FOREST SCHOOL AND FRIENDS AROUND THE WORLD

© Dr Mel McCree, 2015, for Forest School Association National Conference, Shropshire, 2015

% Forest cover

globally

Forested areas

in Europe

GLOBAL FOREST COVER

% of land area

7% S. Africa 12% UK 19% Australia 31% Canada 31% Germany

36% Spain 44% Trinidad and Tobago 56% Brazil 58% Sweden 64% S Korea 67% Japan

WHAT MAKES UK FS UNIQUE?

Combination of

long-term, regular

learner-centered

play-based processes

in woodlands

Who needs forest school (or similar) and why?

Achuar boys in Ecuador. Credit Andy Isaacson for The New York Times

TALKING POINT - DIFFERENCE• Cultural differences: race,

diversity, relationship to land

• Geographical: Specific to culture, terrain, climate

• Political: Public or private land and education?

• Integrated with curricula and state?

• Lost in translation? So what?

Forested areas

in Europe

Forest Pedagogyin Europe

SWEDEN• Friluftsliv; strong cultural influence

• Less industry, more space & freedom

• Deeper spiritual connection to nature?

• In 1957, Frøhm created Skogsmulle

• Skogsmulle a cultural export - big in Japan! (sim. Metsamoori in Finland)

• Inspired ‘I Ur och Skur’ (‘In Rain or Shine’) Schools, similar to Danish ‘åbørnspædagogik’

• ‘Dagis’ - often good uses of outdoors and safe risk-taking = TRUST

GERMANY• FP organised at federal state level

• Over 1000 waldkindergartens

• Influenced by Denmark in 1960s

• German Federation of Nature and Forest Kindergartens (BVNW)

• International Waldkindergartens as cultural export, e.g. over 100 in Japan

• Many more nature education opportunities at other ages

• New standardisation, but still not integrated into national schools

SOUTH KOREA• 40% of S Korea is forest

• Forest Service introduced kindergarten in 2008

• Korea Association of Forest kindergarten(KAFK) established in 2010

• Forest Service made new forest education Act in 2011 and creation of children’s spaces - aim for 250 by 2017

• 1000 FK centres running regularly (from once a month to every day)

• 40% of regular kindergartens now include forest element

TRINIDAD

• Grace Farm School

• not 1st (Kendal)

• Using Skogsmulle principles, play-based…

• University of West Indies

• Wot no beach schools?

AUSTRALIA• Spreading like wildfire!

• In response to government universal access directive (15 hrs for 4 yo’s): a need for space.

• Bush Kinder programmes in many pre-schools, over 100…

• 1st, in 2011, Westgarth Kindergarten

• Culturally specific, like NZ Te Whariki

• Emphasis on not taking materials, exploring what is present and relationships. SNAKES!

CANADA• New Forest and Nature

Schools Association

• Established with help from UK FSA

• Linked with US Children and Nature Network

• Training through university partnerships

• Huge demand in first few years http://www.forestschoolcanada.ca/

AROUND THE WORLD

Bush Kinder

Waldkindergarten

Skogsmulle

Forest and Nature Schools

Beach

Scho

ol

Canada

Japan

KoreaTrinidad

Where next? Te Whariki

Australia

New Zealand

US

Forest Pedagogy

India

related: eco-projects outdoor play

outdoor learning ESD

food growing

Farm School

– Frank Lloyd Wright (American architect, 1867 - 1959)

The future of mankind is dependent on every human being

intimately associated with a half acre of ground.”

THANK YOU

www.slideshare.net/melmccree/

www.freerangecreativity.org

Image © Niki Willows, 2013

REFERENCES 1Film on forest kindergartens in Japan: ;In the Heart of Nature: The Forest Kindergarten’ , NHK TV http://youtu.be/LNl5p1M96xE

New resource for woodland owners and educators http://sylva.org.uk/myforest/

International Waldkindergartens List http://bvnw.de/?page_id=579

Borradaile, L. (2006). Forest school Scotland: An evaluation. Retrieved 26 November, 2008, from www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-6cjdgl

Cree, J. & McCree, M. (2013) ‘A Brief History of Forest School, Part 2’, Horizons, 62, Institute of Outdoor Learning, UK.

Cree, J. & McCree, M. (2012) ‘A Brief History of Forest School, Part 1’, Horizons, 60, Institute of Outdoor Learning, UK.

Elliott, S., & Chancellor, B. (2012). Westgarth Kindergarten Bush Kinder Evaluation Report. Westgarth, Melbourne: Westgarth Kindergarten & RMIT University. Retrieved 10 November, 2014, from http://bushkinder.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/bush-kinder-evaluation-report.html

Knight, S. (2009). Forest schools and outdoor learning in the early years. London: Sage Publications.

Knight, S. (2011). Risk and adventure in early years outdoor play: Learning from forest schools. London: Sage Publications.

Knight, S. (Ed.) (2013). International perspectives on forest school: Natural spaces to play and learn. London: Sage Publications.

Lester, S., & Maudsley, M. (2006). Play, naturally: A review of children’s natural play. London: Children’s Play Council.

Munoz, S. (2009). Children in the outdoors: A literature review. Retrieved 20 December, 2010, from www.countrysiderecreation.org.uk/Children%20Outdoors.pdf.

REFERENCES 2Murray, R. (2004). Forest school evaluation project: A study in Wales. Retrieved 20 September, 2009, from www.neweconomics.org.

Murray, R., & O’Brien, L. (2005). Such enthusiasm—a joy to see: An evaluation of forest school in England. Retrieved 18 January, 2012, from www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/ForestSchoolEnglandReport.pdf/$FILE/ForestSchoolEnglandReport.pdf

New Zealand Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whariki. Retrieved 10 November, 2014, from www.educate.ece.govt.nz/learning/curriculumAndLearning/TeWhariki.aspx

Nimmo, J. (2008). Young children’s access to real life: An examination of the growing boundaries between children in child care and adults in the community. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 9(1), 3–13.

O’Brien, L. (2009). Learning outdoors: The forest school approach. Education 3–13,37(1), 45–60.

O’Brien, L., & Murray, R. (2006). A marvellous opportunity for children to learn: A participatory evaluation of forest school in England and Wales. Farnham, UK: Forest Research. Retrieved 18 January, 2012, from www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/fr0112forestschoolsreport.pdf/$FILE/fr0112forestschoolsreport.pdf

Waller, T. (2007). The trampoline tree and the swamp monster with 18 heads: Outdoor play in Foundation Stage and Foundation Phase. Education 3–13, 35(4), 365–377.

Warden, C. (2010). Nature Kindergartens. Auchterarder, Scotland: Mindstretchers Ltd.

Waters, J., & Begley, S. (2007). Supporting the development of risk taking behaviours in the early years: An exploratory study. Education 3–13, 35(4), 365–377.

Westgarth Kindergarten Bush Kinder. (2011). Bush Kinder Vision. Retrieved 10 February, 2012, from www.wgkg.vic.edu.au/bush-kinder.

Williams-Siegfredsen, J. (2012). Understanding the Danish forest school approach. Oxon, UK: Routledge

• long-term process

• natural wooded environment

• relationship with the natural world

• holistic development

• supported risks

• professional practice

• learner-centred & play processes

(FSA, 2012)

UK FS PRINCIPLES IN BRIEF

• A holistic approach to children’s learning and development

• Each child is unique and competent

• Children are active and interactive learners

• Children need real-life, first hand experiences

• Children thrive in child centred environments

• Children need time to experiment and develop independent thinking

• Learning comes from social interactions.

(Williams-Siegfredsen, 2012, pp. 9–10)

DANISH FS PRINCIPLES IN BRIEF