I am in a very fast train, flying through gorgeous Danish countryside. This time in daylight, and it's a great way to see the various landscapes: the forests, fjords, farms, towns and villages, all gone quick as a wink so that I'm reluctant to be writing in case I miss something. But write I will because I want my reflections on my stay here to be fresh in my mind. Once I'm in the next place it will be harder to access what I am thinking and feeling now.
I have been able to gain immense personal satisfaction during this leg of my study tour. From the friendship with Jane and Keld to the knowledge that I can survive and cope in very difficult situations (as it took nearly 24 hours to get here from Edinburgh, see blog entry 'can someone tell me why I'm doing this'). Not to mention being in a beautiful place on a lake that was good for walks, picnics and a haven for the soul to take respite. And then of course there was the joy of the buggy ride and being in good company, human and animal.
But these personal aspects are an added bonus and I keep reminding myself that I'm here for serious professional learning. I have gained new perspectives and understandings of the nature kindergarten concept from being here in Denmark. This is where it all began and each country has taken bits of it and made it their own. The places I visited previously, in Scotland and in England, have developed it and tweaked it and turned it into what is appropriate for their education community and for their own culture.
What I saw here was, in my mind, raw and pure. It seems that it is just part of the way it works. The three centres I visited are, according to Jane and my own observations, exceptional in the quality of their education. In Denmark nearly all children from six months to six years are in care (it's free and expected that all children will be cared for by pedagogues during the working hours), and every centre has an outdoor component that is an important inclusion in the curriculum. On one of my walks I passed a regular kindergarten. The outdoor space was extensive and I saw one adult in the space, near the sandpit. The area had all sorts of play areas such as mud pits, hides, climbing areas, plants and gardens, and right in one corner, out of sight of anyone, were five or six older children on a swing. It was two tires with a plank secured between and these kids were working together to send it flying. They were having a fantastic time, calling out to each other and laughing and then two girls leapt before the climax of the curve to land in the dirt below. No adult was hovering, they just don't do that here. The children know what to do if they need help, and have been given thorough guidance in risk assessment since their early days in the centre.
So, what do you think? I find regulation and fears of bumps and bruises, plus the terror in our minds that a bad accident might happen, really prevents us from achieving this sort of independence and freedom for children in Australia. I have to admit that one of my biggest perceived challenges in all this, from the beginning, has been how to navigate the health and safety aspects. Not from my own feelings on the subject, I love risk, can see the benefits of it when it's calculated and thought through, but from the knowledge that colleagues, parents and regulators will give me a hard time about it. The kids, however, will be into it with bells on. "Risk and challenge are a part of children's learning environments. It is seen as an important part of the Danish approach that children learn how to assess risks and take challenges because these are vital life skills, and the pedagogues role is to support and guide the children in how to assess risk for themselves" (Williams-Seigfredson, 2012, p.12). The other important aspect of Danish society is that the pedagogue is a trusted 'other parent' by the children's parents. This is not a litigious society, trust and respect being reciprocated by both party's (Williams-Seigfredson, 2012).
Something else that struck me here is the belief that the forest environment will provide children with all that they need in life skills, education, and knowledge to allow them not only to be who they are as learners but also to launch them successfully into the next phase, as in formal schooling. This takes care of the being and becoming that we talk about in our Early Years Learning Framework. Belonging is a given. There is an incredible sense of connection to the environment, to peers and the community in what I saw in Denmark. But I digress. Back to the 'becoming".
The research around the benefits of this approach indicate that the opportunities for learning are all honing skills that will be useful in school. These include increased levels of concentration, more complex language development and highly developed social and emotional skills. The opportunities for children to investigate and experiment also have educational benefits in formal schooling, as does the fine and gross motor aspect of everyday life in a forest (Williams-Seigfredson, 2012). The difference is that all these aspects of a young child's development seem to be valued in Danish schools, whereas in Australia there seems to be a big focus on whether a child can sit quietly for a story, follow directions, decipher sounds, recite number orders and write their name. I know I'm perhaps being simplistic here, but I'm just thinking it through. Tell me if you agree or disagree, I'm open to other thoughts on the subject.
I'm nearly in Copenhagen. Time to stop hurting my brain with all this thinking. I'm going to relax and enjoy the remainder of the trip. Till next time. . .
Hi Ruth, I have a question. How does the adult /child ratio in the centers you're visiting, compare with those here in Australia? I ask this because I get the impression that, because of how & what these centers do, the pedagogues seem to be able to cope with their duties as "guides" more easily & efficiently than their Australian counterparts who have to be ever mindful of rules & regulations, OH&S requirements, & what seems in comparison, a very focused & formal style of care. I'm in no way suggesting that Australians are any less efficient in the execution of their job, they just seem to have more to contend with from a managerial point if that is the way to put it.
ReplyDeleteThat's a worthwhile point. In Australia in NSW we have ratios of 1:10 for centre based care. Taking children outside of the centre demands greater levels of supervision so we try to make it 1:4 or 1:5. In Denmark I'm not certain of the ratios but I think it might have been 1:8. I'll check with Jane about that. In England it's 1:13 and in Scotland it's 1:10. Now out in a forest or the woods, ratios have been increased or numbers of children decreased. Cathy at the secret Garden operates on a ratio of 1:7. It's expensive but it works in their case partly because they don't have other overheads such as a building, electricity, cleaning, or resourcing. The woods provide all that's needed, which is pretty effective.
DeleteIt is certainly a consideration for us though. We would have to consider ways to increase ratios to be able to take children out on a regular basis. Some of the centres just took small groups, others employ extra staff or ask for parent volunteers.
The culture in Denmark lends itself to this kind of early education. England and Scotland have had to contend with similar constraints around regulation that we would, but with vision, determination and advocacy they are doing it. Each of the leaders I asked in the UK shared with me their struggles to convince regulators and authorities of the value of what they were doing. A challenge, but obviously worth the battle. They all have enjoyed good reputations for the quality of the care they are providing.