

Here are just a few images highlighting our path, inside and out.

Our forest filled with smiling trees

mud tree face making in action.

Saws are very fun, especially with low-frustration level twigs for beginners.

A bug house bird house made of sticks...and a flower and shell of course.

An innovative idea. Blending the recycled materials with natural materials.

Thanks to Ann and her fallen tree, we have our own stump in the classroom.

Finishing a project from a forest school session...inside.

Our newest addition, an amazing child-sized tool bench!

Do you have a forest/outdoor learning component in your program? What does it look like?

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forest school: our beginning

I think I'm ready to come back. Back to writing in this space consistently, back to reflecting and connecting. In my excitement moving to a new country and a new school I didn't predict that there might be a period - a transition period - where I would need to find where I fit into the picture.

In navigating a new age group and school I have realized it is so, so important to remain true to what makes me a passionate teacher. For me this means project-based learning, using open-ended materials, inspiring creative and critical thinking, encouraging the use of tools and tinkering, and outdoor learning. These are elements that are vital for me to feel that we are creating a joyful, engaged classroom.

Lucky for me, this is all possible and supported. My school sent me to a week-long forest school training held in Amsterdam and facilitated by two amazing trainers from Bridgwater College. The week was inspiring to say the least. Here are a few photos from the week...

Each afternoon we took to the outdoors, learning and creating.

We created shared art using nature.

We even built our own fires with the reward of hot tea.

And felt the pride of whittling, hollowing, and making forest crafts with our own two hands.

I realized that nature was already a huge inspiration in our classroom. Our group of children already carry a love of all things dirt, animals, and imaginative outdoor play. Bringing a more formal forest school component to our curriculum would be a natural next step. And one that would feed my own passion for teaching.

As I browsed through my photos of the last month of school, I became aware of how much nature has already made its way into our learning and daily experience.

Where we are

Walking, collecting, and even sometimes sorting.

Looking...

And wondering, what makes a mark?

A love of worms, lead to creating a worm home.

And deciding that flowers would make it a more suitable, happy home.

Leaves made their way into paintings...

And even onto projectors, an important component of recent art making.

 

When working through projects, the beginning is always a time of exploration - building a shared experience, language, and foundation. These photos reminded me of this. We have been cultivating a shared love of nature and shared interest in discovering more. Now to think about...

Where we are going

We decided to begin a consistent forest school (outdoor learning) component to our program. Two days a week I will take a small group of 8 children outside along with one parent volunteer. I will write more about this new beginning soon...

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dirt soup

Forests are still on my mind. At the end of most days, during our closing circle, I ask children to share their favorite part of the day. Most children share that their time playing outside is the most memorable part of the day. I can feel this being an area of inquiry for me - my own wondering about outdoor learning and children. As luck would have it, I am going to be able to attend a forest school training in a few weeks. It will be a 5-day training and I am beyond excited for the opportunity. I find that reading, workshops, and other professional development opportunities are really helpful for me - in keeping me inspired and thinking.

In my excitement I've been researching quite a bit. Trying to understand how forest schools and schools simply inspired by nature create their curriculum and structure their day. Here are just a few of the resources I have found that may inspire you too.

To Read...

Read up on Forest schools in Sweden, Czech Republic, and Glasgow at Creative Star Learning Company. This site and Juliet's blog I'm a teacher, get me outside here are full of inspiring outdoor learning stories, tips, and resources.

To Do... 

Woodland Trust is a wealth of amazing resources. I found fantastic downloadable guides, activities and more. I plan on printing the fungi guide and using it right away with a few of the children who go mushroom hunting every day.

To Watch...

Video's are always fun too. Okay I'm a bit off topic with this first one...this is not a forest school video but a fun find about bringing creative and open-ended play outdoors with pop-up playgrounds. 


Back on topic! Here is a pretty excellent video showing forest school learning.

As I keep reading, watching, and doing I will keep sharing.

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where the wild things roam

Inspiration comes from many places. For our class, their seems to be a consensus that the natural world is our muse. We are lucky enough to spend two hours outside every day and to have a small forest in our play area. To have a forest in our outdoor play area means many things. It means we can imagine monsters live among the trees, it means children can climb a tree to hoot like owls, it means children can transform into baby lions laying hurt in the dirt, and it means the healthy lions can help mend their friends back to health. The places we go together in the forest and the times that the play scenarios extend into the classroom feel like my most joyful moments. I wonder if these are the most memorable moments for the children as well.

At a Reggio conference I attended several years ago, a speaker invited us to reflect on our own memories of childhood. She was speaking about the environment and asked us to think of our most joyful memories of childhood. Where did those memories take place? When did we feel most free? My memories were filled with time outside, free and playing among sunlit trees. I try to keep this in my mind - This sense of space, freedom, and light are what brought me happiness.

With teaching I find this to be true - if I reflect on my values first, I can then plan with more clarity intention, and meaning.

Here are just a few moments of joy from the first weeks of the school year to share...

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your room, my room, we all share a room

And we're back! It's the beginning of a new school year and there is so much that is new for me. My husband and I moved to The Netherlands and I am working at an international school, teaching preschool.

This will be a short post - really just a look at the blank canvas that is the classroom. I choose to begin the year with a sense of space and openness so it can take on the life of the children that will soon inhabit it. In no time at all there will be traces of each child and us - as a collective - but for now just an airy (and hopefully warm) space.

Something you may notice is that the classroom is filled with blocks. This is an interesting (and new) way to run the day. The other preschool classroom and I essentially run as one classroom during center time. Literally opening the doors (we connect) and allowing all children to flow between three connected rooms. My room houses the library and blocks. As you will see...

My room

My dream come true...hollow blocks!

Blocks upon blocks upon...blocks

Our meeting area

Our room at a glance

 

Matthew's Room

Dramatic play dominates the other preschool classroom. And the third room (not ready for public viewing yet) will house art and sensory areas. It's a pretty neat and collaborative concept. I am so looking forward to the children having the freedom to explore and feel ownership of two classrooms.

 Collaboration will be on my mind a great deal this year...

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meaningful mail

A friend felt slighted - as though others didn't want to play with him - during outdoor play. He hung his head, unconsoled by pats on the backs and voices asking "are you okay?"

I watched.

After 10 minutes or so of the unrelenting sadness, I felt it would be okay to step in. Sometimes we need life lessons. I can still remember my mother's voice telling me "life isn't easy and the sooner you realize it the easier life becomes." It may sound harsh, but it's true and we all deserve to hear the truth when we're ready to hear it.

I sat with my friends. "You know, sometimes we are going to get upset with our friends and feel sad. But when friends apologize to us we have a choice to make - to forgive or not to forgive them." His friends were truly concerned and didn't mean for him to feel left out. But people can only give so much. After nearly 10 minutes of hoping their friend would rejoin them...well they were about to give up.

"Is there something that would make you feel better" I asked. "A card" he said.

With that, all three boys made him a card or letter.

  a heartfelt letter

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where have you been?

I have been absent for a few weeks mostly due to the fact that this is the beginning of a big period of transition for me...and I'm really not certain how I will continue to use this space.

This summer I will be moving to The Netherlands with my soon-to-be husband and our wonder dog Tennessee. I accepted a teaching position at an international school and will be teaching preschool for at least three years. I am so, so, SO looking forward to the experience but wonder how this space will grow and change. This is the short explanation for my typing hiatus. As the process unfolds hopefully it will become more clear to me and any readers and passersby the intention of this blog.

In the meantime, we are....

Still Tinkering

Planting and Thinking About the World Around Us

And of course still creating impromptu puppet shows most days

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