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Children
and environment
HOW
TO CULTIVATE CARING
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Children
today grow up with an understanding that the human being is a threat against
the environment, a potential menace from which Nature must be protected.
Even if they are taught to recycle waste and perhaps also even to compost,
it is easy for them to be frightened away from constructive action by such
a picture. Is there any way to balance overly problem-focused environmental
subjects at school? Is there a way to cultivate caring?
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REFORM '97
The
need for such a comprehensive perspective is a clear priority in the
recent Norwegian school reform. The task which schools are confronted
with, according to this reform, is, among other things, to develop a
capacity for independent thinking and action. Stimulating in students
a sense of responsibility for each other, for their surroundings and
for nature is emphasised. Thus school instruction should become more
experience-oriented and be based more on the use of local resources.
SCHOOL GROUNDS AS PLACES FOR LEARNING
"Living
School" is a four-year co-operative project between the Agricultural
University of Norway and the National Gardening Society (1996-2000).
The goal is to implement the intentions in Reform'97 by directing attention
to school grounds as a learning arena. The idea is to give pupils an
opportunity to experience contact with Nature through the cultivation
of their immediate environment. The interest and empathy which can be
awakened through such an activity stimulate a thirst for knowledge and
care for one's immediate surroundings. The project's focus is thus on
the development and use of school grounds - with gardening as an important
part - and by extending of the term "grounds" to include neighbouring
farms as important pedagogical resources.
CARING
FOR THE IMMEDIATE SURROUNDINGS
School
grounds are an expression of what is important for adults. What we create
is often a model for our children. Imagine school grounds teeming with
life - with plants and water, stones and stalks, with workshops for
crafts and arts, with secret hiding places, with tables and benches
for celebrations and daily meeting. Here it would be possible for a
child to develop a sense of aesthetics in the creation of outdoor spaces.
He/she would have a chance to experience how art and handwork are woven
into our culture.
Imagine
also how this might be achieved: With the help of experts in landscape
forming, aesthetics, gardening and local architecture; through the collective
work of parents, pupils and teachers. A strengthening of the bonds between
school, home and local community could only be the result. Through such
an initiative we can teach pupils to work together and to understand
that our surroundings need us as much as we need them.
RENAISSANCE
OF SCHOOL GARDENS
Having
a garden at school will enable teachers to use an interdisciplinary
approach to instruction. Obviously, natural sciences and environmental
subjects can be taught in this way. Composting, for example, will make
sense when experienced in the garden. Here pupils can really feel and
smell how physical forces change matter and substance. They can sow
their own seeds and learn to know vegetables, flowers and small animals.
The leap to home-economics is short and with a little imagination most
other subjects can also be brought into relation to the work in the
garden.
A
BRIDGE TO WORK AND SOCIETY
Participating
in the daily life of a farm already from the first year at school, pupils
can experience the connection between the cultivation they do at school
on a small scale and that which the farmer does in working life. The
ecological interplay between man and nature becomes more evident. Pupils
receive a unique chance to develop a sense of responsibility by taking
care of the farm's animals, while at the same time then learn to use
their physical powers for work which also benefits others. In the relationship
of the farmer to nature the pupils can become aware of a cultural history
of many hundred and indeed thousands of years standing. This strengthens
their ties to the local community.
DEVELOPMENT
OF MODELS
"Living
School" is assembling two model-groups: The one is directed towards
school grounds, and the other towards farms as a pedagogical resource.
The goal is to support initiatives which have already begun that can
serve as references on a national basis. In this way schools and farms
with some experience can function as local resource centres.
IMPROVEMENT
AND USE OF SCHOOL GROUNDS
Eight pilot schools spread out throughout the country receive help to
further their work with school grounds as an arena for learning. A team
of consultants - composed of a landscape architect, an ecological gardener,
and a teacher with outdoor experience, work out, - together with teachers,
pupils and parents, - a plan for development and use of the whole area.
The making of the plan takes into consideration the aesthetic, functional
and pedagogical aspects, with ecological gardening as an important part.
The
pilot schools receive help to initiate projects that demand a great
deal of voluntary labour. Potential student-projects are also designated.
Schools are granted sums of money that may serve as an incentive to
local contributions. Schools must raise matching funds to obtain financial
support from the project.
Model schools: In addition to pilot schools, "Living School"
aims to contribute to the recognition of schools that have produced
appropriate work independently of the Living School project. Schools
that wish to play such a role will become a part of the Living School
network.
THE
FARM AS PEDAGOGICAL RESOURCE
The
Living School project is also in the process of assembling a
comprehensive farm/school pedagogical syllabus. This is a new within
pedagogy both with regards to content and economic support. The eight
farms which participate in this work receive help to open up their doors
to schools and to obtain remuneration locally for the service they offer.
A common goal for farmers and teachers involved in these pilot ventures,
is to give theme- and project-based instruction a concrete substance
through use of the farm. Where there are possibilities, teacher colleges
and agricultural schools will participate in the development of school
farms, both for the sake of teacher education as well as for supplementary
training of farmers and teachers.
COURSES
Living
School has developed courses for teacher education. The goal of
the course series which is organised in four modules is to help teachers
meet the challenges of Reform '97.
MODUL 1:
"School grounds as interdisciplinary teaching environment" - introduction
to use of gardening and outdoor places in school.
MODUL 2:
"A project in your own school" - planning and pedagogical use of a
school garden through the school year.
MODUL 3:
"Learning from nature" - theme and project work with nature in the immediate
vacinity.
MODUL 4:
"Development of school grounds" - planning and practice outdoors.
Module
1 and 2 compose the core of the course program, where as module 3
and 4 are independent courses.
Living
School co-operates with five resource centres in offering courses.
TEACHING
AIDS AND PUBLICATIONS
As part of the distribution of information around Living School, different theme-booklets
which summarise course-experience and model-development will be published.
In
addition to these teaching aids, there will be reports on the current
development of pilot projects. These will be of use not only in practical
work, but also in working with authorities who have responsibility
for the development of local schools.
NETWORK
Living School would like to contribute to establishing a base
of knowledge about the work which individuals, schools and professionals
already have done. This will be the result of a conjoining of experience
and international research and development. Living school will facilitate
the assembly of networks on regional, national and international levels
and the flow of information between these instances.
REGIONAL
To build up regional competency, Living School is working with the
five resource centres in the development of courses. (see COURSES)
In addition to these teaching centres, schools and farms in the
two pilot projects will serve as regional resource centres both
during and after the project period.
NATIONAL
During the project period, Living School will develop a national
knowledge base for planning, organisation and learning-oriented
use of school grounds, school gardens and farms. In this way schools
and local authorities will receive a necessary foundation to assist
them in realising the goals of Reform '97.
Living
School will facilitate the exchange of experiences between schools/farms
taking part in the project and the regional course centres. Newsletters
and conferences will keep interested parties informed.
INTERNATIONAL
Living School wants to relay and correlate research and development.
Contact has been made with similar organisations such as "Skolans
Uterom" and MOVIUM in Sweden, "Learning through Landscapes" in England,
Schulbiologizentrum Hannover in Germany and "Life Lab" in USA.
RESEARCH
Living School would also like to stimulate research in this field.
This applies both to the Agriculture University of Norway as well as
to teacher colleges. We are in the process of establishing research
exchanges at the doctorate level with University of Fort Hare in South
Africa. We are working towards an integration of the school grounds
concept as a didactic method with the research work of the Nordic Forestry,
Veterinary and Agricultural University (NOVA).
ORGANIZATION
Living School is a joint venture between the Department of Horticultural
and Crop Science and the Department and Land Use and Landscape Planning
at the Agriculture University of Norway and the National Gardening Society.
The administration is composed of members from both organisations.
FINANCING
Living School is supported by the Ministries of Education, Research
and Church, Environment, Agriculture and Health and Social Affairs as
well as the Norwegian council for cultural affairs.
CONTACT
If
you would like more information about "a Living School", contact:
Levande
skule
Pb. 5022
1432 Ås
Norway
E-mail:
levande.skule@ipf.nlh.no
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