written by Judith Mace
My Journey To Nature Education
Feeling the grass beneath my feet, running barefoot, wild, as the wind, making mud pies in the dirt, climbing tall trees, and jumping over fences, exploring the natural world outside.
These are my greatest memories of childhood. They taught me to be fearlessness,
courageous, and strong. They taught me to love the earth, to care for animals, to have gratitude for breathing clean air and for water. These are our base. Without them we cannot survive. As society began to pull me inside, enclosed in a room with walls, computers, phones, and television my joy began to fade. For years I had forgotten this joy. Then, in 2020, during the Pandemic, I found it again. While many schools were choosing online learning, I chose to be outside. Teaching lower elementary students in the arroyos, rain, or shine. We dressed for the weather. We toughened up our skin, we found our strength, courage, and fearlessness. We gathered underneath the piñon trees for shade from the sun, we hiked in in the winter to warm our bones. We explored, played group games, listened to stories, wrote in our journals, memorized poetry, and sang songs. We learned to
adapt to our environment. We brought warm tea and soups in our thermos for the winter. We were never sick. Not even a cold. It was the best year ever.
The Parallels of Nature Education and Montessori Philosophy
*The Montessori Philosophy emphasizes immersion in nature to assist in the development of the whole child. Spending time in nature promotes physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development in every child. Forming a connection with nature early-on helps children become more environmentally responsible, and this viewpoint extends from childhood into adulthood. Dr. Montessori made it a point to emphasize the interconnectedness of humanity and nature. “The land is where our roots are,” she wrote. “The children must be taught to feel and live in harmony with the Earth. Cosmic education is the belief that children should understand that they are a part of a greater universe. By allowing them to spend time in nature, they can better understand this concept.
*excerpt from Silverline Montessori
Connecting with Nature in the Outdoor Classroom is Always a Joy.
Walking on the uneven ground along the river at Camino Pequeño trail I observe a child finding his footing, strengthening his core, balancing on stones to cross the river, and his fearlessness to climb a tree. The primary students use their stalking skills to fox walk quietly out the door and gather underneath the piñon tree. We listen to the songbirds call and response and act out the animal forms: a mama chickadee, a hungry juvenile, or a bird of prey. I observe a student in the mud kitchen, focused and content in her creations. Using dirt and water to make mud, a rock, and a stick. The students listen to their heart center and share gratitude for mother earth and for their families. Our bodies relax, imaginations flow, and we tune in with our senses and release any remaining tension from the material world. The children want to stay all day. It is never long enough.