"The future will belong to the ‘nature-smart’
- those individuals, families, businesses, and political leaders who develop
a deeper understanding of the trans-formative power of the natural world
and who balance the virtual with the real.
The more high-tech we become, the more nature we need."
-Richard Louv
Nature is providing the girls with opportunities to build theories about their world, wonder about the beauty they are surrounded by and to think about their responsibility for safeguarding our precious natural resources.
The girls interest in Mt St John, and the flowers and trees around us, is proving to be a powerful catalyst for our learning in the Foundation Class. At a recent conference we attended, the keynote speakers from Reggio Emilia, talked about the importance of children having an emotional relationship with the topic of the project in order for them to engage deeply with it. This notion has intrigued us and we have been considering this idea as we have been noticing how the girls have wholeheartedly embraced our work centred around ‘all things of nature’.
The girls have been writing, reading, measuring, comparing, designing and having to think hard about the work they are doing. The pride they take in their work is commendable. We believe that learning in the early years is most effective when it is connected with things the children are able to be actively involved in. Things that capture their imagination - as the fairy letters do - gives valid reason for learning how to write letters and numbers correctly, form words and sentences. Giving meaning to learning brings so much joy!
“Children develop an understanding that symbols can be “read” by others and that thoughts, experiences, and ideas can be represented through words, pictures, print, numbers, sounds, shapes, models and photographs” - Te Whaariki; Early Childhood Curriculum. Goal 3 Communication
