ERIC EJ899640: Outdoor Education and Environmental (Make that Nature) Learning

2007·0.16 MB·English

by  ERIC

F
eature
Outdoor Education and Environmental (Make that
Nature) Learning
by Julie Johnston
Outdoor education cannot not be about nature saying things like “killing two birds with one
learning. Just as David Orr (1992) says that all stone”? Or is our language less violent and
education is environmental education, so too more nature-friendly? (There’s always “doing
all outdoor education teaches something two things at once,” or something more poetic
about the natural world — either that it such as “feeding two birds from one hand.”)
matters or that it doesn’t. Do we use “the environment” (a mechanized,
dead, inorganic view of the world), or
According to COEO, “outdoor education “nature” (a time-honoured word connoting
directly exposes participants to our natural aliveness and beingness)?
environment in ways that engender personal
connections, knowledge, skills and a lifelong Joseph Cornell (1998) suggests that we allow
environmental [nature] ethic.” This is why a sense of joy to permeate outdoor learning
outdoor educators must also see themselves as experiences, “whether in the form of gaiety or
environmental educators. If you’re a ropes calm attentiveness.” As part of our
course expert and aficionado without a responsibility to participants, we have to avoid
naturalist’s bone in your body, that might giving them the impression that nature is an
seem unfair. But everybody can model overly dangerous place. We can do this by
respectful interest in nature, think ecologically, teaching them how to treat nature carefully,
encourage play in wild nature, use the like a friend, and by fostering biophilia, our
environment as an integrated context for innate affinity for life and nature.
learning, and share the magic of natural
history and nature connecting — all without Learners notice our ethics and attitudes in
any training in environmental science, and no action. Is the outdoors our home and our
matter where their outdoor teaching takes them. nurturance, or merely a setting? Do we enjoy
the journey, or simply hurry to the next
Model Respectful Interest in Nature activity site? Do we stop to pick up litter along
the path or pass it by? Do we share our care
Every time we’re with learners, they’re and concern for the Earth (in age-appropriate
observing us, whether consciously (you know ways) or communicate disinterest?
those kids!) or unconciously. They’re taking us
in, whether we mean for that to happen or Do we talk out loud about the joy nature gives
not. They’re watching to see what choices we us and our appreciation for nature’s gifts? Part
make, and noticing whether we model a of our teaching practice must be to exaggerate
nature ethic. that which we want to instil, and so we have
to make a point of communicating our
They see whether we’re friends with the rest of environmental ethic and affinity for nature.
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Y nature. Do we notice and greet the birds and
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H turning of the seasons? Do we move branches
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A gently out of the way, as the living things they Many outdoor education programs include
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are, or let them break off? Learners listen to icebreakers, warm-up activities, initiative tasks,
the language we use and the metaphors we cooperative games, ropes courses and other
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choose (or choose to avoid). Are we still adventure elements. Helping people work
Nature Learning
together better will almost always be a good How did participants communicate with each
thing, and creating a sense of community is other? Why? How do the strategies they came
essential for being eco-friendly. And perhaps up with to meet their challenge compare with
our environmental crisis can be attributed in fish or birds dealing with a challenge such as a
part to the inability of human beings (mainly predator? (See www.ualberta.ca/~publicas/
in our Euro-American culture) to come up folio/44/17/front.html for a fascinating look
with sustainable ways of living together. at research in mathematical biology.)
Beyond this, however, children (and adults, A group activity that demands cooperation can
too) need to learn the principles of ecology lead to participants discussing the similarities
(how life works), and they need to see the between humans and other social animals. For
connections between human beings and the example, at the Haliburton Forest and Wildlife
rest of nature. The urgent timeframe of global Reserve, Rick Whitteker helps participants
climate change means that any learning that learn how wolf behaviour can act as a
doesn’t contribute to these understandings metaphor for effective group functioning,
could be part of the problem. character development and leadership.
But how can we integrate environmental That so many roles need filling to keep
learning into outdoor education without someone safe on a high ropes course
drastically changing program elements, and exemplifies the connectedness of the living
while still contributing to group dynamics and web — what happens to the web of safety if
character building? It isn’t easy, but it is one participant falls down on the job? And
simple: We need to stretch what we do as how does this compare with losing one
outdoor educators in another direction by species or degrading one aspect of an
“ecologicalizing” outdoor education. Learning ecosystem? Let’s talk about these things with
ecological principles experientially and seeing participants.
the interconnections between humans and the
natural world — outdoors, whether If your outdoor education program already
deliberately or in passing — will be easier for includes lots of hands-on nature connecting,
learners if we set the stage for them. you can highlight and reinforce ecological
understandings by pointing out or asking for
Ecologicalizing outdoor education means evidence of nature’s gifts or ecosystem services
looking for those principles and connections in action. This could be a wonderful
in all of our activities. For example, in Sharing ambulatory activity. (For a primer on
Nature with Children, Joseph Cornell’s ice ecosystem services, see
breaker activities (which he calls “awakening www.actionbioscience.org/environment/
enthusiasm”) are all nature-related — placed- esa.html.)
based or otherwise focused on animals and
plants. Give Chuck the Chicken (I’ve never Nature abides by rules. Games work well and
figured out if Chuck is a proper noun or a reflect nature if they combine rules with
verb!) a miss, but try fun nature-oriented cooperation and some “friendly competition”
activities like Cornell’s Pyramid of Life or (in the sense that every individual is doing his
Owls and Crows, or Rediscovery’s Don’t or her best). Beware of overstressing S
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Bungle the Jungle, or Bear, Bug, Frog (Henley, competition — the goal, it seems, of our A
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1996). culture. Ecology relies on mutualism, and life
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relies on synergistic symbiosis. In nature, “the T
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Follow-up to an initiative task that demands fittest” is the one who fits into its ecosystem
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“group think” can lead to a discussion of best. This is a lesson our culture desperately
behaviour of fish in schools or birds in flocks. needs to learn. 5
Nature Learning
Encourage Undirected Play and Quiet imaginatively, undirected. Older participants
Reflection in Wild Nature might appreciate a chance to just chill out in
the woods, or on the fringes of a pond.
As outdoor educators, how often do we allow
learners to simply “be” in the natural world? Remember that unorganized, “non-adult
More often, we believe that participants have mediated” time is a true gift to children,
to be supervised at all times, or “occupied” stimulating positive social interactions and
from the moment they get off the bus (or decreasing bullying; improving cognitive
wake up in the morning) to the moment they development, reasoning, observation skills
get back on the bus (or head to bed). Got a and creativity; buffering the impact of stress;
few minutes before the bus arrives or the meal and instilling a sense of wonder, oneness and
is served? Don’t fill every moment with sports peace in them. An affinity for nature and a
or games. Let participants simply be. Let them positive environmental ethic grow out of
“waste time” in a natural spot. Nature teaches children’s regular play in the natural world
us at a subconscious level. (White, 2004). Whenever possible, let’s give
participants — and the Earth — this gift.
More and more research (see for example
Foster & Linney, 2007) is showing the Use the Environment as an Integrating
importance of wild nature in the intellectual, Context (EIC) for Learning
physical, emotional and spiritual development
and wellbeing of children (and adults). Never heard of EIC? Check out the American
Outdoor educators have a vital role to play. study that showed far-reaching and
For some participants, visiting a local park, encouraging benefits from this framework of
naturalized school yard or outdoor education interdisciplinary, collaborative, student-
centre will be their only opportunity to spend centred and hands-on learning
time in a natural environment. (www.seer.org). The observed benefits include
• better student performance in reading,
For young ones, “wild nature” can be a writing, math, science and social studies
postage stamp-sized overgrown vacant lot — • a decrease in discipline and classroom
the wildness comes from being allowed to play management problems
• increased engagement and enthusiasm for
learning
• greater pride and ownership in
accomplishments.
EIC-based learning is not simply learning
about the environment or developing
environmental awareness. According to Closing
the Achievement Gap (Leiberman & Hoody,
2002), it focuses primarily on “using a
school’s surroundings and community as a
framework within which students can construct
S their own learning.” In helping education
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A move away from compartmentalization to this
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comprehensive, integrated framework for
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T learning, outdoor educators might finally have
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funding for their programs. Outdoor learning
6 should be seen as fundamentally important
for all education.
Nature Learning
Using EIC will also contribute to ecological neighbours come in all species. Every species
literacy, as students start to see themselves as has its story, which is the best way to learn
“members and citizens of the biotic about life.
community,” as Aldo Leopold once put it.
Conclusion — Let Nature Be the Teacher
Share the Magic of Natural History and
Nature Connecting A colleague remarked recently that with cuts to
outdoor education, the disconnect of many
Each of us comes to outdoor education for young people from their natural environment
different reasons, but it usually has something has increased, especially in urban centres. And
to do with peak experiences in the outdoors with cuts to environmental education, too . . .
when we were children. Nature inspires. Share Well, it’s time for outdoor educators and
that inspiration with participants. Even if environmental educators to claim their
yours was a childhood adventure experience common ground and collectively call for a
and you’re still an adrenaline junkie, there’s transformation — to make nature the teacher
probably something inside that beats to the and the Earth matter, more than anything else
Earth’s rhythm. Think back to special times in the world.
and favourite places. Where did you first feel
independence? How did you build your first References
fort? Where did you sit with your first love?
What was your first edible wild? When did Cornell, J. (1998). Sharing nature with children.
you first sleep outside? Nevada City, CA: Dawn Publications.
Foster, A., & Linney, G. (2007). Reconnecting
Teach less and share more, Joseph Cornell children through outdoor education: A research
suggests: “I believe it is important for an adult summary. Toronto, ON: Council of Outdoor
to share his inner self with the child. Only by Educators of Ontario.
sharing our deeper thoughts and feelings do Henley, T. (1996). Rediscovery: Ancient pathways,
we communicate to, and inspire in others, a New directions, outdoor activities based on
love and respect for the Earth.” Cornell also native traditions. Vancouver, BC: Lone Pine
suggests that we be receptive, listening to the Publishing.
children and being alert to what nature is Lieberman, G., & Hoody. L. (2002) Closing the
doing around us at any given moment. “Look achievement gap: Using the environment as an
and experience first; talk later,” he tells us. integrating context for learning. Poway, CA:
Encourage participants to become attuned Science Wizards.
with the natural world. Orr, D. (1992). Ecological literacy: Education and
the transition to a postmodern world. Albany,
Cornell (1998) also has advice for those who can’t NY: State University of New York Press.
play “Twenty Trees” or “Twenty Birds”: “Don’t van Matre, S. (1990). Earth education: A new
feel badly about not knowing names. The names beginning. Greenville, WV: Institute for Earth
of plants and animals are only superficial labels Education.
for what those things really are. Just as your own White, R. (2004). Interaction with nature during
essence isn’t captured by your name . . . .” Avoid the middle years: Its importance in children’s
naming and labelling things, agrees Steve Van development and nature’s future. Retrieved S
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Matre (1990). Practise sharing and doing, rather May 23, 2007 from www.whitehutchinson. A
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than showing and telling. Focus on processes com/children/articles/nature.shtml.
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of life versus parts of life, “emphasizing magic T
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and meaning instead of names and numbers.”
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Julie Johnston is the Coordinator for Environment
Natural history doesn’t have to be about facts and Sustainability Programs at Upper Canada 7
and figures; it’s about learning that good College in Toronto.