Every morning I am thankful that my children walk to school. I know that whether or not there is indoor recess all day- my boys will have experienced the outdoors for a few (15 minutes) and that by the end of the day they will get another opportunity. We talk. We play and sometimes we dawdle. But, overall we check in and transition from the world of our home to the world of school.
I have written about this before & even provided links to research that show the benefits of walking, but reading an article about a boys before school gardening club, has me really excited. I love knowing that other children are getting this out of door experience, nutrition, and bonding. My bet is that they are having more success in school as well.
It has been many many years since I ran cross country or track, however it was the 6 a.m. runs, four days a week, that I remember most keenly from high school. It was during those times that in tired delirium my teammates and I shared joys, fears and dreams. It was a time when we connected even if during the day cliques and class schedules kept us apart. I remember the bliss of seeing a gorgeous sunrise and the curious awakenings of the city. We even were able to run to a bakery on Thursday mornings where they would give us hot out of the oven fresh donuts. A garden club is different, but to greet the morning, each other and a garden- what a wonderful start!
Showing posts with label nature connection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nature connection. Show all posts
Monday, May 18, 2015
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Reflections on Hiking with Big Groups
Leading 25, 5-6 year old, students and their chaperones on a nature hike has many joys and challenges. One challenge is finding the right noise level. Hiking the majestic forest of Seward Park we do a few quiet listening activities but we also explore with glee. If the students are quiet they may hear a woodpecker and yet it is hard to stop the students from merrily counting out…”18 , 19…20 slugs!”
The goal is not just what we can discover in a single day, but rather a connection to the forest for life. We do this by engaging our senses in myriads of ways. Besides listening and pointing in the directions we hear I also have students touch and hear stories about the numerous plants along the paths. I remind them to look up look, down and all around. I also try to have them compare and contrast different plants and trees and I incorporate pair share as often as possible.
Nonetheless at the end of a hike it is sometimes hard to know what each student has experienced in the forest. Reflecting on this makes me realize that I should ask: What was one thing that was most exciting for you as we experienced the forest? Maybe I could make it a ritual goodbye as each child leaves the forest have them say, “thank you forest for …”
Monday, November 17, 2014
Paying Attention to Birds
A couple of weeks ago I started a post about birds that I never finished. I noted what was happening outside our house in the city. Now I realize that I although this shows some understanding of the local ecology that with deeper investigation, observation, and a good mentor I could understand so much more.
Fall is an amazing time for birds in the city. If you listen the trees are alive with them calling one another. This past week I have seen a flock of cedar waxwings eating our grapes. A Towhee under the Hawthorne. Bushtits flying through the cherry trees in the side yard. Black capped chickadees inspecting the empty bird feeder: as though they are saying "it is time for you to feed us again!" Flickers calling loudly & eating the grapes as well. Meanwhile squirrels are scurrying all about: All but one of the sunflowers in our yard have been beheaded. The crows are heading home to roost earlier and earlier.
Last night I attended a talk by Jon Young on Nature Connection. He has been working on getting children connected to nature since he was a youth and in 1983 as a culminating research project found common elements from cultures that exhibit nature connection. From that he named attributes and developed a model of Nature Connection that he utilizes in programs across the US and Canada and founded the local Wilderness Awareness School. Although he now has moved to California he continues to study and write books such as Coyote Mentoring and What the Robin Knows as well as be a speaker and consultant.
This consulting has led him to his newest endeavor a project called Bird Language Leaders with the National Audubon which will be trying out a new program in the coming year with twenty launch sites. It is already being tested in places including a preschool in the Presidio in San Francisco to great success. One of the reasons that Jon says it works so well is that as part of the sessions not only do the kids watch birds they also gather together afterward in what he calls a structured layered gathering where everyones voice is heard. It also includes mentoring which Jon points out is a very important part of cultures that connect people to people, people to ancestors, and people to nature. He is working with UC Davis to test and accredit the program. In April there will be an opportunity to take a workshop on the is program at Wilderness Awareness School.
I love the idea that even young children can learn the language of birds. It is also critical that young children connect to nature. Richard Louv identified in 2005 in his book Last Child in the Woods that our children are losing this connection. He continues to research this problem with the Children and Nature Network. He also seeks out solutions. Jon knows him and says that even though in the years since the "nature deficit" problem has been identified and many people have tried to create programs to counter this,-- that really the best way that has been to get children connected to nature is for families to gather together for potlucks in the park and let their children run off and play on their own.
This talk inspired me to continue to work on creating great livable neighborhoods that offer gathering places and nature in their midst so that families can gather, connect and build experiences for sharing and learning together. It also reminded me that I am still working on watching the TED talks that were gathered on placemakers which I discovered when I was recently sent an article about what makes a strong community.
It is all about CONNECTION!
Fall is an amazing time for birds in the city. If you listen the trees are alive with them calling one another. This past week I have seen a flock of cedar waxwings eating our grapes. A Towhee under the Hawthorne. Bushtits flying through the cherry trees in the side yard. Black capped chickadees inspecting the empty bird feeder: as though they are saying "it is time for you to feed us again!" Flickers calling loudly & eating the grapes as well. Meanwhile squirrels are scurrying all about: All but one of the sunflowers in our yard have been beheaded. The crows are heading home to roost earlier and earlier.
Last night I attended a talk by Jon Young on Nature Connection. He has been working on getting children connected to nature since he was a youth and in 1983 as a culminating research project found common elements from cultures that exhibit nature connection. From that he named attributes and developed a model of Nature Connection that he utilizes in programs across the US and Canada and founded the local Wilderness Awareness School. Although he now has moved to California he continues to study and write books such as Coyote Mentoring and What the Robin Knows as well as be a speaker and consultant.
This consulting has led him to his newest endeavor a project called Bird Language Leaders with the National Audubon which will be trying out a new program in the coming year with twenty launch sites. It is already being tested in places including a preschool in the Presidio in San Francisco to great success. One of the reasons that Jon says it works so well is that as part of the sessions not only do the kids watch birds they also gather together afterward in what he calls a structured layered gathering where everyones voice is heard. It also includes mentoring which Jon points out is a very important part of cultures that connect people to people, people to ancestors, and people to nature. He is working with UC Davis to test and accredit the program. In April there will be an opportunity to take a workshop on the is program at Wilderness Awareness School.
I love the idea that even young children can learn the language of birds. It is also critical that young children connect to nature. Richard Louv identified in 2005 in his book Last Child in the Woods that our children are losing this connection. He continues to research this problem with the Children and Nature Network. He also seeks out solutions. Jon knows him and says that even though in the years since the "nature deficit" problem has been identified and many people have tried to create programs to counter this,-- that really the best way that has been to get children connected to nature is for families to gather together for potlucks in the park and let their children run off and play on their own.
This talk inspired me to continue to work on creating great livable neighborhoods that offer gathering places and nature in their midst so that families can gather, connect and build experiences for sharing and learning together. It also reminded me that I am still working on watching the TED talks that were gathered on placemakers which I discovered when I was recently sent an article about what makes a strong community.
It is all about CONNECTION!
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