Tonight’s show focused on
the importance of the relationship between children and nature, the ways in
which many children in our country are disconnected from nature, and what
parents can do to foster a greater connection with nature in their children. We
remind listeners that tonight’s show is an interactive episode, and that next
week, Tuesday November 13th at 6:30 PM, we will be showing Mother Nature’s Child- Growing Outdoors in
the Media Age, as part of WSLRs “Let’s Talk Series.”
Our guests tonight were Tim
Seldin, Lourna McGrath , and Liz Sniegocki . Tim Seldin is the President of the Montessori Foundation and Chair of the International Montessori
Council, with almost 40 years of experience as a Montessori educator. Lourna
McGrath has been working the educational field since 1974, and has been a Montessori
teacher since 1991. Lourna is currently the Associate Head of the New Gate School.
Liz is a freelance writer and advocate of natural and mindful living, including
on her own blog Natural
Nester. Liz also teaches a creative workshop for adults called “Keeping
a Nature Journal- Journaling through the
Seasons.”
We first spoke to Tim and Lourna
about their careers in education and the changes which have taken place in
children’s connection to nature both inside of and outside of their educational
lives. Lourna discussed a cultural fear of letting kids go out on their own,
and the huge change that this has caused in the way that children play and go
outside. Both Tim and Lourna talked with
us about the ways in which nature has been removed from most children’s
education, especially with growing focus on standardized testing and the heavy
structuring of children’s schedule through planned extra circulars. We discussed
the issues between free play and structured physical activities, highlighting
children’s need not just to be outside in nature, but also to relinquish some
of the constant supervision and structure.
Lourna discussed children’s need to down time, in order to process their
days and relax without expectation, something which she noted is becoming more
difficult with over scheduling. Tim also discussed the need for complex
relationships, highlighting the way in which planned extra circulars and a
reliance of technological communication outside of school and these activities
fosters superficial relationships among children.
The
guests also offered some suggestions for how to help children foster a greater
connection with nature. Lourna discussed the importance of allowing nature back
into schools, highlight the importance of projects like containers gardens and
bird watching in urban areas where educators may not feel like they can provide
“nature.” She also focused on the need for parents to get out and do thing with
their children. Tim suggested Earth
Box,
a ready to go gardening systems, recommended the book The
After Dinner Gardening Book and extoled the virtues teaching
children to grow some of their own food. He also suggested that parents take
their children to buy food, particularly from places like farms and farmers
markets, to teach children about where good come from. Finally he suggested
family “nature museums” where parents encourage children to learn about nature
with them in order to spend more time in and connect with nature.
Next Liz
talked to us about her own experiences with nature as a child, and the
importance that it had to her growing up. Liz emphasized the importance that
leading by example has when raising her own children, and the importance of
being active and sharing individual passions with children. Our guests also
emphasized the importance of not forcing children to grow up to fast, including
separating children from media in order to remove pressure due to rigid media
images and also to promote healthy development. Tim noted that while directing
children away from media overstimulation may be difficult, it is necessary. Liz
and Tim highlighted the importance of limits on media, and Liz discussed the
ways in which setting these limits early and providing outdoor opportunities
makes this process easier for parents. Lourna highlighted the fact the being
against inappropriate and overextended uses of technology does not mean being
against technology as a whole, an important fact for parents to remember. Cheryl discussed the importance of trusting
your children and removing unnecessary fear so that children can play more
freely. All the guests also argued from the importance of connecting children
to nature so that they can realize the importance of taking care of our planet.
Liz
talked to us about her nature class, and the importance of fostering parents
connection to nature so that they can better do so for their own children. She
talked about the act of journaling with children, encouraging them to use their
sense to begin journaling and to help them connect to larger question that
children may have about the environment around them. Liz also talked about her
own families celebration of different seasons, and how this helps them to
connect to nature and the yearly changes that go on within nature. Lourna
discussed some of the ways in which her school helps children to connect to
nature, including the utilization of a nature cabinet and the practice of
flower dissection in order to directly teach children about nature.
The Nature Conservancy's Nature Rocks program aims to inspire and empower
families to play and explore in nature. Our mission is to make it easy for you
to have fun in nature, and connect with others to do the same. We want all
families to see for themselves how much Nature Rocks. Your kids will be
happier, healthier and smarter, and besides, it is generally free and a rockin’
way to create and share fun quality family time. To check out the program,
visit www.NatureRocks.ORG there
you will find a variety of fabulous resources, like their free downloadable PDF
of seasonal Nature Activities, searchable activities by age and location area,
events, and local places to find nature. They also have amazing extras…
anything from a treasure hunt to nature photography tips.
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