The force of the forest

"There is a life force in our forest, some people say it’s just a forest, but we know there is more ..."

After several days of heavy rain, and by heavy rain, I mean really heavy rain, I was pleased to see the sun and blue sky for a change. I think the children must have been pleased too. After so much rainfall, everything does look a lot greener and fresher. This is the perfect time to kick of our shoes, put on our gumboots, head for the bush and shake of any cabin fever! We are lucky, at Little Earth, that the bush is only a five minute walk away.


Nikau Reserve is a lush nikau palm forest, a lovely little heaven in a place you least expect it. Once entered, you find yourself in a realm of palm trees, ferns, and dense undergrowth. The reserve is full of native flora and fauna, and we often see kereru, tui and fantail. The kereru is New Zealand’s native wood pigeon, which plays a crucial role to the  regeneration of our native forest as they disperse seeds. The fantail is a little bird with a curious nature, which follows us around, hopping from branch to branch. The tui is a nectar feeding bird and endemic to New Zealand. The tui has a distinctive call, and it is always fun to spot a tui up in the trees.

At Little Earth we have been learning about Tāne Māhuta, the forest. In Maori mythology, people, and all aspects of nature are descended from the Sky Father (Ranginui) and the Earth Mother (Papatuanuku). Everything is interrelated and interconnected; the light, the sun, the energy, the forests, the oceans, the air, and the food we eat. At Little Earth we use the Maori mythology to introduce the children to care and respect for our Earth.



The forest is also the bringer of knowledge, Tāne te Wānanga. There is so much to learn. We started our  relationship with Nikau Reserve by exploring our surroundings, going for regular walks.  We began to transfer the care we were giving the plants and animals at our preschool to the plants and insects in Nikau Reserve. We have returned to Nikau reserve many times, each time reflecting on our previous experience, recalling instances of care and discovery. What did we notice?  More observation and sensory exploration, periods of silence, more discoveries, respect and care. We look at fungi, discover whare pungawerewere (spider webs), and find kākano (seedpods). We use our eyes, we use our ears, we use our gentle hands, we smell. We see life everywhere and we know there is more to discover. Nikau Reserve has become a treasure. The forest teaches us!

- Anja

Book source: “In the beginning” by Peter Gossage

Model as you Teach!

This upcoming weekend I will be presenting a workshop during the national MANZ Montessori conference "In Service of the Child" in Christchurch, New Zealand. The workshop "Beyond recycling, creating a sustainable community" focuses on nurturing sustainability as a frame of mind and as an embedded culture in early childhood settings. While preparing and researching about education for sustainability, and reflecting on our own practices at Tawa Montessori and Little Earth, I have come to realise how important it is to "model as you teach".

One of the aims of education for sustainability at our preschools is to help our children to understand that they are global citizens with shared responsibilities to the environment and humanity. This introduces them, amongst other things, to the concept of caring. For the children to really understand the concept of caring, they have to experience it. At this young age, children learn most from observing and doing, they need to see you model what you are teaching and they need opportunities to practice it. To foster or teach positive attitudes, you need to model positive attitudes. This means that as teachers, introducing our children to the concept of caring, we need to model the concept of caring.

While this may seem simple, I have found it one of the most challenging aspects of teaching. Not that I find it hard to model caring, or kindness. What I find hard is to truly model the frame of mind that is needed to foster these attitudes, especially when that frame of mind is transient. Teaching is a journey, you never stand still. A true teacher is a lifelong learner, and as I learn, my mind shifts.

The positive attitudes needed to support a thriving community need to be integrated in how we think. Becoming a sustainable community is a transformative journey. I am still learning, and I am learning by acting and experimenting. As I am still learning, and practicing, my modeling is not always what I say or teach.

Here is an example from one of our preschools. At Little Earth we take our children on regular walks to a nearby forest reserve full with Nikau palm trees. In the forest we show them how to look for insects, how to listen to the birds, how to feel the texture of the bark and how to smell the scent of the flowers, all in an unobtrusive way. We teach our children about respect for all living things, and talk about the branches and leaves on the forest floor and how they are potential homes for lizards and insects. During one of our walks I took one of the big fallen palm leaves back to preschool, for further exploration. Not long and the children started questioning me: "Why did I take this treasure from the forest?", "Why didn't I leave it where it belongs?", "Why did I disturb the homes of the many insects that live on the forest floor?" Did I model what I teach? What was my agenda? What was the children's agenda?

As teachers and as part of our own self review and reflection, we need not only ask ourself the question "Am I doing the right things, in what way does this activity contribute to a more sustainable living?", we also need to listen to our children. They are our biggest teachers. Their questions, observations and remarks show us that teaching goes beyond our practices, it is about what mind shifts we make as a result of our practices.

The transformative journey of teaching sustainability can be challenging, but very rewarding. At Tawa Montessori and Little Earth we have the privilege to learn from and with each other and the children as we share the journey. We are learning our way forwards to a more sustainable way of living. Reflecting on our own daily thoughts, decisions and actions help us learning to model as we teach, together!

As an educator or parent, does "model as you teach" come natural to you? What are your challenges?
- Anja

Letterboxing, a treasurehunt in the bush

We are in the middle of the school holidays and here, downunder in Wellington, we are experiencing some beautiful Autumn weather. A good time to be outside. Some time ago I read an article about letterboxing on the Greenhour website. I had never heard about it before and I didn't expect this activity to be taking place in New Zealand. However, to my surprise, there are a few letterbox groups active around New Zealand, placing and tracking boxes. I decided, with such beautiful weather, it is time to introduce my children, and myself, to the pastime of letterboxing.

Letterboxing is an outdoor activity where you follow a set of clues, downloaded from the internet, and use navigational skills to find a letterbox; a small box, containing a notebook and a rubber stamp. Finders stamp their own little notebook, using the stamp in the box. They also stamp the logbook in the box, using their own stamp. It is similar to geocaching, except that there is no need for a gps. Letterboxing is an ideal outdoor activity you can do with young children.

When I raised the idea of letterboxing in my family, the children were a bit skeptical. They questioned why they should go into the bush to find a box? However, once we were on the track there was no stopping. They went from clue to clue.




Our first time of letterboxing takes us to the Redwood Bush in Tawa. The first clue is cryptic, but quickly solved by the oldest, who is a bit more familiar in the area. We hike up a path through regenerative native bush on the outskirts of Wellington. It is already late afternoon, about an hour before sunset. Darkness is starting to set in the bush. The birds are ruffling and twittering, finding their way to their roosting places. Arriving at the destination, we all start searching for the box. I am about to think we have followed an outdated clue, when Camiel shouts out that he can see the box. With big excitement he retrieves the box and opens it. There is a little pretty booklet inside with a lovely stamp and instructions. We read the entries from previous letterboxers. We stamp and date the little booklet and add a little note. Then we stamp our own little booklet. Camiel places everything carefully back. It is getting dark now and we hurry up, continuing our walk back to the car.

We all had good fun. Letterboxing added a new and interesting element to our family bushwalk. Back in the car, there was a unanimous "that was fun". Letterboxing is a great motivator for children to join mum and dad on their bushwalks, after all, who doesn't want to go on a treasure hunt?
- Anja


Links:

• New Zealand letterboxing
  
• US letterboxing

Rivercrossings and bushwalks

Belmont Regional Park is a nature reserve, managed by Greater Wellington Regional Council. It has is a good variety in tracks, ranging from easy and flat, to difficult and steep, and is a great place to take young children bushwalking.

Last weekend we walked the Waterfall Track, a track we have walked before. Wellingtonians who are familiar with Belmont Regional Park will know that this track poses a bit of a challenge for some people. The track meanders through Dry Creek valley and follows and crosses a stream. The big challenge of the track is to keep your feet dry!

To get to the waterfall at the end of the track, you will have to cross the stream about twenty five times! This is true Middle Earth country. The huge fortress city of ‘Minas Tirith’ and ‘Helm’s Deep’ in the Two Towers, where the climactic battle takes place, were built at nearby Dry Creek Quarry. The stream meanders through thick bush, with steep banks. Whilst there is a track, the numerous rivercrossings make it at times hard to stay on the track and sometimes it is just easier to abandon the track and follow the stream. This is where the fun comes in, at least for children.


In New Zealand we are at the end of summer, and the stream was not very deep. Rivercrossings, involving shallow, calm water, are great for children, who need lots of outdoor exercise, gross motor development and natural challenges. My daughter, Esmee, now 7, had an absolute marvelous time as she made her way upstream. However, please make sure your child is supervised when crossing water as there is a certain aspect of danger involved and a calm river stream can change in a dangerous roaring torrent in no time.

To cross the stream, Esmee had to judge the rocks which were scattered throughout the stream. Sometimes she had to jump, from one rock to the other. And the odd time she needed dad's strong hand to assist her when distances were too large to jump. Most of the time we let Esmee make her own judgments, analysing and calculating the best route. The grin on her face, after a big jump across, was priceless and worth the wet shoes that came with it.

The numerous rivercrossings gave the bushwalk an extra dimension. Physically, is was more challenging, involving stone stepping, jumping, climbing, and wading. There are also many things to see, smell and feel along a stream which you may not find in dryer parts of the bush. There are different plants, different trees and different animals that you may encounter, that live and grow near the water. We heard several birdsounds, and Esmee spotted tui and fantails.

Bushwalks are a great learning experience. Children often adapt better then you expect, and the young ones are often great walkers. Once Esmee got the hang of the crossings, she and her older teenage siblings took of. She was first at the waterfall, explored the area and headed back down the track again, in the company of her older siblings, leaving mum and dad behind, who were having their own sruggles trying to keep their feet dry.

As a family we thoroughly enjoy our bushwalks. Each time we go it brings us new and wonderful experiences. Rivers and stream add an adventurous dimension to the outings. And young children truly do love to be outdoors!

What is your family's favourite bushwalk?

- Anja