Connection to Nature

I have spent some time this month with children and adults who only see the world in contrast-black and white, good and bad, day and night. It made me think about how my view has changed over the years, the journey I am on that has helped me to see that life is a continuum and that those two sides don't exist, if I choose not to take them. That there is only blend, or flow, a continuous cycle of energy.

I have been helped on my journey by spending more time in nature. 

As a child I was always outside, exploring and creating, immersed in the world around me.

But as a young adult I moved away from the natural world and became a smaller me, 

less of who I was and more of what others thought I should be. 

Then my children arrived, and I saw the world anew, 

I saw the sky above us as we lay on the ground together, wondering at the enormity of the universe.

And the world turned with us lying there, and I felt the connection, the awe,

and again felt immersed in the cycle. 

Realisation dawning that those events that I had thought of as bad, or wrong, were crucial in determining who I was and although they had undeniably changed me, I was still continuing to grow....

It's been a long year...

With 6 weeks to go to the end of term I've been taking stock of the events of the last academic year. 

From the autumn term when I still felt sad about leaving friends 

and colleagues...

...but excited too about the new developments in my life and career.

To the cold winter when although things were going well I still felt daunted by the task ahead of me, 

a little frozen in time.

Bu then there were signs of spring and I felt my confidence, 

in me, begin to grow;

 with support from others who believe in me and the things I wish to achieve...

...before finally, this term, feeling like the blue sky is starting to appear and I feel like this is a path I was always meant to tread...

...and that although I have only left a faint trail...

...I hope that over time, it will be become clearer for others to see, 

and for them to follow...

...until it is no longer a trail, but a road well travelled...

Outdoor Converts

 

It's been a full term of the whole class non directive sessions and when we started the woods were lush and green and there were nerves all round about what would happen when 30 pupils were taken outdoors and allowed to choose how to spend their time. The only real rule was

"Keep yourself, each other and the grounds safe."

We travelled through a fine autumn,lucky with the weather and found some fine fungi for the pupils to identify.

 

Although sadly the snow waited until after our final sessions together, by the end of term the woods were noticeably bare of leaf and much cooler.

Below are some of the elder groups comments about their time in the woods.

We loved:

*Having our own time to do what we want and being able to learn what we want to learn

*Digging holes because it's fun and allows us to use our imagination

*Experimenting, like using sticks to make different things

*Working with people you don't usually work with

*Learning to use equipment safely

We learnt:

*Boys and girls can work together

*I can get on with people I don't always get on with

*Some people annoy me and now I can deal with my anger

*You can be alone and feel sad and it feels peaceful and it helps you

*You don't have to have technology to have fun

Those comments alone would have made it all worth while but the staff feedback has been fantastic:

* I really enjoyed the whole experience

*Sessions were very beneficial to pupils AND staff

*The children's play in the woodlands often reflected their mood

*New friendship groups were formed

*Pupils took their learning from class outside and vice versa

*Children who struggle in class found something they enjoyed and brought that confidence back into class

*I will definitely continue to use the woodlands whichever year group I am with, I think it's great.

It's sad to say goodbye to those classes, they have come such a long way in a term but it's so great to hear that the staff in those year groups are going to continue working outdoors, with whole classes, allowing their pupils to decide how they want to spend their time.

I can't wait to hear how they progress and next term I get to start again with two more classes to prove the worth of an hour in the woods...



Creativity and Flourishing...

Seeking inspiration that I am doing the right thing(its been a bad week) I found these two amazing talks...

http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html (2006)

http://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_bring_on_the_revolution.html (2010)

Inspiration found!