[Note- Here are the notes I took that day, edited for clarity]
Notes – Day 3 Session 1
Fostering children’s creativity, ingenuity, and problem-solving: Making the most of space, time, and materials in natural outdoor classrooms
Environmental Education for Children
1 1/2-hour session — limit 4 presenters
Preschoolers
11/4/2016 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM Room 408B
Los Angeles Convention Center
Christine Kiewra, Research Director, Dimensions Educational Research Foundation/Nature Explore; Ellen Veselack, Preschool Director, Child Educational Center
Flexible thinking and creativity are critically important skills for children to develop in order to be productive, contributing adults throughout life. Children’s creativity thrives when they have opportunities to engage in problem-solving endeavors that involve planning their own projects, building structures and creating venues for storytelling. This happens best in environments that support children’s freedom to think for themselves, ponder problems and dream up creations; where they have time to work until they are done, space to move about in and work with an abundance of open-ended, natural materials alongside caring adults who support their efforts. This session will feature information gleaned from experience and research on creativity specifically in outdoor learning environments. Natural outdoor classrooms have the elements called for including ample space and materials to uniquely support young children’s creativity and joyful learning. Participants will learn strategies for implementing changes to boost creativity, ingenuity and problem solving through careful selection of ‘loose parts’ and tools for children’s use. Examples of strategies for involving children in co-creating their own learning experiences will also be shared and discussed.
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but a lighting of a fire.”
Biggest decision:
- space (space speaks to us – Jim Green)
- Time (beware of over structuring)
- materials (sticks etc)
- adult role (beware of talking too much)
Teachers talk too much and listen too little
Suggested book: John Medina – Brain Rules”
“If you wanted to create an education environment that was directly opposed to what the brain was good at doing, you probably would design something like a classroom.” – John Medina in Brain Rules
Biophilic response – when nature is a part of life
“When there are manufactured materials, who has done all the thinking?”
We give children something to do vs something to learn. They do learning on their own.
Story example of what happened when hiring engineers:
Senior engineers had taken things apart and the younger generation had spent time in books. It didn’t make engineers [creative thinkers]
Then they hired by asking “How did you play when you were younger?”
Somewhere at 3 its like telling kids, “you don’t know how to learn…”
Executive function
the air traffic control system
working {memory?}
self regulation / self control
flexible thinking
— isn’t fully developed until the 20s
How can we help support it?
most resourceful
sticks – top number for used materials in the toy hall of fame
Space
what makes a good learning environment?
- relationships
- scale
- flexibility
- predictability
Outdoor Classroom project site La Cañada, California
(story told of a girl who found a piece of broken bark on the ground) Bark puzzle – thickness, edges
This wasn’t something a teacher gave in a center
Are you making bread from scratch? Or a mix?
“Teachers don’t feel like they’re doing enough if they’re not intervening enough”
Mailbox on playground < white inside to avoid spiders?
It is important that things are predictable
They could take equipment from other space
spaces most used the most – flexible spaces
Story of when a teachers brought out some items for the play engaged kids, “Look at what they’re doing for us!”
A thought out space shows kids they are valued
Don’t try to load everything in there, leave spaces for them
places to run – kids HAVE to run
providing boards and stones
“We need to stop treating our bodies as if they’re instruments to carry our brain.”
wood ladder
pathways – leaf cement imprints
Map of playground? – name areas?
What could you add to your space to support creativity, ingenuity, and problem solving?
Time
- Allowing time for them to work until they are finished
- 40min-1 hour to fully engage
- teachers are interrupting constantly (to keep on their schedule)
- exploring gravity
- long attention spans
- that’s because they don’t want to do the things we want them to do
consistent factor - reflection and revisit – add to what they’ve learned
Materials
- non standardization encourages divergent thinking
- open ended and natural materials both suggest ideas and allow children to bring their own ideas
- knowing where to find materials everyday (predictable)
- Environmental stewardship starts with a relationship of the animals that are there
- loose parts for big body play (large logs, large tree cookies, moving chairs)
- gutters
- tools for discovery
- notebooks
- drums are a great loose part – sand on
- having props indoors that support
- [bird watching station]
Adult Role
- different role than traditional outdoor spaces
- adults allowing children to stretch the boundaries of convention
- staying out of the way and letting children explore and problem solve
- we narrate too much
- when you fill the void then you take away opportunity for them to think. Instead be there to support them
Photos of slides:
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Making the case for creativity
Why creativity? The world is changing at a fantastic speed. The future requires people who can problem-solve, adapt and communicate in workplaces and environments that are increasingly complex.
Creativity creates jobs, drives economic growth and provides answers to societal needs. And it also maximizes human potential. Children with high “creative self-efficacy” are better able to handle stress and are more confident about their futures.
Bronson & Merryman 2010
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“We must provide for children those kinds of environments which illicit their interests and talents and which deepen their engagement in practice and thought… we must learn how to lap into those existing energies and innovative powers.” – Frances Hawkins
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When two human beings share a mutual interest, the spark and excitement surrounding exploring this interest is electrifying”
Frances Hawkins
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Other insights worth noting
peer to peer learning
more opportunities for creativity in natural outdoor classrooms
we identified three ways children expressed creativity; real life, imagination/fantasy play, use of tools/problem-solving
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How can a natural outdoor classroom help you..
feel more effective in your work?
influence children’s behavior?
add more joy to your work?
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outdoorclassroomproject.org
Session Handout– Resources and Materials from Nature Explore and The Outdoor Classroom Project