Richard Louv has argued persuasively in Last Child in the Woods and the Nature Principle that children in particular, and modern urban and suburban society in general, suffers from a debilitating nature-deficit disorder. Progressive, innovative educators must adopt some version of a place based, outdoor, environmentally aware pedagogy as a key plank in any kind of educational platform that will be part of radical social change. Families need to get outside together with their children and make sure that children have regular opportunities to play, work, learn and explore outside. And individuals can always seize the initiative, get outside and see the natural world, again, for the very first time. When you get outside regularly, exploring, learning, and growing in the natural world becomes “second nature.”
September is such a tempestuous month. We have some very hot days right at the beginning of the month, followed by some warm rains, and then toward the middle the first cold rains, followed by some glorious, not the end of summer, not the beginning of fall days, all in no particular order. The sluggish green cast of the late summer river gives way to a turbulent, chocolate brown. Mary Holland suggests that “creatures that are more tuned in to the seasons to a greater degree than humans are preparing for the months ahead by migrating, laying eggs, breeding, gorging, catching food, and finding shelter.” Something is in the air. It is the month of the Fall Equinox and the Harvest Full Moon
As parents we are very excited, anxious, (relieved?) that our children are starting school a new school school, perhaps going to school for the very first time, and at the very least, navigating new challenges. It behooves you to figure out how outside time is figured into your child’s school day and what place a “nature” studies and play figure in the school’s and your child’s class curriculum. Unfortunately at the vast majority of schools you will find the answer to these questions to be…. not that much, if anything! But don’t give up hope. There are always (often) local programs, events, activities that give you pathways to get more involved in the natural world such as agricultural fairs, farm tours, nature center events and activities, outdoor music festivals and more. Become familiar with the local parks, land trust areas, secret spots, hidden gems, a special tree on your block, your backyard, an abandoned lot, a front stoop, a local pet shop, and make sure you find a way to access the closest river, and/or pond or lake. Make a big deal with your children about the special things happening with your children each month. So in September you have the Harvest Full Moon, the Fall Equinox, the rising crescendo of the cicadas, crickets and katydids, volatile temperature and weather changes leading inexorably into Autumn, the beginning of fish and fowl migrations, and eventually the last cricket singing on some late September, early October night.
With September being the start of the new school year I get way too excited and want the children to experience everything all at once, when what I really need to do is slow down and remember, “first things first.” As teachers, getting to know your students and helping your kids get to know one another should be your first priority in the new school year. Caring, supportive relationships are the foundation for all the learning, growth and exploration your children will do throughout the year. So the “theme” of the first month of any school should be building relationships and getting to know one another, but this doesn’t happen in a vacuum. If you want your children to find their place in the world, develop a sense of curiosity, wonder and adventure. And if you don’t want your kids taken over by the artificial, vacuous, media culture that dominates the modern world, there is no better practice than getting outside, playing outside, and making the natural world a primary place, the primary place, to learn about oneself, each other and the world.
So we are getting to know one another, we are making making friends with each other, and we are exploring our own “backyards” and the natural areas that are closest to our homes and schools. We are getting to know the local plants, trees, and animals, and building a relationship with Mother Earth. We are learning about the re-occurring rhythms, the dominant events, the processes and interconnections that make our lives possible, beautiful, wonderful and meaningful. We are right on the cusp of summer and fall, so some of the things that are happening are dramatic changes in the weather, a grand dispersion of seeds ( acorns, nuts, other seeds), and the harvesting of the summer’s bounty. This is a great time of year to explore and experience the abundance of the natural world. Be sure to note what your children’s interests are, what fascinates them and intrigues them, and integrate that into your curriculum. During our first week of school some of my kids were: fascinated by a huge, flooded puddle pond in the park; mint in the yard, with which we are going to make mint sun tea; all the wonderful things you can do with sticks; a horned tomato caterpillar we found; and new notebooks. Another child was busy collecting crystals and rocks, so I am going to help her get a collection going.
My specific plans for the month are: 1) nature names/spirit animals: “assigning an animal to each child and helping each kid make a special connection with a local animal 2) exploring, surveying and seeing what’s happening and what can be done in the playground/backyard 3) introductory walks to East Rock Woods ( the local park/woods near our school), 4) scavenger/treasure hunts where I give the kids a list of possible treasures and I set out a table or a blanket and we gather all our treasures and marvel and reflect on them, 5) making moon sticks with the kids where we mark the passage of time on a stick with each Full Moon, 5) mapmaking and compasses 6) and exploring the four elements (earth, water, air, fire): playing in the mud and water, breathing mindfully, and building a fire. Other “events” to think about are integrating all the country fairs that are going on around the state in September, enjoying the last songs of the crickets, grasshoppers and cicadas before they go to bed, and learning about the shore birds and raptors that are beginning to migrate South.
Other activities might include: games that bring us in closer touch with the natural world and each other, collections, nature journals, gardening projects, monarch butterfly caterpillars, weather projects, making and playing with mud, exploring the river’s edge, and fishing . As you and your children become attuned to observing and paying attention to the outside world, many other interests, questions, problems and possibilities will arise. All you need to do is take your cues from the rhythms, patterns, and events of the natural world and your community, your children’s emergent interests, and your own passions, interests, problems and curiosity. As we spend more time with children outside we will get a better sense of the repertoire of habits, attitudes, skills, competencies, strategies and memorable learning experiences, that will well serve the child as they grow into the human beings they want to be. The most important things are to help each child develop a sense of comfort and adventure outside, support each child in developing their curiosity about themselves, each other, and the world, and to have FUN!
