They say first
impressions are lasting. How true this is! The jaw-dropping reaction to my
first session at a local forest school.
Once upon a
time there was a city, a big city with lots of people and cars and buses and
areoplanes. In the middle of the city
right next to all these people, cars, buses and aeroplanes, was a wood. Not a
very big wood but a beautiful one with tall trees, dappled clearings, colourful
flowers and mysterious bugs. This was not an ordinary wood; it was magical,
with trees that spoke, insects as big as your hand and trees as high as sky
scrapers.
These are not
my words but those of a handful of 3 to 9 year olds at a forest school in
Manchester. To the children it is many things; a haven, a place of solitude and
learning and, above all, a place where you can come together with friends and
make it anything you want it to be. Last week it was a puppet theatre, the week
before that it was café…..
The school is
far removed from the mainstream, assessment-driven, dare I say ‘factory,’ state
schooling we currently allow our children to enter. It is free from walls, myriads of rules and
overly restrictive attitudes. It allows
children a real freedom. Freedom to
think, share, talk, learn and, most of all, play. There are few resources
provided as the wood itself provides a rich array of media for children to explore,
experiment and utilise readily in their play.
The result is a group of children who have a rich vocabulary, burgeoning
self-confidence, exemplary negotiating skills and imaginations that are so
diverse and rich that it takes some keeping up with.
Don’t get the
incorrect impression, these are not feral children. They have an order to the day that, whilst
familiar to them, is in no way restrictive. Instead it fits around their
interests and fascinations. They
continue play that was started the previous day or even the previous week. In fact, they are indulged in these interests
by the adults present who observe quietly and take part in their play by
invitation only. We are asked to taste
tea, help with menus and listen to newly composed songs. We watch and see children helping each other,
feeding off each other’s imaginations and, ultimately, learning from one
another. This is holistic learning. The day isn’t divided into
compartmentalised subject chunks where ‘never the twain’ shall meet. (If only
life were so ordered.) The learning that takes place is not that which helps them
pass exams but which empowers them with life skills: They confidently use adult
tools to make wooden objects; they cook their own lunch (and wash up
afterwards.) They develop the confidence to climb trees with no adult support
and they have lots and lots of discussions. (The talk is endless)
Waiting to
gain entry on my first day, a large group of children were sitting playing a
game. I asked them if someone would let
the leader know I was here. Five minutes later I was still there, waiting for
them to nominate, put forward a motion and then vote on who should be the one
to seek out the adult. Far from being aggravated for not being let in, I was
stupefied into silence by the actions that unfolded. (And that takes some
doing.) This is democracy in action and all at primary school age!
Reflecting
later at this ‘full on’ yet wholly engrossing and captivating time spent in some
local woods, I thought just how lucky these children were. Lucky to be able to
roam, climb, investigate, deliberate and procrastinate whenever they liked.
Lucky to be listened to and taken seriously. Lucky to be free to make
connections with others as well as the natural world around them. Remind me,
how many children do this these days?
PLAYING
LEARNING ACHIEVING
@Clarelouisebod
