laurabanfield

[laurabanfield]

edible gardens are a great way to encourage children to engage in learning how to take care of a garden, where food comes from, get them active and stimulate their senses outdoors as well as build on further interests while enhancing and developing their cognitive, gross/fine, social and health skills!

picture 1: http://podchulo.com/various-inspiring-things-gardens-click-design-edible-gardening/interesting-things-gardens-click-design-edible-gardening-small-vegetable-garden-design-vegetable-garden-design/

picture 2: http://home.howstuffworks.com/gardening/garden-design/edible-landscaping.htm

picture 3: http://nelsonurbanacres.ca/node/256

picture 4: http://powellrivergardenclubblog.blogspot.ca/2010/08/powell-rivers-second-annual-edible.html

picture 5: http://richmondhillwomen.com/general/the-edible-gardens-learning-tour-saturday-july-28th-10-am-4-pm.html

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quote 1: http://www.artfulvagabond.com/artful-quote-andy-goldsworthy-day-154/

quote 2: http://pegitboard.com/pin/39b8faaf928ad46f59df7c4ca9ae0dce

quote 3: http://www.motivationalquotesabout.com/quotes/we-often-forget-that-we-are-nature-andy-goldsworthy.aspx

quote 4: http://meetville.com/quotes/author/andy-goldsworthy/page1

quote 5: http://meetville.com/quotes/author/andy-goldsworthy/page1

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Picture 1: Andy Goldsworthy

http://visualnarrative2010.blogspot.ca/2010/07/my-take-on-andy-goldsworthys-work.html 

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Available on iTunes: http://www.iTunes.com/Movies/RiversandTidesAndyGoldsworthyWorkingWithTime DVD: http://www.newvideo.com/docurama/rivers-and-tides-special...

Check out this video on Andy Goldsworthy and how he approaches his art in time!!

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Picture 1: something that will go away within hours or get washed away by the rain takes him so many hours to complete as you can see the beauty in detail Goldsworthy pays attention to through the woven pattern of leaves. http://bugbot.wordpress.com/2008/05/22/andy-goldsworthy-rivers-and-tides/

picture 2: the gold color appearing from this tree trunk is exquisite and stands out next to the soft and delicate stream flowing; the browns add richness and helps the picture come together, bringing forth the essence and power of nature. http://www.emmeranrichard.fr/andy-goldsworthy/

picture 3: it's amazing how Goldsworthy artistically manipulated the shape of ice in a way to display a unique side to ice we as the audience have never or rarely ever seen. http://www.emmeranrichard.fr/andy-goldsworthy/

picture 4: Here, you can see the contrast with gold and then natural greens and browns from the forest with some soft greys canvasing the picture. The gold boulder in the middle of the river bank also compliments the leaves that are hanging from just above the boulder as they too have a hint of gold on their tips. http://www.emmeranrichard.fr/andy-goldsworthy/

[laurabanfield]

Andy Goldsworthy

Here are some amazing works of natural art by Andy Goldsworthy who respects the natural space and outdoor environments as he is an example of one who has been greatly inspired by the outdoor environments; his art demonstrates his understanding and appreciation.  

I have attached a couple pictures here and please see the following post for more on Andy's work!

http://www.writedesignonline.com/history-culture/AndyGoldsworthy/overview.htm

http://www.austinchronicle.com/arts/2004-12-10/241445/

http://zarfoubo.blogspot.ca/2008_01_01_archive.html

http://theodoragoss.com/2011/06/

http://sculptureresearch.wordpress.com/andy-goldsworthy/

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Why outdoor classrooms are of value to children and how they help develop the domains:

Studies say:

“…children use the variety of forms that natural outdoor space offers to high degree” (Waters & Maynard, p. 475, 2010).

Since there is a shortage of natural spaces for children to run around, interact and make use of, it creates barriers and challenges for these children when practicing and enhancing their gross motor development as they are constrained to the indoor classroom five days a week and unless they are enrolled in after school recreation/sports activities, they are losing a chance to experience natural space play.

Natural space is:

“natural space is that which occurs as a result of a patch of land being left alone-a scrub or waste area within an urban or semi-urban setting for example; or a designated, yet undeveloped park area- a country park, a woodland or a mountainous/hilly area” (Waters & Maynard, p. 475, 2010).

These spaces are perfect when encouraging gross motor skills, personal-social skills such as; rolling around, building, climbing on equipment and/or hills, running around the space as well as, engaging in parallel and solitary play, small group, large group play and in pairs (Waters & Maynard, 2010). Children are also provided the opportunity to engage in role play, fantasy through pretend play and imaginative play with an outdoor context to help further stimulate their abilities (Waters & Maynard, 2010).

“…motor fitness, balance and gross motor skill development of children who are able t play in natural spaces is greater than those who are given equivalent play experience on built equipment designated for children’s physical play” (Waters & Maynard, p. 475, 2010).

 “…regardless of experience, home location, etc, children valued and preferred natural environments much more highly than urban, manufactured and built environments’ and external, ‘particularly natural environments, signified opportunities for a range of things children wanted and needed to do which were not possible indoors’” (Waters & Maynard, p. 475, 2010).

These natural spaces were also highlighted to help promote healthy and positive risk taking behaviours in children that later improved their physical, emotional and social development; as well, the spaces encouraged children to claim some ownership where they determined value to be (Waters & Maynard, 2010).

Adult-child talk/engagement is needed more when inviting children to experience the outdoor classroom; stimulating the cognitive domain in addition to social, gross and health skills are a major component that is lacking and must be addressed as there is minimal attention to this aspect (Waters & Maynard, 2010).

There needs to be more co-construction of play narratives and…

“there is evidence that being outside is not enough and the manner in which teachers and children engage while they are outside impacts upon the resulting experience and associated learning” (Waters & Maynard, p. 476, 2010).

Children’s interests in the outdoors captures specific elements in nature in which they enjoy experiencing as their attention is concentrated when exploring things like; found objects, (seeds, loose parts, berries, rocks, flowers and insects), collecting items, (leaves and rocks) and landscape features (streams, pools and hills) (Waters & Maynard, 2010).

“It appears that flexible, natural environments inherently offer opportunities for children’s interest” (Waters & Maynard, p. 480, 2010).

By inviting the child to initiate and bring forth their interests to the teacher, room for further development and learning will appear and all domains of development will begin to be experienced and enhanced. To do the opposite and direct the curriculum based on the teachers’ needs for implementation and what the teacher wants to do is only displaying a hindering side effect that will be detrimental to the child(ren)’s fullest potential as they made be disengaged and not as interested.

Waters, J., Maynard, T. (2010). What's so interesting outside? a study of child-initiated interaction with teachers in the natural outdoor environment. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 18(4), 473-483. Retrieved from ERIC database.

[laurabanfield]

cool vids on outdoor classrooms!

Hey everyone,

I hope you can enjoy these videos I found online and find them useful as I have when gathering further information on outdoor classrooms, strategies to promote the development of them and how to encourage children to get outside and play!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkfTPon-SIA&feature=share&list=PL11A05F49F77D2427&index=11

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAtdhQSp5b8&feature=share&list=PL11A05F49F77D2427

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZksDzvCIRh0&list=PL11A05F49F77D2427&feature=share&index=2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIi1WkFhGvc&list=PL11A05F49F77D2427&feature=share&index=4

[laurabanfield]

Place-Based Education

What is place-based education?

“An educational process grounded in place and which makes deliberate attempts to engage children with the local, cultural, environmental and broader context of place” (Green, p. 37, 2008).

“Place is essential to education because it provides the researchers and practitioners with a concrete focus for cultural study, and because it expads a cultural landscape to include related ecosystems, bioregions, and all the place-specific interactions between the human and the more-than-human world” (Green, p. 37, 2008).

Place-based education has become more important over the recent decade as it has brought awareness to educators that place or location is highly authentic and relevant to education (Green, 2008).

“the use of place in educational contexts not only provides students with knowledge and understanding of a particular place, but also communicates that the land has value, that students’ experiences outside the classroom have value, and that students’ own personal knowledge has value” (Green, p. 37, 2008).

Taking a closer look…

Place-based knowledge reveals how significant it is to encourage children to participate in understanding the global and environmental issues so that there is sense made out of them (Green, 2008).

There is a responsibility that educators and the schools have which is to provide a diverse, natural environment for children to play, learn and grow in; endless opportunities should be given to children teaching them how to care for their natural environment (Green, 2008).

With a pedagogical outlook…

“children come to understand the sense of wonder about their place…get to know it, identify with that patch, be the expert and care-taker of that patch, …develop an awareness of the changes that occur in the place” (Green, p. 40, 2008).

“…it’s really important for kids to know where they live and there’s such a rich resource in outside the classroom, outside the school, that I feel to encourage that is often neglected, that it’s important to really foster that sense of wonder in how magnificent our environment is…developing a sense of caring for that place” (Green, p. 40, 2008).

Here are some pictures that help narrate through chart format what place-based education looks like;

http://www.bakersandastronauts.com/2011/04/place-based-education.html

http://sustainableschoolsproject.org/education/k-5-scope

http://dirtyclassroom.com/place-based-education-connection-classrooms-communities-book-review-becca-babel/

  Green, M. (2008). From wilderness to the educational heart: A Tasmanian story of place. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, v.24, 35-43. Retrieved from Eric database.

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Pinterest and Instagram

Greetings all,

If you have been enjoying my blog so far, then I invite you to follow me on Pinterest and Instagram where I have tons more resources and pictures available to help keep you up-to-date, motivated and inspired!!

Please follow me on;

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/banfieldlaura/ username: 'banfieldlaura' board name: 'outdoor classrooms'

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/; username: EAD610bb

[laurabanfield]

Richard Louv on Nature-Deficit Disorder

Journalist and author, Richard Louv has dedicated his life to advocate for the importance of nature and the outdoor classroom. He discusses and focuses on the connections found between the community, nature and family (richardlouv.com). Louv has been made popular for his use of the term, “nature-deficit disorder” which he has expressed its’ meaning does not have an affiliation with strictly medical or scientific rational however the term helps to identify such phenomenon that is beginning to be more common (Sienkiewicz, 2013).  

The Issues:

Systems that run our culture such as; government, education, marketing, media, city and urban planning have encouraged us to follow a path of materials and structures which have been man-made and everything that is technologically current; taking us farther away from a true connection to nature, land and food (Sienkiewicz, 2013).

Children face consequences from not spending enough time outdoors and distancing themselves from nature that the average child in America is becoming more and more foreign to this experience (Sienkiewicz, 2013).

The public school curriculum: “…this only worsens the problem, creating “ecophobia,” where children know nothing of their own rivers and forests first-hand, but only the images and apocalyptic stories of rainforest depletion. The result, he says, is an antipathy for nature, based on fears inspired at an early age” (Sienkiewicz, p. 1, 2013).

Statistically proven in previous studies: poor school performance, negative impact on the child’s emotional well-being, obesity in childhood, disengaged sense of connectedness and safety, an increase in diagnosis for ADHD (Sienkiewicz, 2013).

The causes:

Time: there is a notable lack of time that children have to spend outdoors, exploring and experiencing nature because of an imbalance of television watching (Sienkiewicz, 2013).

Parental fear: parents express concerns regarding stranger-danger, crime, traffic, risks of nature itself and liability (Sienkiewicz, 2013).

“Efficiency-based urban and suburban planning: which excludes open and unstructured play spaces” (Sienkiewicz, p. 2, 2013).

Education programs: there is a higher priority and preference demonstrated in the classrooms for technology compared to a hands-on outdoor classroom experience (Sienkiewicz, 2013).

The guidelines:

“For parents: learn to re-experience- or experience for the first time-the joy and wonder of the natural world, which necessarily takes time. Read good literature with your children…-which awakens and nurtures a love for nature and can partly fulfill the need for it. Nurture “constructive boredom,” which can lead to and be resolved through free outdoor play” (Sienkiewicz, p. 2, 2013).

For educators: return to a more meaningful and effective way of promoting nature studies, provide thorough knowledge of local flora and fauna, help children to build an inner sense of being connected to nature that is there however needs stimulating and development (Sienkiewicz, 2013).

HOST YOUR CLASSROOMS OUTDOORS when the area of study you are teaching your children pertains to the outdoors (Sienkiewicz, 2013).

For civic leaders: implement a “green” design when planning school and work spaces, communities and mainly spaces where children play (Sienkiewicz, 2013).

What we can hope to regain:

Stronger emotional health and physical health (Sienkiewicz, 2013).

A developed appreciation for the arts and genuine inspiration (Sienkiewicz, 2013).

A more developed character and discipline (Sienkiewicz, 2013).

Increase in academic and work abilities (Sienkiewicz, 2013).

A larger sense of being whole (Sienkiewicz, 2013).

Here is a picture of Richard Louv.

http://richardlouv.com/about/ 

  http://www.richardlouv.com

Sienkiewicz, C. (2013). Nature-deficit disorder: Richard louv, last child in the woods: saving our children from nature-deficit disorder (Algonquin, 2008). Humanum, Technology in the Home. Retrieved from http://www.humanumreview.com/files/Sienkiewicz_review_2pp.pdf

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picture 1: this is actually a design for an outdoor area at a university in the states however it would act as wonderful provocation for architects to incorporate this design for children's outdoor classrooms!

http://d.lib.ncsu.edu/collections/catalog/funk_outdoorClassroom

Picture 2: Bringing the indoors outdoors is what this picture displays as the children are all seating on a tree stomp while learning together as the teacher uses a chalkboard made of natural material to enhance their experience in a natural environment!

https://www.google.ca/search?q=outdoor+classroom+pictures&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=Ia4sU4_FHs_xqgGjzICoBA&ved=0CCYQsAQ&biw=1093&bih=520#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=dfb4kQQRhB4MaM%253A%3BOcJXrj-tt3HnsM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fenvirodad.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2012%252F10%252FTOK-St.-Paul-Arborist2.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fenvirodad.com%252Fcontest-designed-to-facilitate-outdoor-learning-in-schools%252F%3B1920%3B1080

picture 3: a teacher is communicating with children about turning this space into a garden area to further educate the children in their living environment about gardening, growing, cycles and transformation.

http://www.floralandhardy.co.uk/pages/outdoor-classroom

picture 4: Here we can see a garden of plants, fruits and vegetables set and organized outdoors on child appropriate tables.

http://goplaykids.weebly.com/outdoor-classroom.html

Picture 5: a before shot in Winter, 2013 of a view of the children's courtyard

http://smartlandscapes.net/projects/a-new-outdoor-learning-classroom

Picture 6: a master plan implemented portraying the outdoor classroom in Spring, 2013!

http://smartlandscapes.net/projects/a-new-outdoor-learning-classroom

Picture 7: children building a structure with natural loose parts they have collected in their outdoor learning environment; engaged in problem solving skills, communication skills and personal-social skills as well as fine and gross motor skills.

http://www.ilfracombe-jun.devon.sch.uk/about-us/our-resources/the-outdoor-classroom/

Picture 8: child is engaged in journaling about his outdoor play; at a Montessori preschool he is engaged in documenting his experience and learning about butterflies, gardens and flowers. He is participating in the junior master gardener program offered at this facility.

 http://www.providencemontessoriky.org/academics/outdoor-classroom.php

Picture 9:  a logo I came across symbolically representing the nurturance and learning children gain when they have an outdoor classroom experience!

https://grassroots.groupon.com/organizations/the-outdoor-classroom/

Picture 10: taking a look at natural loose parts for children to further their knowledge of the outdoor world; focusing on the connection between outdoor classrooms and Reggio Emilia Approach which is ideally the same approach as the Mosaic Approach!

http://www.sd43.bc.ca/Resources/StaffResources/BIG/Lists/Categories/Category.aspx?Name=Differentiation

#visuals #outdoorclassrooms #livingenvironments

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check out this video that captures a class of children engaged in the outdoor classroom; they explain why they would benefit from having an outdoor classroom!!

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Did you know...

Children have a right to identify and stress the importance of their learning environment and advocate for the value in these spaces. These spaces provide areas for individual learning, learning in small groups as well as large groups; the metaphor used to describe these areas is depicted by theorist, David Thornburg, who unveiled the cave which represented the individual, the watering hole for small groups and the campfire for large groups. The cave was an essential area for my further learning growing up in childcare and kindergarten classrooms as I displayed both introverted and extroverted characteristics and needed the balance of a quiet space area where I could continue to learn. For me, my cave was the wooden bench that stretched across the concrete floor and lined the entire section off so that the kindergarteners wouldn’t leave that area; I liked to sit on it and watch my peers and the older children play.

“The importance of outdoor spaces for young children has been a fundamental feature of nursery provision since Friedrich Froebel developed kindergartens in Germany in the 1830’s” (Clark, p. 14, 2010)

“The open-air nursery school, founded in 1914 by Rachel and Margaret McMillan in Deptford, East London, focused on the benefits of children’s access to the outdoors: ‘The nursery is for them a kind of return to the outdoor theatre; it is an open space, a garden, a school. Above all a place of life and movement and action’” (Clark, p. 14, 2010).

Studies revealed that schools that incorporate the philosophy of the outdoor classroom reveal major positive outcomes toward; language arts, social studies, math and science. The California Department of Education discovered an increase of 27 percent in test scores when they measured students in outdoor science programs in 2005 (Louv, 2007).  

Children in these settings had also displayed an improvement in their motivation to learn, self-esteem and problem solving skills (Louv, 2007).

“Studies of children in schoolyards with both green areas and manufactured play areas found that children engaged in more creative forms of play in the green areas, and they also played more cooperatively” (Louv, p. 2, 2007).

The amount of time a child spends when engaged in the natural learning environment has been proven in studies by the University of Illinois to dramatically reduce symptoms of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) in young children; as young as age five. Children experience a detox from stressful life events, a decrease in negativity as well as a protection for their overall psychological well-being (Louve, 2007).  

Clark. A. (2010). Transforming children`s spaces: Children`s and adult`s participation in designing learning environments. New York, New York: Routledge.

  Louv, R. (2007). Leave no child inside: Testimony before the interior and environmental subcommittee. United States House of Representatives. Retrieved from http://www.funoutdoors.com/files/Richard%20Louv%20Congressional%20Testimony%202_07.pdf

#advocating #childrenslearningspaces #benefits #Louv

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The Stats

In today’s world, we face a challenge that is presented to us when our children lack the ability to swim, connect with nature on a deeper level and sadly when they are reported saying: “I like to play indoors better ‘cause that’s where all the electrical outlets are” (Louv, 2007).

“6 percent of children, ages nine to thirteen, play outside on their own” (Louv, 2007).

“Even bike riding is down 31 percent since 1995” (Louv, 2007).

“According to a survey by non-profit Aquatic Adventures, 90 percent of inner-city kids do not know how to swim” (Louv, 2007).

“34 percent have never been to the beach” (Louv, 2007).

http://www.good.is/posts/redesigning-recess-why-kids-need-natural-playgrounds

Vs.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/10540261/screen-time-ipad-tablet-digital-detox-difital-addiction.html

  “Urban, suburban, and even rural parents cite a number of everyday reasons why their children spend less time in nature than they themselves did, including disappearing access to natural areas, competition from television and computers, dangerous traffic, and more homework and other pressures. Most of all, parents cite fear of stranger-danger” (Louv, p. 1, 2007).

“Yes, there are risks outside our homes. But there are also risks in raising children under virtual protective house arrest: threats to their independent judgment and value of place, to their ability to feel awe and wander, to their sense of stewardship for the earth- and, most immediately, threats to their psychological and physical health” (Louv, p. 1, 2007).

Children are endangering their own health and the growing concern for staying indoors, neglecting to embrace learning outdoors has “many health –care leaders worrying that the current generation of children may be the first since World War 2 to die at an earlier age than their parents” (Louv, p. 2, 2007).

Louv, R. (2007). Leave no child inside: Testimony before the interior and environmental subcommittee. United States House of Representatives. Retrieved from http://www.funoutdoors.com/files/Richard%20Louv%20Congressional%20Testimony%202_07.pdf

#braindrain #RichardLouv #obesity #justiceforoutdoorlearning

[laurabanfield]

A salutation and introduction to my curation of an environmental professional learning e-portfolio

Greetings all,

I am happy to share with you my thoughts, recent research findings, pictures, videos, quotes and whatever else I come across on the topic of the outdoor classroom! My aim is to inspire, motivate and encourage readers to use the information I provide as a guideline and/or resource tool that will help mould your perceptions and practice when working alongside children in the world we live in today. Speaking of the world we live in today, children are lacking the motivation to explore their outdoor world based on the 21st century classroom impacts; technology. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am grateful and appreciative of how far we have come regarding the birth and rapid growth of the internet, television, handheld devices and so forth however growing up before the internet was born, I can easily be classified as one who resists change in our ever changing world as well as one who embraces these new gadgets and electronics that engage in the brain drain with our children.

I hope to reach out to educators, health practitioners, communities, parents and family’s and prospective students in the field of working with children as I have gathered a pile of information useful to those who are looking for new strategies and ways to enlighten and re-evoke the power children have burning inside of them that needs kindling.  The first thought provoking question I must ask you all is when you wandering, questioning or determining a child’s living space, what does it mean to be in this place? This is the driving question on the mosaic approach (living spaces study) and what often becomes invisible when educators, parents, practitioners and all other professionals aim to meet the needs of the child. What we need to be doing is making meaning of their living spaces and help to bring it forward and advocate on their behalf so that their learning and development becomes enriched and reaches its fullest potential.

Helpful tips when making meaning out of the spaces children live in and how to understand them further:

1)      Practice the pedagogy of listening: By providing children the opportunity to take you on a tour around their environment and photograph their living spaces and areas they deem as highly important, you will begin to gain a sense of what is important to them and why as you ask them questions (Jupp, L., February, 14, 2014). *Remember to document their Reponses as it will help will later decisions making.

2)      Practice the pedagogy of documentation: invite the children to take pictures, recordings and map making. This approach embodies their ability to construct knowledge together and focuses on the social-emotional development within small groups, large groups, pairs and individual (Jupp. L., February 14, 2014).

3)      Remember that children are meaning makers, skillful communicators and rights holders so you must provide them with the opportunity to express their interests and help to scaffold their learning in these environments by creating adaptations with their consent (Jupp. L., February 14, 2014).

4)      Their pictures will capture their perspective which is unique to the pedagogical process in the mosaic approach because you get to inquire with them what is important in their pictures and how it affects them. *Remember the children are showing you where they are! Most of the pictures are of outdoor play areas because there is sense of more freedom (Jupp. L., February 14, 2014).

5)      Encourage the teachers and director of the learning center to provide responses about the living spaces offered for the children and provide them with the information you have gained so that the children`s voices are heard; making learning visible (Jupp. L., February 14, 2014).

I hope this information has helped keep you up to speed with a general overview and introduction on what I aim to further discuss in the next few blogs.

For now take a look at some links posted to further investigate the outdoor classroom.

http://outdoorclassroomproject.org/about/the-outdoor-classroom/

http://www.thestar.com/life/parent/2013/07/05/kids_with_autism_benefit_from_outdoor_classroom.html

http://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/2013/what-is-the-outdoor-classroom

#outdoorclassrooms #TechnologyVsNature #mosaicapproach