Forest Schools

Forest  Schools

 

‘Forest School’ is a Danish method of educating children in the outdoors (Williams-Siegfredson, 2012), maintaining all National curriculum topics but applied in a first- hand  method rather than theoretical.
Children are given the opportunity to experience positive outdoor education that supports children’s  developmental skills of all ages , particulary  physically emotionally and socially. Forest School is an extended course that runs for around six weeks and children attend on a  weekly basis(Forest Education  Initiative, 2010).

It encompasses an energetic, inspiring, motivating unique learning way of learning(Lamb, 2011), encouraging children to take risks in a controlled ,secure environment that some children may not have the  opportunity. Forest School Wales (2009) states that it is  reassuring to children, enabling  them with the confidence and thinking ability to display concern and security of their contemporaries, hence, assisting with clear emotional, behavioural and social abilities through real-world experiences.

The key roles that an educator of Forest School need to display :

1.    Secure surroundings to enable a child to flourish and succeed  to their ability in an imaginative and inspiring habitat;

2.    To be a good exemplar;

3.    Reinforce/scaffold children socially and emotionally;

4.    Collaborate with parents.

Many theorists viewpoints such as Froebel, Montessori and Piaget are maintained  in regards to the values of the pedagogic exercise through Forest School. The outdoors are regarded as  another classroom, hence the Danish term, ‘learning environment’ representing indoor and outdoor learning, wherever we might be(Williams-Siegfredson).

 

 

 

Useful Websites

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-77ldzd

http://www.muddyfaces.co.uk/forest_schools.php

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-17283190

 

 

 

References

Forest Schools Initiative (2011) Retrieved 17^th March 2013 from Forest Schools Initiative http://www.foresteducation.org/woodland_learning/forest_schools/

Forest School Wales (2009) Retrieved 8^th March 2013 from Forest School Wales Supporting Forest School provision and learning across Waleshttp://www.forestschoolwales.org.uk/

Lamb, C (2011) A Whole School Approach. In Knight S (2010) Forest School For All (p29-40). London:Sage.

William-Siegfredson, J. (2012), Understanding the Danish Forest School Approach. Abington:Routledge