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....

Emotional expression in loose part play

I love this time of year, it always feels like the beginning of something to me rather than the end. As I watch the leaves fall, I don't mourn their death, I admire the glorious next step on their journey. They hang, back-lit in the sunshine, smoldering, in no way moving on quietly. One part of their job complete, but another remains. 

An additional joy is found in that in their changing state they add to the innumerable loose parts that nature provides, allowing endless opportunity for us to manipulate them to our ends...

Sometimes we can manipulate things in a way that is apparently random, 

or maybe to create a 'picture' of something recognisable....

...whilst at other times perfect control is what is required....

        

But yet sometimes by being allowed to be 'out of control'...

...we can learn to express our emotions rather than burying them underneath layers of fallen leaves.

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...

Signs of Spring

Annual family snowdrop walk today; a beautiful clear blue sky day-enough to lift the spirits on its own but then add in some glorious spring sights and it left us all feeling more alert, healthier and happier...

 

Half term has gone so fast but with the return to school is a return to longer days and warmth in the sun and a sense of excitement and energy-that the best is yet to come...

Why can't the woods be our playground?

A reception child asked this week-"Why can't the woods be our playground?"

He had so enjoyed being outdoors and having loose materials to use, he wanted to know why he couldn't spend more time like that.

Who can blame him when there is so much potential in the natural world...

  Sticks to dig with:        

   

 or to measure the depth of mud...

                                   ..or to make fires...

                                         ...or a shelter.

There are berries, leaves and bark for making art and jewellery...

And then think about mud, sand, snow, rocks...

 My aim over the next few months is to help Reception turn the woods into their playground and make those crucial experiences avaliable at every break and lunchtime...

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 Central

There has been a lot of creativity again in recent weeks;

 there have been musical instruments...

some lovely collections of autumn leaves, both on sticky charts...

and hanging from string...

crab apples that were all around us on the floor were placed carefully back onto trees...

and looked like fairy lights on a Christmas tree...

and talking of fairies, here is a fairy hotel complete with slide...

Only 4 more weeks with the whole class groups-

I'm waiting to see how the more fornal feedback from staff and pupils works out...