Skills to support forest school development
The Danish phrase tur efter evne is used by practitioners to describe their role in nature. (Bentsen et al, 2009 cited in Williams-Siegfredsen, 2012). This means that they need to be aware of the challenges in nature and what resources they and the children have to enable them to accomplish tasks and activities. This will help to develop a sense of accomplishment (Williams-Siegfredsen, 2012).
Williams-Siegfredsen (2012) comments that practitioners should demonstrate a wide variety of skills to support the development of forest school provision. The Danish word for practitioner is pedagogue and this term comes from the Greek paidagogeo which means ‘to lead the child’. Some of the skills essential for a forest school practitioner are listed below. Be a positive role model. Knight (2011) believes that being a positive role model for the children in forest school is an important skill to possess. The way that a practitioner communicates with the children can influence them greatly. They need to keep the learning fun and fair as well and building relationships. They need to praise the individual children frequently. The SMART schema can be used to ensure the practitioners fulfil criteria which can be used to raise self-esteem amongst the children. The targets for forest school are; Small – thinking small when planning an activity and taking into account strengths and weaknesses. Measurable – Making sure the activity is in line with the children’s abilities as well as being reflective. Achievable – setting achievable tasks based on individual learning styles Realistic – Using strengths rather than weaknesses when planning activities Targets – the journey undertaken and the trust that has been built up is the main target. (Knight 2011). According to Constable (2014), children learn by exploring and watching those around them. The attitudes of adults and practitioners around children in forest school are very important. The practitioner needs to have a positive attitude and be prepared for all weather. If the children see rain in a positive light, they are less likely to complain about the weather. Its highly likely that the attitude of the practitioner will mirror that of the child’s after time spent together. If there are other members of staff participating in the activity, It is equally important that they are also supportive, even silently. Ensuring that practitioners have some understanding of the benefits of outdoor play will inspire even the most reluctant teacher or assistant (Constable, 2012). Have an understanding of children’s backgrounds. When developing a forest school, a practitioner must make sure that the area is suitable for all learners. There may be children with additional needs which need to be considered. The practitioner should be skilled at identifying the needs of the children, by knowing their background and capabilities to ensure the forest school will be enabling. If the setting has a dedicated forest school leader, he/she will work with the key children to design a programme suitable for all. The practitioner will be on hand to make observations to be able to adapt the programme if it is needed. The practitioner or forest school leader will be skilled in building relationships in order to make sure the children feel safe and protected, as most of them will be out of their comfort zone (The North School, cited in Williams-Siegfredsen, 2012). According to Dewey, children’s interests form the basis for curriculum planning and believing that the interests and backgrounds of each child and group must be considered when educators plan learning experiences (Mooney, 2013). Have an understanding of schemas. As explained by Knight (2011), early exposure to a wide range of learning experiences is very important on the brains development. Children learn in different ways and it is a vital skill of the practitioner to know how each individual child learns best. By knowing these schemas, a practitioner can easily plan new activities for children which will limit frustration and enable them to get the most benefit from the forest school. Some children may learn how to complete a task by repeating the task over and over again. Letting the children work through their schemas in forest school is an important role of a forest school practitioner as this may be the first time that the children have been allowed to continue learning their own way and this may also be the first time that the child has found someone who understands them. It is also essential that this information is passed onto colleagues or key workers. Build positive relationships. Constable (2014) stated that children can initially be overwhelmed by all the new experiences in forest school. Some children may choose to stay close to the practitioner while they gain confidence and it can be helpful for the children’s keyworker to accompany them to the forest school to enable children to be able to continue the feeling of security without having to form new relationships. This can also aid continuity of play as key workers are already aware of the children’s likes and dislikes. Following on from this, Knight (2011) believed that to improve self-esteem and self-concept in young children, the practitioner has to become someone important in the child’s life. When a positive relationship has been built between child and practitioner, it is then possible to influence the child’s self-concept and in turn raise their self-esteem. Children should be made to feel comfortable and respect and trust must be gained. Be emotionally aware. As a practitioner, it is important to be aware of emotions to be able to help enhance the understanding of emotions for children. Once a relationship has been formed, the children may open up about their emotions. This is particularly important for children who struggle in mainstream settings and once emotions have been explored, the children can become much more self-aware. This can help with team building as they develop empathy (Knight, 2011). Possess good observation skills and recognise assessment opportunities. Constable (2012) says that whilst forest school based qualifications are not essential, it is important for practitioners to be able to continue with observations and record keeping with this child led approach. In this type of setting, video cameras and photographs may be the best way to make observations whilst staying active and if more information is needed, an emphasis can be placed on a certain aspect of the forest school session. Work positively with parents. A well-built relationship between parents and practitioners can be helpful in understanding a child’s emotions and then how they learn. By becoming a person of trust to the parents, they may open up about their home life and issues may come to light about how a child is feeling. They may have anxiety about a certain activity in forest school that a parent may be able to give information on. The practitioners create a safe environment for the children and help support social and emotional development alongside parents (Williams-Siegfredsen, 2012). Support social and emotional development. According to Williams-Siegfredsen (2012), in the surroundings that forest school provides, children begin to be able to regulate their emotions. They start to develop a sense of safety, and if animals are homed at the setting, the children will learn to care for them as they would each other. Practitioners should talk to the children about any emotions that may arise during forest school and acknowledge them, helping them find the words to express themselves. It is necessary for practitioners to assist the children in understanding their emotions and how to deal with them. In the Early Years, this stage of development is important and needs to be supported. There is a lot of opportunity for group work in forest school and forming friendships and participating in planned group work can also support the children’s social development. Do you believe that all schools should have a forest school trained practitioner? References. Constable, K. (2012) The Outdoor Classroom Ages 3-7. Oxon: Routledge. Constable, K. (2014) Bringing the Forest School Approach to your Early Years Practice. Oxon: Routledge. Knight, S. (2011) Forest School For All. London: SAGE Publications. Mooney, C., G. (2013) Theories of Childhood: An Introduction to Dewey, Montessori, Erikson, Piaget and Vygotsky. 2nd edn. United States: Redleaf Press. Williams-Siegfredsen, J. (2012) Understanding the Danish Forest School Approach: Early Years Education in Practice. Oxen: Routledge.
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