Why Forest School?
In a week when student Forest School Leaders were welcomed to our school, it's something I've given some thought to. Were they all willing volunteers? Had any been asked to do the course? Was anyone reluctant to start this journey? Who had experienced this before as a volunteer or participant somehow? Who was walking in blind!?
We have two staff members on the course. One has spent almost three school years supporting me outside and for a lot of that time it's been weekly. They have seen Forest School in snow, rain, hail, and sleet. They've sweltered in 30oC plus heat. They've accompanied classes that throw themselves into Forest School exploration, and classes that need the time to run free and use up energy and pent up emotion. They've assisted in woodwork, planting, first aid, and pond dipping. They have been baptised in mud!
They may have not have dissected the ethos of Forest School, but they were convinced by joining in that they wanted to know more and do more.
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Our second Forest School Leader in training has never been to a session, at Chartham or anywhere else. They love nature. They love being outside. They want to bring that into their own teaching and support practice. They are embracing the idea with no preconceptions, just a desire to find out how to help children to learn in a space they themselves enjoy and find rewarding.
My own journey to full-time Forest School started in Early Years. Long before the EYFS existed! I started my working life as an NNEB Nursery Nurse for the NHS. As bank staff, I was moved to different children's and maternity wards, pediatric A&E and Special Care Baby Units. From there I moved into the staff Day Nursery, working in 'Baby Room', then Toddler Room, then the 'School Room'. After a couple of years, I moved into Education, working in a Nursery Class at a Primary School in London.
With the advent of the EYFS, we became an Early Years Unit itegrating Reception Classes and Nursery Classes and with our own outdoor area., which was a constantly evolving space. We developed a small wild site adjacent to the KS2 playground into a Forest School and for a long time I would support FSLs there, sadly only Early Years really used it. Eventually, through staff changes, I had the opportunity to train as a Forest School Leader, and we continued to ensure Nursery and Reception had access to sessions. Before I left I had managed to include KS1 in regular participation.
Looking back I see it as a kind of natural progression. Currently, I'm a Dedicated Forest School Leader, solely delivering sessions across 3 Key Stages, with no other role within Chartham Primary School.
I now realise for many the transition from whatever they're doing to include Forest School feels like a natural progression. One of the students here this week has a role that focuses a lot on dealing with the emotional needs of certain children within their Primary School. Qualifying will afford them the freedom to safely move some individual therapies outside, as well as develop whole class Forest School as a holistic/therapeutic sessions.
Many people new to Forest School find the assignments to be a gradual reveal of things that make sense to them! A way of looking at child development, education, and wellbeing that they instantly understand.
Students have said to me that they love the ethos. That they can see how it will benefit their school/setting/own children now and in the future. That, following so much covid disruption, it'a way to focus on the child and help them to catch up on many of the childhood experiences they have missed out on. Very little they have read or 'learned' has been a huge revelation, more of a realisation that makes them nod in agreement as they see the sense in what is being explained. For many, after years in education where Governments interfere, intervene, and play with policy without considering experts, the education system itself, or children, it's a boost that reminds them why they wanted to teach in the first place.
It also brings up the question of why it doesn't happen that way anyhow!
This pondering is a rite of passage for anyone joinging the Forest School Community!
It becomes a way of learning that every FSL wants to see blending into INDOOR learning, and leads to encouraging changes in school ethos into something much more like the pedagogy Forest School extols.
There is a lot to take in when studying. I wouldn't describe it as difficult, there's a lot to juggle, and as almost everyone moves into Forest School Learning from another career, there's often the return to writing essays and answering questions that feels daunting!
It helps having the Fabulous *Chris Dee for FSLI as your tutor for these days! Anyone looking to train should consider checking them out. They were one of the first companies to train Forest School Leaders and currently offer courses worldwide. We really hope to make training at Chartham an annual event!
Obviously, the ethos has to prevail, and everything can and will change and develop, but the freedom from a set curriculum leads a mind boggling array of possiblilities!
This is ultimately what will make any Forest School thrive: Following the seasons, the weather, and the interests of the children. When you're starting out it's difficult to pick starting point (you just have to pick one and go with it!), and until you know the children you have no idea where it's going to take you.
Who am I kidding? Even when you know the children you have no idea where it's going to take you!
BUT THAT'S THE FUN!
Doing face-to-face Forest School Training is mostly like attending Forest School sessions, you just have to observe and absord! There is no better way to understand what children are learning than to step into their shoes for a while. The difference between focusing what you want a child to learn and what you want to teach is that one focuses on them, the other on you. There is definite progression for all children at Forest School, but there is no curriculum, and no testing. There's no judgement on their preformance - or yours. Although you will be instructing when it comes to knots & t ool, rules for games, and information on the world around them, you are not 'teaching'. There's no set learning intention for the session and not every child has to attempt whatever is on offer.
Having completed two days of the face-to-face aspect of the course, everyone seems bouyant. Varying degrees of excitment for what they could create, tempered with the prospect of organising and delivering everything they want their Forest School to be!
It's a process and the excitment makes you want it all to be ready instantly!
So why choose Forest School?
Why decide this is the way you want to interact with children?
- It puts children at the centre of what you do.
- It never gets boring or routine - you follow their lead.
- The classroom ceiling is the sky
- The floor is the Earth.
- The walls change with each season that passes.
- The curriculum is limitless.
- Connecting children to the planet we live on.
- You have the freedom to support children holistically.
- Your wellbeing is intertwined with theirs.
- Wellbeing takes priority.
Why would that NOT be appealing?
I hope the weather behaves for us all. That the excitment this week of newts and frogs and slow worms, bugs and blossom, not to mention lazing in the grass and picnic lunches, continues to inspire across two more days.
Everyone has headed home this weekend glad they're doing the course.
They're eager and engaged.
They're capable and ready for more.
I also have it on good authority they're also rather knackered!
*Chris Dee is publishing an e-book to support setting up Forest School at your setting. Check out their website and this blog for news of launch date!
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