Every Moment CountsOutdoor education for children : Possibilities not limits.

Presenters

Marilyn and Kerry

The Plastic Fantastic Dilemma

What do we really value for young children?

The Plastic Fantastic DilemmaParents and teachers are well intentioned and want the

best possible learning outcomes for their children. In order to achieve this we provide children with highly structured, controlled and scripted activities and toys.

We want to promote early formal learning, minimize any mess and eliminate potential difficulties or struggle.

There is a need to explore whether this is really in children’s best interests or are we teaching them to be

passive receptors, mirroring adult thinking. Does this result in the potential loss of childhood?

Are children capable of defining their own direction through active participation and decision making?

How does outdoor learning facilitate children to design their own learning pathways?

Reflection point – try to

recall the earliest time you remember being outdoors

Where were you? What were you

doing? Who were you with? How did

you feel? What did you hear? What

did you smell? What did you see?

What was the value of that

experience?

Do children today have similar

experiences? Do you think they

should?

Our storyOur passions?

Learning from other countries/

cultures?

What the research tells us?

What the children tell us?

Our Birdwood opportunity?

Our Inspiration

• Norway – Forest School and King Neptune’s boat

• UK – the Village Green• New Zealand – Tamping and

bush craft

Underpinning Research

Vygotsky – Socially constructed learning and ZPD

Kravtsova – Zone of potential development

Carol Dweck – Growth vs. Fixed Mindsets

Nottingham – The learning pit and wobble theory

- Kravtsova

Child’s current achievements

Zone of proximal development

Zone of potential development

Fixed verses Growth mindsets -Carol Dweck

Fixed

Avoid challenges

Give up easily

I can do some things but can’t do others

I give up and retreat to comfort

I hide mistakes and conceal deficiencies

Growth

Embrace challenges

Persist in the face of setbacks

If I make an effort I will learn new things

I am not afraid of failing and try new strategies

I capitalize on mistakes and confront deficiencies

Progress is made by getting in the learning zone –

James Nottingham

CA

SA

PA

Current Ability

Subconscious Ability

Potential Ability

Too Easy

Too Hard

Time

Perf

orm

ance

The Teaching Target Model (TTM)

CA

SA

PA

Compliance focus vs. learning opportunities Helicopter Parenting/curling vs. child autonomy

and independence Avoiding risk vs. embracing challenge Plastic vs. natural environment

Balances in motion

Beware of the traps

Compliance task driven focus –

procedures, safety, cleaning,

“Where is the engagement and the

learning?”

Power dimensions - controlling

using ‘absolute truths’ “You

can’t do that!” instead of “How can

we make this possible?”

Not everything is bad, but everything is dangerous – Michael Faucalt

Struggle is ok

Helicopter parents, wanting to make everything smooth – curling

Child designed learning involves messiness

Encouraging kids to have a go –doing with and not for, being independent

Learning together – co-creating, supporting

The value of effort – time and persistence

Making mistakes and learning from them

Embracing challenge All learning involves risk

Giving ourselves permission to take risks

Risk taking teaches us to pay attention, calculate, invent new ideas, discuss, act, reflect

We learn by doing and by thinking about the past and the future

Skilled adults scaffold children

The challenge is to name it, practice it, enjoy the rush of mastery and bear the pain when pain is the outcome

“A child who climbs may fall. But a child who never climbs is at much greater risk.” –Elizabeth Jones

Back to nature.

Natural spaces – allow for creative, open ended hands on learning designed with children

Outdoors – more than gross motor play, includes high level thinking that occurs as children solve problems, negotiate, investigate, explore

Taking inside learning out creates a new context

Magically transforms children into adventurers

Mastery builds resilience, confidence and self awareness

Building a sense of responsibility and wonder

Opening the doors Creating natural learning spaces with

children and time for exploration and discovery using all their senses.

Our Birdwood, Our Vision: possibilities not limits

• Child voice – initiations, conversations and shared dialogue

• Seek, explore discover through hands on learning

• Creativity and spontaneous learning• Opportunities to practice skills

• Building resilience

• Embrace challenge

• Nature warriors – responsibility,

conservation, sustainability

• Lifelong learning

Exploring outdoor spaces

Our identity our voice

Connecting to others

Keeping well

Active in learning

Communication that

counts

Our identity our voice

Can I trust and rely on you?

Taking control and making choices

Comfortable in my own skin

How to be part of the gang.

Connecting to others Our rights and responsibilities Life’s not fair

All one under the sun Growing green fingers

Keeping well

Keeping the balance

Go climb a tree without breaking

a limb

Active in learning Learning for life in a natural

environment

Trash to treasure

Being an earth explorer

Be a problem solver and working

together

From old to new learning

Communication that counts Having your say and listening to

others

How do we get the message across

Symbols and scribbles Choosing the right tools to share our

ideas