Last month, whilst back home in Scotland, I heard about a primary teacher from Peebles who was running forest school classes. I was intrigued how she was able to incorporate such classes into the school curriculum and wanted to learn more. Here is my short interview I had with the wonderful and inspiring Annie Edgar. (Later in the week, I was fortunate to visit the forest where Annie holds the classes. I took my niece and nephews with me. We had the most magical time and didn’t want to leave).
Our spirits soared as we wandered through the beautiful forest, each pathway gifting wonder and awe. We were graced with the presence of a deer. The sheer joy of seeing a deer in the wild is one of those magical moments you never forget as a child or an adult.
Interview with Annie Edgar – LEARNING OUTDOORS
1. Why did you start up the “forest school”?
To introduce more outdoor learning, to provide a more balanced curriculum: social, emotional and physical development of a child.
My love for the outdoors and nature also played a big part in it, the importance in knowing, understanding and respecting the world that you live in, to encourage a responsible attitude towards the environment and sustainability for the future.
Once I started my training I started taking my class out. This was arranged through agreement with the head teacher and the course itself was well supported by the council that I work for.
No problems arranging with school or class, some difficulty in getting parent support to ensure adult:child ratio was met. Mainly due to FS (Forest School) sessions being through school time when most parents are at work. But managed to get help most weeks.
Intensity of course – over 20 essays, compiling health and safety handbook, observation reports and extensive reading on child development and emotional intelligence along with several full weekends of outdoor and first aid training made the course very demanding. On top of day to day school work and preparation I found this quite stressful at times. However, I have learned a huge amount from this course and the benefits are now paying off.
We tasted the most delicious wild Blackberries in the forest.
Also provides the children with a bank of experiences that they can use when back in school to help with their literacy and numeracy e.g. in writing they can describe a forest setting by thinking about what they have seen, heard, tasted, felt in FS. And in maths they have a greater awareness of size for estimating length, height etc.
“When Children and Nature Mix, Something Magical Happens” .
I have been running nature classes for the last three years here in Kelowna, BC and I must say I love teaching outdoors. I am really excited about the possibilities of outdoor learning. It is so encouraging to hear about inspiring individuals like Annie. Please do get in touch if you would like to share your ideas and plans for nature in and out of the classroom. I’d love to hear from you. Over the past few months I have visited many schools and spoken with both the teachers and the students. It is very clear the children LOVE to learn and play outdoors and listening to the teachers, they too, are interested in learning about ways they can connect children with nature as part of their teaching. Here are a couple of my school visits in British Columbia : Bringing Nature Into the Classroom and Connecting School Children With Nature.
Join the “Let’s Go Outside” Revolution – Changing the way children spend their time.
More great reading and Scottish resources : Outdoor Learning Practical Guidance for Scottish Teachers provided by one of my #playoutdoors buddies on Twitter Juliet Robertson.
Here in North America we have a fabulous resource called: Children and Nature Network. Check out the Natural Teachers Network.
Wishing you all a beautiful week learning from nature, love and peace, Marghanita.
Wonderful.
Hi! Just found this via facebook and I’m trying to find out who Annie Edgar is. I live in Peebles and am a teacher setting up outdoor activity sessions for pre-schoolers, just wondered if you had any contact details you could send me? thanks!
I wish my school had been like that. I know I’d have loved it! Thanks for sharing such a great story Marghanita.
Thanks for writing this post Marghanita and sharing the concept of Forest School more widely. There is something refreshing and liberating about taking learning outside and well worth the effort it takes to change the indoor habit.
An absolute pleasure Juliet. The forest was stunning and I can’t think of a more inspiring place to learn. It is so wonderful to see so many changing the indoor habit…yeah!!! You are the Revolution!!!
Dearest Alison, so lovely to hear from you. Being a homeschooler I am sure you have spent many a beautiful day in the forest with your children..how magical. Thank you for your love and continued support my beautiful nature friend. Love and peace, Marghanita x
Hi Catherine, lovely to meet you. Facebook me a message and I’ll give you Annie’s details. Here’s to getting more kids OUTDOORS!
Hi Marghanita – Spotted your Forest School interview on F.B – I am Katrina (Dyer’s) sister and am a trained Forest School Leader in Cornwall. I run Forest School sessions for Pre-school, Reception, KS1 & 2 and Family Sessions – it is a growing trend! For those of your contacts who live in the UK there is a very good website with lots of useful information that may be helpful to them:- http://www.forestschools.com
Hi Nicola, wow, how wonderful to hear from you. I was just talking with Clifford the other day there about Katrina and what an amazing mother she is. They are fortunate to sneak sometime together over the summer and Autumn school breaks. How exciting to hear you run forest school sessions in Cornwall. A must visit when I return to Britain. I will be starting up a new session of forest school sessions for preschoolers in Spring, here in the Okanagan, BC and hope to extend the classes to after school classes in the forest for older children. We had so much fun with the classes last year, older children want to join in, especially when they get the opportunity to get creative in nature from making real bows and arrows to treasure hunts and tepee structures. It’s wonderful to hear so many like-minded souls working hard connecting children with nature. I would love to hear more about your classes Nicola, if you would like to share. Here is my email address: info@marghanita.com
Wishing you many magical moments in nature this week and thank you once again for sharing the contact, love and peace, Marghanita xx
Hi Marghanita,
Haida Bolton Kristiansen got me onto your blog and what great work/play you do! I bought your Nika and the Painted Turtle book for my nieces – love it! I own Camp Narnia, a children’s summer camp that’s running near Parksville this year and am also a teacher desperate to get out of the system and to get outside! To that end I’m wondering if you’ve come across any training or courses similar to the Forest School Leadership mentioned above that’s more local or online? (Online seems a strange mode of presentation for an outdoor based program…) I’m also a storyteller in Victoria and am looking to meld all these things together – who knows, maybe start Camp Narnia school one day. I’d appreciate any insight you might have into the Leadership training locally. Thanks so much and hope you have a wonderful Christmas! -Agnes
The group is mixed in ages and abilities, and the children help one another navigate natural obstacles such as branches and prickly plants. Schaffer observes more cooperation and fewer altercations during the outdoor portion of the school day. She attributes these attitudes to the lack of man-made stuff — natural toys are abundant, and children seem less inclined to argue over who had a stone first, for example, than they would over a toy at a conventional sandbox.
Dear Marghanita,
Thank you so much for posting this, the photos are stunning and I have already forwarded this link to a few people in Peebles who are interested in getting outdoors with the kids, so it is great for promoting forest schools.
I think you are doing a fantastic job of sharing your views of outdoor learning and it is inspiring how strongly you feel about it. I will definately continue to run my forest school sessions and hope to get more teachers on board. Thank you for giving me the extra motivation and reassurance that what I am doing is so worthwhile. Although I do know this myself sometimes I do doubt myself especially with the pressures to raise attainment in school, but of course we know there is so much more to education than just that. Your words at the bottom of the interview really meant a lot to me, thank you.
Wishing you a very happy and nature filled 2012!
Kind regards
Annie
Thank you so much for your beautiful email Annie. It was an absolute pleasure and I hope to revisit next year, wishing you too, a very happy and nature filled 2012. love and peace, Marghanita x