Episode 137 - Forest Education Without a Forest with David Fisher
Forest Educator with Ricardo Sierra | A Podcast for Revolutionary Conversations about Nature-Based EducationShow Notes
There are lots of times when we as educators face the task of creating a positive nature experience with less than ideal situations. Running forest school sessions in urban schools near a football pitch, or an abandoned lot is not always what we were thinking we were getting into when we envisioned being nature educators or went through our training!
In this episode, David Fisher and I explore some of these challenges and how they might be mitigated both on an individual or community level and at the professional or association level. We talk about how there are missing elements in our profession right now that could greatly help Forest School leaders to achieve excellent learner outcomes and to remain consistent across the spectrum of unique educational environments.
David Fisher is a teacher, Forest School Leader and Forest School Trainer who provides courses and programs both in the UK and Internationally.
Instagram: @rooted.learning
Website: https://www.rootedlearning.co.uk/
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More from Forest Educator with Ricardo Sierra | A Podcast for Revolutionary Conversations about Nature-Based Education
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Some of my favorite ages to work with are middle schoolers, anywhere from 10-14 years old. Some may say those ages are some of the most challenging, but I really like that age group for so many reasons. I love to help them find their passion and excitement, and to watch them build an inner foundation for themselves and a personal belief that they know who they are, and begin to believe that they can do hard things. In this episode, I'm exploring the different developmental ages and stages during this period of kids' lives and some of my best tips and strategies for working with them effectively. From emotional development, friendship, trust, and self-reflection to skill-building, I hope this episode will help you feel excited about working with this age group, too.
The first rule about 'bonding' is like Fight Club:
The paths we take in our journey as educators are incredibly diverse and unique to each of us. We all have different origins, with mentors, teachers, opportunities and our communities all influencing how we do what we do.
An aspect of nature education that I believe is greatly overlooked is the ability and benefit it gives young people to 'Do Hard Things'. This happens when we learn to climb a steep hill, climb a tree, master carving knife safety or learn to think of others in our groups! It happens when we learn to be safe and respectful about campfires. It happens when we begin our studies in wild foods, birds, animal tracks, trees or bushcraft skills. (This list could be very, very substantial!)