A CONVERSATION WITH REBECCA FROM JOHN BROTCHIE BUSH SCHOOL

Once we got back from Bush School and the children were settled back into their preschool activities before going home, Rebecca sat with me to share what she learned along the way since establishing the pilot. We had a long conversation. Lisa, one of the staff, and Sylvana my colleague were a part of it and I'd like to share here some of the issues we discussed. 

I asked about parent support for the project. "I first broached it as a short ten or fifteen minute blurb at a parent information night. I began by asking parents to remember their own childhoods and how play in nature would have likely been a big part of their daily lives. I then explained about the many benefits of connecting children to nature, that in giving them a love for it there is a hope of sustaining wild places into the future, but also the many educational benefits. Resilience is an obvious one that comes to mind. Parents are often telling me that their kids cry at every little thing. Bush School can help with that. It toughens them up". 

"Were there any challenges that you faced with parents attitudes?" I asked

"At the onset I had eighteen parents express an interest and I had to choose twelve from that group for the pilot. I wanted it to be a diverse group. Some parents put great value on academic achievement, see children in stereotypical fashion, or are quite anxious about things like keeping children warm and protected."  

I believe that Rebecca wanted to find ways to show the parent community that the benefits of outdoor learning can outweigh fears, anxieties and long held perceptions about children and education, but in a way that is non threatening and open to listening. I heard Rebecca at the end of the day approach parents as they entered the preschool to share with them what their child had most enjoyed, or achieved, or shown a particular interest in. Her availability and openness would go a long way to supporting parents in their parenting decisions and in relieving any concerns they have about this approach to learning that has been introduced. Rebecca was excited to share how some families now go to the bush school site with their children on weekends, taking picnics, building tepees and climbing the trees. This is an exciting development considering that previously they made a beeline for the climbing equipment at the other end of the park, not considering the wild spaces to be of any interest or benefit. 

Rebecca explained to me that over time, more and more parents became interested and she felt the need to extend the opportunity to more children. She saw substantial benefits for children, parents and staff in a very short space of time. Resilience was again mentioned, and an increase in children using their imaginations and resourcefulness, a change in parent attitudes towards the concept and a difference in how the staff teach. "We used to take activities, we just didn't have the confidence that the patch of bush would be enough to hold their interest, but it didn't take long before we realized that there was more than enough, and we had to teach by the seat of our pants. We learnt to be more spontaneous in our teaching." Sometimes they take items to provoke an interest or encourage exploration, such as binoculars, bug catchers, magnifiers or a weather thermometer, but generally they find that the natural world offers itself up for children with very little need for extra 'stuff'. 

As we were chatting a parent came by the office to ask about her child's day, being that this was his first day at Bush School. She was worried that he pushes the boundaries and takes risks. Rebecca was able to share with this mum stories and an honest account of his day, including how they worked with him in his tendency to push boundaries. His tree climbing was an obvious skill and interest and his ability to measure risk gave some reassurance. 

I asked about ratios and staffing and Rebecca aims for a one to five ratio, which includes three staff and the inclusion of interested parents for a group of nineteen children. It's a tiring day for staff because of the need to be constantly vigilant, scanning and checking. Their radar is always on. The children learn through what Lisa termed 'executive function' which she explained as being that state of affairs where you learn that your actions or decisions have a consequence, so you learn it well. Like the kids that chose to slosh in puddles without gum boots. They had wet feet for the day and that is a learning opportunity. The same thing can be said for the staff. They learn as they go, but it's exhausting. 

The conversation then moved on to the boisterous boys. Rebecca said that if you take the walls away, there's nothing to bounce off. The body physical opportunities for active boys is fantastic in a natural space. "The children have learnt through experience that if they get too rough, someone gets hurt. Accidents were more common in the beginning but now there is real control in their play." Lisa also commented on the empathy that has developed as children see first hand what can cause an injury or hurt to a friend. 

Rebecca talked about their philosophy of the environment being the third teacher, and the teachers job is to provide it. There is a real balance demanded in the teaching of when to step back and when to be involved. It is the children who come up with the ideas, and it is the children who are finding happiness in nature and cin connecting to it "how do we save our planet if we've never had anything to do with it?" Rebecca asks. I agree wholeheartedly.

Lisa, who trained with 'Bush Connections' at Randwick TAFE had an interesting story to tell, which I would like to leave you with. She remembered a little boy at the preschool who was very knowledgeable about creepy crawlies such as insects and spiders. He always had information to share with the group, was able to explore answers to questions and showed a great interest in the natural world. One day she found a spider in the garden. She captured it, secured it in a jar and brought it to the child, assuming he would be excited and interested. She was amazed at his response. He put his hand up, shook his head and loudly stated "No, no. I don't need to see it. I have read about it in a book!"  

Yes book learning and the availability of electronic information is fantastic! But let's give children the gift of finding joy and excitement in the three dimensional world of nature. This YouTube clip explains that it is our love of nature, not information of its loss that moves us. Please have a look and share: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BvIdwOEzreM

I wish to thank Rebecca and the staff at John Brotchi for welcoming me and my colleague Sylvana to Bush School. It was a great way to put many of my uncertainties aside, to put in place one of the last pieces of the puzzle. The puzzle won't be completed until I see it happen in Western Sydney, so keep tuned in. I hope to see it happen one day soon. 

If you'd like to know more about John Brotchie Nursery School here is a link to their website

http://johnbrotchie.nsw.edu.au

Is outdoor play risky?

I recall like it was yesterday a moment outside at my new preschool. I'd only just started at the preschool after about six years working in community based early childhood centres. I had been appointed to a school in the Mt Druitt area and was very excited at the prospect of working in a preschool within my local area. My leaders at Fairfield Council had warned me not to go, as if it was some sort of defection. "Don't go to the Department, they'll change you. You'll lose your early childhood roots". I assured them that that would never happen to me. They wouldn't be able to change me, I'd change the department! Their laughter still rings in my ears. 

So off I went with great confidence that I had something to offer, that my early childhood roots would nurture me throughout my career. As it turns out, I was right, but they did have a point. It's been a hard journey and I've often met with resistance, doubt, conflict and have regularly found my philosophy undermined. Most times I managed to hold on to what I believed was best for small children based on my training and experience, as this story will testify. 

We had a small tree at the preschool. It wasn't the best climbing tree in the world but it was the only one we had and if the children wanted to climb it I helped them and supported them. One day the Deputy Principal was walking past and saw a child in the tree. He was shocked at what he saw was inappropriate behaviour by the child and sternly told him to get down immediately, that tree climbing was not permitted in the school. I went to the child's defense and explained that climbing the tree was encouraged in the preschool. "We climb trees here" I informed him. I recall his face very clearly as it transformed from complete confidence in his care of duty and supervisory right to complete shock and disbelief.  I saw his jaw drop and his eyes bulge as his face reddened. "Are you serious?" he asked. "Climbing trees is dangerous. Children aren't allowed to climb trees at this school". I explained the advantages of climbing trees. The gross and fine motor development, the opportunities for imaginative play, the chance for kids to connect to the natural environment. I didn't know then about the importance of allowing children to manage their own risks, but perhaps I had an instinct for that too. I certainly knew of the intrinsic joy you can get from tree climbing, as my childhood was full of it. I think this was probably the first time that he'd been confronted with such strange ideas in education. Keep in mind I'm going back over twenty years. The story has a happy ending, and the tree continued to be climbed and enjoyed for many years, with not one serious accident. There were the odd bumps and one child got their foot stuck and needed to be lifted from an upside down position, but bumps and bruises and falls can be advantageous too. It teaches children about managing risk. 

Since embarking on this journey I've often found myself defending managed and calculated risk. I just want to add a blog entry in defense of trees. Yes we need to keep children safe, but let's get it in  perspective. What are the benefits? 

The types of indoor activities that children are engaging in more and more are in actual fact more dangerous that tree climbing. The impacts of long hours on the couch, screen time and passive activity indoors is leading to many more impacts on our children's health. More people die from heart disease, diabetes and cancer than from falling out of trees, not to mention the impacts of childhood obesity. 

You might find the following article of interest: 

Ben Klasky 

President and CEO, IslandWood

 

Your Couch Is Far More Dangerous Than You Think

Posted: 04/17/2014 3:34 pm EDT Updated: 04/17/2014 3:59 pm

Why are we so afraid to let our kids play outside, when we know that such activity is vital for their physical and mental health? Our fears are so extreme that in a few cases, parents have been arrested for allowing their children to play outside unattended. My mother would have been sent to jail on an almost daily basis.

Until recently, it was common for kids to come home from school, grab a snack, and head outside to play in the neighborhood. This was true for me growing up in suburban Minneapolis, and also for my parents who grew up in L.A. and Detroit. Even in the nation's city of cities -- New York -- children once played in the streets after school. There were games like stickball, hopscotch, and a wild version of tag called Ringoleavio. Author Bill Bryson jests about parenting styles from his childhood: "I knew kids who were pushed out the door at 8 in the morning, and not allowed back until 5 unless they were on fire or actively bleeding."

I believe this dramatic change in parenting stems from fears of what I've dubbed the Three A's -- Animals, Abduction, and Accidents. But our fears greatly exaggerate the risk of playing outside, and have the unattended side effect of increasing the chances of our kids developing serious health threats. Consider the facts:

Animal Attacks: As their natural territories shrink, top predators are living closer to our urban centers (not far from my home, cougars have been found in Seattle city parks). But in all of North America, we can expect fewer than three people to die each year due to bears, cougars, coyotes, and wolves -- combined. Some researchers believe that our fear of these animals is innate, dating back to prehistoric times, when humans fell prey to bear-sized hyenas and saber-tooth cats. Today, however, the chances are miniscule of meeting our demise at the paws or teeth of a large carnivore.

Abduction: The U.S. experiences about 115 "stereotypical kidnappings" annually -- involving someone the child doesn't know, and in which the child is held at least overnight, transported a distance, and killed or ransomed. This is truly scary stuff. At the same time, such kidnappings are incredibly rare... only a little more common than getting struck by lightning.

Accidents: Each year, the U.S. can expect to see the following number of "outdoor" deaths:

5,100 car or bike accidents

3,500 swimming and boating drownings

1,000 plant, mushroom, and pesticide poisonings

fewer than 500 other accidents from bee stings, horseback riding, overheating, hunting, lightning, playground falls, skiing/snowboarding, snake bites, and trees falling on people.

Adding up all these statistics, we can predict slightly over 10,000 outdoor deaths this year. This is a small portion of the 2.5 million people who die annually in the U.S. -- over half of them from heart disease, cancer, and diabetes alone. If your chances of dying outside measured four blocks long, your chances of dying from these three illnesses would be longer than running a marathon! And active outdoor time has been repeatedly documented to reduce our chances of getting all three of these deadly diseases. We are exchanging a small amount of risk for more certain health threats caused by a sedentary lifestyle.

Our neighborhoods have additional threats to children's safety, including gang violence, poor air quality, and lack of access to green spaces. These are complex issues that can't be solved by simply encouraging parents to send their kids outside. We have tough work to do such as monitoring parks, passing legislation to clean the air, and demanding quality urban planning. However, if we don't begin to address some of our most basic fears of getting kids outside (the 3 A's), we are unlikely to successfully tackle these more difficult obstacles.

Much of our fears stem from 24/7 access to sensationalist headlines. We are barraged by stories of polar bear attacks, kidnappings, and playground deaths. When you combine the abundance of scary news flashes with the psychological phenomena known as the "recency effect" (we remember best what we saw most recently), it is no wonder that we are afraid to let our kids run around outside.

As a father, I want to protect my kids but my answer can't be keeping them indoors away from harm. Instead, I am focusing my energy on helping them be safer outside. I want my children to be crystal clear on what to do when encountering strangers, wildlife, and dangerous plants. I'm teaching them how to avoid street traffic, and how to properly wear helmets and life vests. By encouraging them to play safely outside, I'm protecting them from a host of much bigger risks -- and they're having a lot more fun too.

Follow Ben Klasky on Twitter: www.twitter.com/benklasky

MORE: Missing Persons Play Children Safety Nature Cougar Environment Animal Attacks Parenting Cougars Bears

The actual article can be found from the following link: 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-klasky/the-couch-is-far-more-dan_b_5153066.html?utm_hp_ref=tw