Connecting Children to Nature

Re-Posted from Exchange EverydayDecember 11, 2012

 

 "One of the great gifts we can give children through their frequent interactions with nature is a sense that they are connected to something larger than themselves," writes Vicki Bohling-Philippi in an article that forms the basis for the Exchange Out of the Box Kit, Using the Power of Nature to Help Children Heal.

"Nature is a constant in human life throughout history and geography.  The same songbirds children see in the spring will winter somewhere else around the globe. Helping children find those connections, perhaps by looking at pictures of the places our birds go in the winter, is a great way to help them realize how interconnected life on our planet really is....

"Developmental psychologist Martha Ferrell Erickson, a leading authority in parent-child attachment, recently spoke of a child s innate attachment to nature as an additional key to health and well-being throughout childhood. This natural connection is often evident when a fussy baby is taken outside and quickly calms to this literal change of scenery. But just as early bonding establishes the foundation of trust between parent and child, the earlier a child develops a bond with the natural world, the more likely that child will feel trust and comfort in nature versus fear and dread."

The Need to Sleep

REPOSTED from Exchange Everyday
The Need to Sleep
November 29, 2012

Never apologize. Never explain. Just get the thing done, and let them howl.
-Agnes MacPhail

"Sleep is not something to be left for when you've run out of other, more interesting, things to do.  Sleep is a functional activity of the brain, during which stereotypical, well-defined processes occur.  These include the restoration and repair of brain tissue, the release of certain hormones, and the reinforcement of learning and memory.  Not getting enough sleep has the negative effects on these processes.  In the extreme, it can be fatal."

These are the observations of Dennis Rosen, in The Optimist (November 2012).  He concludes...

"Most adults need eight hours of sleep; teens need between eight and nine, and younger children need even more.  By taking this seriously... we stand to reap substantial benefits in our physical, mental, and emotional well-being

GRATITUTDE

On behalf of each SRCC staff member we thank you,  our families, for partnering with us last Friday.  You early pick up of your children ensured that every SRCC staff member could attend the training session, discussion and dialogue with the team from Hilltop Children's Centre in Seattle.

It was a wonderful day of learning and being together and catching a vision for the way forward in our work with children.

We are so thankful you made it possible.

Hilltop Children's Centre visit

Read all about our Hilltop Visit here.

And THANK YOU for helping make it happen!

Spontaneity in the Classroom

EXCHANGE EVERYDAY - Repost
October 29, 2012

You're alive. Do something. The direction in life, the moral imperative was so uncomplicated. It could be expressed in single words, not complete sentences. It sounded like: Look. Listen. Choose. Act.
-Barbara Hall

"Spontaneity in the classroom provides myriad opportunities and possibilities for learning, building relationships, and collaboration," proposes Judith Pack in her article, Spontaneity and the Pursuit of Beautiful Opportunities, in the new Exchange Essential article collection, The Spirit of Teaching. 

"There is no limit to what can be learned and enjoyed.  The teacher does not have to center her curriculum around holidays or ... to rigidly follow the seasons, the calendar, or the schedule in order to ‘make’ interesting things happen.  They happen because all inhabitants of the classroom are keen observers: curious, intelligent, and open to all that is around them, indoors and outdoors.  They connect home with school and take time to investigate.  The teacher provides materials and, along with the children, creates an environment that fosters inquiry, comfort, friendship, and creativity.

"Teachers need to resist the mandates to standardize and dehumanize what takes place in the classroom .  Spontaneous events that are pursued by bringing engaging materials, good conversation, and time for investigation into the classroom create a true learning environment that is a joyful place to be."

Play is Deep Learning

ExchangeEveryDay
October 19, 2012

I Think I Can... I Think I Can... I Think I Can.
-The Little Engine that Could

"Watch children at play and you might suddenly realize that they are not just frivolously wasting time or mucking about," notes Paul Bailey in his book, Think of an Elephant (London: Watkins Publishing, 2007).  "Child's play is deep learning: a self-directed state of deep connectedness and personal engagement.  It is also an enthusiastic and absorbing state of relaxed attention — healthy qualities often missing from adult life.  Play is a creative learning exchange between mind, body, and circumstance into one integrated and healthy whole.  Awash with symbols and mental imagery, children at play are learning in a way that can be wildly creative, insightful, and visionary....

"Research shows that the more animals play, the bigger their brains grow.  Moreover, brain imaging techniques show that social play seems to rewire our brain, increasing the activity of connections between our brain cells.  Play also helps develop our logical reasoning, our ability to learn, and our behavioural flexibility."

Great link for outdoor fun!

Families in nature

Kids who spend time in nature have improved memory, problem solving, and creativity — and they're physically healthier too. Yet our research shows that 70% of Canadian kids spend an hour or less outside each day. Let's change that!