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FYI

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We have been asked by an educator how our forest and nature school differs from other daycares and other childcare philosophies. This educator commented that these philosophies and approaches are all pretty much the same!

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Although Forest and Nature school, Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio Emilia, and the BC ELF are all holistic, child-led approaches to early education that emphasise respect for children and hands on learning, and they have built on each other over time, they are very different in critical ways. They are each amazing in their own right. However, we take inspiration and ideas from Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio Emilia, and the BC ELF that specifically fit our situation and blend them with and enhance the Mousewood Forest and Nature School experience.

Here are the basics of what we mean by “Mousewood is a Forest and Nature School with influences from Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio Emilia, and the ELF”:

1. Forest and Nature Schools

Forest and Nature School in Canada is an educational approach that uses the philosophy of child-led education with a nature focus. Forest and nature schools are unique and so different than other programs and approaches in their foundational principles and the way they play out and look. They fundamentally incorporate bushcraft skills and risk taking not seen in other methods. (Mousewood will not have open fires.)

Forest and nature schools (AKA forest schools, nature schools, FNS) are about a sense of place: being in a woodland/forest (ideally) over a long period of time to watch the changes, really get to know and connect with everything that happens there though the seasons. To explore everything that comes up and happens in  that space, noticing everything  about the space with wonder and curiosity. Animals, plants, weather… Asking Why? How? Respecting, exploring, discovering, creating, assessing and risks, challenging yourself, cooperation, perseverance, resilience, self-confidence. To understand nature, ecology and sustainability at an almost subconscious level that can last a lifetime, while enjoying an active lifestyle, appreciating what outside play offers them that inside doesn't. This is so needed with children in this day and age. 

Children in a forest and nature school spend most, if not all of the day outside. Compared to typical childcare, everything is quite different. What does this mean? The educators are trained forest and nature school practitioners, a one-year course, though in our case we are in training. Children practice flexible thinking differently compared to other types of childcare. From different types of safety rules to learn including what to do if a lynx is near, and different types of routines including preparing to sleep outside, checking to ensure ecological sustainability, and using porta-potties, to assessing risks and challenging one’s abilities to climb on huge fallen trees and jump over rushing streams, to cooperating with the other children to figure out how to build a shelter out of branches they find by themselves in the woods, making sure the branches are the right length and width, and learning how to use real tools to do real work. Children learn self-confidence, resilience, persistence, and cooperation in ways and at levels uncommon in an average childcare.

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Significantly, many children (and staff) are negatively affected by the sensory overwhelm in many childcare settings. The sensory overwhelm in an open outdoor space is usually markedly reduced or absent. There are no florescent lights, there’s nobody in your way or in your space when you are trying to play with something. The noise isn’t reverberating off the walls. Nature is wide open, free and … natural.

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Children who love movement are free to move fast, frequently and to be themselves without being told to slow their bodies and use their inside voices for most of the day. Children are encouraged to assess appropriate risks and to persevere at tasks that they normally wouldn't have had the opportunity to do. There is a lot of team work and cooperation with the children as they work on things like building their own shelter. Aside from forest and nature programs providing children with more fresh air (fewer germs), sunshine, and physical activity, they are healthy for children in many other ways.

Because our forest and nature school also operates inside when necessary, we bring the outside program in to some extent. While we are inside, we use other types of toys, materials and activities to round out the indoor programs. Although we certainly use the following aspects in our outside programs, they really shine inside.

2. What's Montessori got to do with it?

Montessori is a complex educational philosophy that requires their teachers to be specially trained. Maria Montessori’s work was so revolutionary that it is still used in whole well over 100 years after it was developed and has profoundly influenced education. At Mousewood, we draw inspiration from Montessori to enhance our Forest and Nature School not only with its materials, but with Maria Montessori’s beliefs of respect for children, that children should have a beautiful, prepared environment designed for them, and that children are capable (a concept later incorporated into Reggio Emilia) of doing things that most people don’t give them credit for.

Montessori Practical Life skills such as pouring are carried over and complemented by the super cool “meaningful work” you can do with beginning bushcraft skills- like building shelters and whittling little gnomes or wizard wands. Forest schools and Montessori methods blend by watching each child to see when a child is ready and interested in learning a new skill, such as using a tool.

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Montessori is… matching animal tracks or bark on picture cards to the toy animal or real bark sample, and other specific closed-ended activities that perhaps teach nature concepts. Closed-ended activities can have their place. Mousewood will also offer children opportunities to use Montessori materials, such as the sensorial materials, beginning language and math materials, and cultural materials, particularly the Indigenous cultures we have in Prince George.

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Montessori materials are known for being beautiful, made of perfectly engineered wood with fine craftsmanship. Genuine AMI Montessori materials are quite expensive. However, there are a million (colourful) knockoffs, and you can make some great Montessori activities yourself.

Mousewood’s Montessori materials and activities can be chosen by a child indoors, or on a blanket outside. The great thing about incorporating Montessori into our indoor and outdoor forest and nature programs is just how flexible they make the forest school.

3. What in the world does Waldorf do?

Waldorf is a specific philosophy with special training for its educators and very particular ways of doing things. The inspiration we draw from Waldorf brings out and enhances the magical wonder of forest schools. Where Montessori leans toward closed-ended materials. Waldorf is all about the open-ended. Imagination is where it’s at in Waldorf schools. Making up oral stories about aspects of the woods or the surroundings is also part of forest schools. These stories are created, with children’s suggestions, mixing new facts, known facts, and the fantastical world of make believe.

Waldorf is… dancing with ribbons and scarves out in nature while pretending to be a scampering baby deer or a mischievous woodland elf. Waldorf is… natural fibres, natural arts, singing nature songs, making magic wands out of things you find yourself in the woods. It’s making cozy, cute fairy house under a tree, or whittling a gnome family to live in the forest. It’s creating small worlds with wooden animals and people and natural materials and fabric. Waldorf is very connected to the seasons. Waldorf brings out the magical wonder of nature aspect of forest schools. We carry this into our indoor classrooms.

If you’ve ever seen a real Waldorf nursery classroom, you might have been in awe. They are so warm and inviting. At Mousewood, we bring Waldorf warmth and imagination into the forest. It is also an integral part of our indoor program.

4. Reggio  Emilia

You: Really? You’re gonna try to mansplain Reggio Emilia to me?

Me: Yes, actually. Haha

Ok, so, the Reggio Emilia approach was developed by Loris Malaguzzi. It was built on the ideas of Montessori, Waldorf, and socio-constructivism, creating something very beautiful. It is now so integrated into how we teach that I sometimes forget to mention it—because it just is how we do things.

At Mousewood, and in many forest schools across Canada, the Reggio Emilia approach fits seamlessly into our nature-based programs. It seems that the creators of the Canadian Forest and Nature School Approach used the Reggio Emilia Approach as a strong influence. Inquiry-based learning, emergent curriculum, the project approach, seeing the child as capable, the environment as the third teacher, pedagogical narration, collaboration, co-constructing learning, parent involvement, and community—these are all the heart of what we do.

It is important to note that the Reggio Emilia approach tells us that although natural materials are preferred,  plastic is not taboo. That is something about Reggio Emilia a lot of educators don’t realise. Plastic is fine for some things indoors and out. Particularly when it is an item of good quality. Which is good especially since our climate is  so hard on wood.

5. The BC Early Learning Framework

The ELF came out in 2018-19 and combines aspects of all of these approaches in various ways. But the really great thing about the BC ELF is how it incorporates reconciliation and integrates Indigenous ways of knowing. This is actually one of Mousewood’s beliefs and purposes. Forest schools in Canada, which began in Canada in 2008 after they rose in popularity in Europe, revere the Indigenous ways of knowing, and knowledge of and connection to the land, plants and animals. Working with Elders and Knowledge Keepers of the Lheidli T’enneh will be an honour and an important part of our program.

The BC ELF simply highlights many aspects of forest and nature schools because it seems the creation of the ELF was influenced by forest and nature schools, and it underscores the importance of the Indigenous ways of knowing, learning, and view of the child.

6.  Conclusion

So, there you have it in a nut shell how we use Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio Emilia and the BC ELF to emphasise aspects of our Forest and Nature programs, particularly the indoor part of our programs. There really is more to it. But writing a book just isn’t in the cards right now. Basically, we want to ensure the qualities mentioned here are prominent and not overlooked. Importantly, these features can be taken inside much more easily than traditional forest school activities.

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Mousewood has a truly amazing program that can be made better with your input and insight. Everyone has new viewpoints and ideas to add. A team approach is necessary to create something phenomenal. Hopefully these explanations will resonate with you. If they do, please contact us.

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