The other day my brother and I were talking (via Skype because he's currently living in Germany), and he asked me, "So, do you have your fox feet and your owl eyes ready?" I hope so! I am so excited about the upcoming adventure Mrs. C and I plan to share. We are flying halfway across the U.S. for Wilderness Awareness training in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains (in beautiful Washington State). I am currently puzzling over how to lash together all my camping gear and clothes so that they can masquerade as one "carry-on." Somehow I don't think the good folks of Continental Airlines will be fooled. Fortunately, Mrs. C. is bringing the tent!
Hmm . . . the sleeping bag, pad, towel, utensils, and water bottle fit into the suitcase, but I do think they'll be expecting me to wear clothes . . . . . .
After spending several weeks last summer learning outside (first in a marine ecology program where we snorkeled multiple times a day and a few weeks later in a paleontology field school with days of digging in the dirt) and then reading Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv, I became acutely aware of the importance of taking my students outside the classroom. We have always gone on regular field trips (as often as once a month, many of them outdoors), but for the past year or more, I have been excited about engaging children in outdoor "field work."
A key component of Montessori is "the prepared environment" (the classroom with its careful organization and attractive, developmentally appropriate learning materials). However, Dr. Maria Montessori also writes of the importance for the elementary child (ages 6-12) to explore the world beyond the classroom walls. I think this is where some teachers become uncomfortable. How can we allow children to explore independently in the "scary" outdoor world? A natural outdoor environment can't be "prepared" (or controlled) for the child in the same way that a classroom can. Instead, it is critical to prepare the child. We do this by reviewing potential hazards, learning how to move quietly and increase our awareness of what's around us, and (in lieu of rolling shelves of hands-on educational materials) carrying a backpack "fieldkit" filled with the tools necessary for "field work."
I realize the distinction between "field trip" and "field work" may sound like semantics, but this seemingly minor shift in language represents a big shift in attitude. While I have long acknowledged the importance of helping children appreciate nature, approaching our outdoor field trips as "field work" has pushed both me and the children to value our time outside more deeply and use this time differently. No longer passive spectators in the outdoor world, the children are engaged participants. They walk quietly so as not to disturb the inhabitants of the forest. Their senses are heightened, ready to noticed something fascinating. They are alert to sounds and signs (scat, tracks, and other evidence), using them as clues to the mysteries of hidden animals. As explorers, scientists, detectives, collectors, storytellers, and artists--engaged in "field work"--the children are developing a deeper connection with nature.
I can't wait to learn more!
(Thanks to Amy Beam for introducing me to Wilderness Awareness School and "Coyote Mentoring.")
"Let the children be free, let them have fair play; let them run out when it is raining; let them remove their shoes when they find a puddle of water; and when the grass of the meadows is damp with dew, let them run about with bare feet and trample on it; let them rest quietly when the tree invites them to sleep beneath its shade; let them shout and laugh when the sun wakes them in the morning." --Dr. Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child
[UPDATE: I did it! Possibly a new level of packing prowess (in addition to stubborn determination), I have managed to squeeze into my small rolling suitcase the sleeping bag, pad, towel, bathing suit, mug, plate, bowl, utensils, clothes, hat, extra shoes, etc., etc., etc. . . . before midnight!]
Books for children:
Nature Detective: How to Solve Outdoor Mysteries by Eileen M. Docekal
Crinkleroot's Guide to Walking in Wild Places by Jim Arnosky
Field Trips: Bug Hunting, Animal Tracking, Bird-watching, Shore Walking by Jim Arnosky
Wild Tracks! A Guide to Nature's Footprints by Jim Arnosky
Tracks, Scats, and Signs by Leslie Dendy
The Other Way to Listen by Byrd Baylor
Beachcombing: Exploring the Seashore by Jim Arnosky
Big Tracks, Little Tracks: Following Animal Prints by Millicent Selsam
Jim Arnosky's Wonder Page
Resources for adult mentors:
Coyote's Guide to Connecting with Nature by Jon Young, Evan McGown, Ellen Haas
Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv
City Kids and City Critters! Activities for Urban Explorers by Janet Roberts & Carole Huelbig
Field Detectives: Investigating Playground Habitats (AIMS)
Schoolyard Ecology Teacher's Guide (GEMS)
Sidewalk Field Trips
Project WILD
Simple Nature Experiments with Everyday Materials by Anthony Fredericks
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