Table of contents for JULY/AUGUST ISSUE 6 2019 NATURE PEDAGOGY in Pedagogy+

GLOSSARY Concerto. A musical composition that involves a dramatic interaction between a featured soloist (or in some cases, soloists) and the orchestra. Movement. A musical piece that can be performed on its own but is part of a larger composition. Movements can follow their own form, key, and mood, and often contain a complete resolution or ending. Musicologist. A person who studies music as an academic subject as distinct from performing or composing. Sonnet. A poem of fourteen lines using any of a number of formal rhyme schemes (derived from ‘little song’ in Italian).…

In most of my writing the term inside, outside and beyond has been used to focus on location, a site for play and learning with the natural world to occur. This framework is useful in that it provokes people to consider the relationship between locations and how the nature pedagogy we develop influences that relationship. However, in this article inside, outside and beyond goes further to have a second metaphor. Inside is within self, the emotions and thoughts each of us has, that may be termed the soul. Outside represents our relationship with others, the living and the non-living aspects of the planet that we encounter. Beyond, is the unobservable, the undefined web of in betweenness that stretches across the observable and unobservable aspects of our lives. The sense of…

It may come as a surprise to some practitioners that teaching ‘outside’ was promoted by philosophers, pedagogues and naturalists in Europe and the United Kingdom as early as the 1800s. Inspired by the natural world, the Romantics of the 18th and 19th centuries believed that children were innocent and enjoyed a precious infinity with nature. Their writings, poetry and art celebrated freedom, creativity and possibility; presenting a world of infinite potential. Influenced by Romanticism thinking, Pestalozzi (1746-1827) advocated that life for young children should be happy and free, and for play in the natural world. In turn, Pestalozzi influenced later educational leaders, such as Steiner, Froebel and Dewey, who also promoted play within the natural environment. In the 1900s in the United Kingdom, Susan Isaacs and Maria Montessori championed learning…

BUILDING BLOCKS OF A YOGA PRACTICE Breath Meditation Mindfulness Physical Postures Positive Affirmations Character Education Karma Yoga STEP 1 foundation | be curious Ask yourself: Why do I want myself and my children to practice yoga? Why do I want to teach yoga to children? STEP 2 exploration | be creative Look into the different elements of yoga. Ask yourself: Are there ten yoga and mindfulness practices that interest me? What training could I take or books could I read? STEP 3 action | be clear Ask yourself: Which two yoga practices and/or mindfulness practices do I love the best? Which specific elements of yoga practice could I make a part of my life? STEP 4 integration | beconfident Ask yourself: How do I integrate yoga into my life (and…

Climate change is one of the major threats facing children today. Its impacts will probably increase throughout their adult lives. Therefore, it’s important that children are taught the facts of climate change and its solutions with an approach that empowers them to be part of the solution. Climate change is an interdisciplinary issue that involves science, technology, social studies, business, law, ethics and more. It can be taught in all school subjects. CLIMATE SCIENCE AND IMPACTS Science has established beyond reasonable doubt that, since industrialisation, Earth’s climate has been warming rapidly compared with prehistoric changes on geological timescales. The changes are caused primarily by human activities. The most important driver is the burning of fossil fuels – coal, oil and natural gas – which release greenhouse gases (GHGs) that form…

The days are shorter and cooler, a crispness fills the air… there is no better way to connect with what this invigorating season and nature has to offer than to pull on the woollies, venture out and enjoy winter and the glorious outdoors. A recent wander through the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne brought back childhood memories of Sundays in the park, evening walks along the canal bank and time in our family garden amid a treasure trove of trees, fruit trees, a vegetable patch, flowerbeds, a natural play space and an old garden shed. These recollections herald from a faraway land. Yet, experiencing the gardens, immersed in a calmness of green and in awe of the beauty and vastness of the nature surrounding me, I sensed a connection with…

We hope you enjoy Pedagogy+ the art of teaching. Each issue of the magazine looks at a theme relevant to early education; exploring and challenging practice and thinking. The pages of Pedagogy+ brim with inspiring articles, candid conversations, the latest trends and lifestyle treats - our brief being to foster critical thinking and stimulate conversations that can advance the theory and practice of pedagogy in early education settings, and to encourage you to think about you. Why subscribe? – it’s an opportunity to: Slow down, relax and enjoy a well-informed read Share in the insights of highly-respected and knowledgeable education experts Enjoy the experience of deciding – what might I like for me or that would make a great gift for someone else Criticallyreflectonwhatyou do and why you do…

1. HEALTH APP IPHONE The Health App is a FREE iPhone App that helps you keep track of overall health factors, such as mindfullness to engourge taking time out to quiet your mind, relax your body and be in the moment. You can also track your daily steps, to keep you focused on goal setting and reaching your daily and weekly target. A list of reccomended Apps are also listed at the bottom of each section, these Apps are directly related to that particular health and wellbeing category. You can download and link any of these Apps to your health App. 2. NATI ULTRASONIC AROMATHERAPY DIFFUSER [300ML | 16HRS] Relax and rejuvenate with this Nati Ultrasonic Aroma Diffuser. Instantly create a relaxing and aromatic environment by adding a few drops…

It is such an honour to chat with Janet Roberston who graces our cover. Janet has recently retired as the outdoor teacher at Mia Mia. Janet’s name is synonymous with that of the outdoor environment – the third teacher. Janet has and will continue to influence educators regarding their work with children. In this interview we reflect about her career and what the future might hold for her. WHY DID YOU MAKE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AS A CAREER CHOICE? My aunt and stepmother were both kindergarten teachers and I was so hopeless at everything else, but supposedly good with children, it was thought that kindergarten teaching might work. I was previously a nanny and babysitter as a teenager. So, it perhaps was something others saw in in me, some potential.…

The power of history intersecting with language - The serendipity of like-minded people in places with time to reflect The unfolding of circumstances enabling influence and possibility to be exploded onto a world stage: Intersections of assessment and evaluation in a dance with meaning-making challenging mindsets and ways forward. The educational consultancy and research team at Semann & Slattery had a unique opportunity to join in conversation with one of early childhood’s most notable thinkers-Professor Dahlberg from the Department of Child and Youth Studies, Stockholm University, Sweden. Having kindly accepted the invitation to be a “Thinker in Residence” with the organisation, Gunilla led two days of professional learning for the people gathered from three states to think together in Newtown, NSW. Invited to share some of this thinking with Pedagogy…

When released in 2009 the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) was a framework perceived by many educators as a document that would authenticate our professional identity within the world of education, moving the early childhood industry into the realms of a ‘profession’ and on par with the social and professional status of our teaching colleagues in primary and high schools. Ten years later, however, the early childhood sector is still struggling with its professional identity within society, often being seen as an economic support service for the Australian economy that enables mothers to return to the workforce, as opposed to the specialised early childhood educational environment we know it to be. So now, armed with Australia’s first national Early Years Learning Framework, why are we still in this position? Have…

to welcome the dawn as the sun softly colours the morning sky take time to rejoice in the beauty of each day take time to express gratitude as twilight embraces nightfall take time to wriggle your toes in the cool of dewey grass take time in nature… findyourquietspot– on grass, on sand, on soil, on a rock lie flat on your back spread your arms out wide lie very still close your eyes breathe deeply turn your palms to the earth feel the grass, the sand, the soil, the rock listen for the sounds and rhythms of the natural world turn your palms upwards slowly open your eyes and gaze at the sky feel the connection take time to breathe……

The team at Little Scientists has developed a literacy link as a provocation to encourage children to consider our future, our relationship with the natural world and what we might do to restore the balance – the changes we might make to better care for our planet. Together with the children, imagine what their future lives will be like: trampolines instead of paths; rockets to school… What sort of houses will they live in? What will they invent? A great book about the balance between nature and cities is Uno’s Garden. Uno moves into a forest and as more people follow him the wildlife suffers. Uno’s children turn the situation around but will they bring back the snortlepig? Here are a few ideas to start your explorations but we’re sure…

Historical Facts Known for: Mystic, prophet, composer, writer, ecologist, proto-feminist Born: 1098, Bermersheim vor der Hohe, Germany Died: 1179 in Bingen am Rhein, Germany Education: Privately educated at the Benedictine cloister of Disibodenberg Given to the Church at age 8 – enclosed in a life of prayer, study and reflection with Jutta of Spondheim At age 14 became a Benedictine nun Elected the magistra – spiritual and educational leader of the female cloister at age 38 Lifelong pursuit of learning – reading, research, engaging with leading thinkers of her time Published works: Books, musical compositions, morality play, artwork Awards and honours: 2012 Canonised by Pope Benedict XVI; and named a Doctor of the Church in the same year Countless historic firsts: Inherlifetimeher visions were accepted as divine revelations, and…

NATURE KINDERGARTENS: AN EXPLORATION ON NATURALISTIC LEARNING WITHIN NATURE KINDERGARTENS AND FOREST SCHOOLS Claire Warden The book provides a balance of academic research and case studies of children’s voices to explore all the facets of setting up and co-ordinating a Nature Kindergarten. Claire Warden’s Philosophy of the Nature Kindergartens is an awe inspiring blend of a naturalistic space indoors, a landscape designed by children and a wild space where children can be outside for up to 90 percent of their day all year round. An inspiring book that guides and supports anyone who works with children aged 3 to 11 years, and would like an introduction to the philosophical and practical aspects of outdoor sensorial learning. HILDEGARD’S HEALING PLANTS De Bingen Hildegarde Hildegard’s Healing Plants is a completely new translation…

Christine Manfield is one of Australia’s most celebrated food ambassadors. Food excites her with its unlimited possibilities. A curious and adventurous chef, an author, writer of cookbooks and a gourmet tour guide, Christine discovered her love of food through travel; asserting that we learn about culture through food. Her culinary work draws on the exciting tastes and flavours of many gastronomic traditions to create original, modern food that honours fresh Australian produce. Observing the principles of the ethical food movement Christine believes that we should eat ethically and thoughtfully, be sensible with our food budget, grow our own vegetables and support local producers… And in cooking the ‘most important thing is maintaining the integrity of the dish - it should be simple, packed with flavour, and leave a lasting impression.’…

‘Yoga chitta vritti nirodha’ – ‘Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind’. A quote from one of the most influential yogic texts, the Yogi Sutras of Patanjali, depicted as being the foundation of yoga. My teacher always said that yoga and meditation is the enquiry into truth. It is the exploration of that which is true, of that feeling that is arising. That niggling, that distraction, that thought, that emotion, that feeling, that wandering off of the mind - the enquiry and recognising of all of these things, that is yoga. Yoga is not simply the movement of the body in space. We use this practice of mindful movement to aid us in the present moment, to be aware of breath and of the body, to ultimately…

We thank and hold dear our truly beautiful friend Les… As we walk on Dharawal Country, we acknowledge the Dharawal people as the traditional custodians of this land on which we play and learn. We respect our Dharawal elders, past, present and emerging. As we walk we can hear our dear friend Les Bursill, Dharawal Elder and Dharawal Knowledge Holder, share his wisdom, knowledge and stories with us. These stories are now connected to our heart – to our place. They are now part of the fabric of our being. As we walk past a tall angophora with its many branches reaching to the sky, the children stop to touch and embrace the tree. ‘It’s really smooth’ says Brody and Bobbi replies ‘and it’s cold’. The canopy of the trees…

Do you remember being afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? It is the central character of a popular game you may remember playing that comes from a broader genre that folklorists classify as ‘parallel games’, in other words a game that is played between one parallel line and another. There are many of these games such as: ‘Grandmothers Footstep’s, ‘Farmer, Farmer may I cross your Golden River’, and ‘Red Light Green Light’, for example. Yet the most common example must be the universal ‘What time is it Mr. Wolf’. It’s a game that relies on a rising and falling sense of tension as we sneak up behind the wolf chanting, ‘What time is it, Mr Wolf?’ with the ever-present possibility of suddenly, and unexpectedly, being caught by the woken beast…

I live in a country where learning in nature, learning with nature and learning from nature has occurred since the beginning. I am on Aboriginal land. Always was. Always will be. The place of nature and environment has been ever-present in early childhood education settings. Malaguzzi (Reggio Emilia) refers to the environment as teacher. Froebel, the originator of kindergarten, promoted nature as the model of perfection in the education of children. Montessori observed that children revealed their strength when placed in natural surroundings. For over 100 years Steiner/Waldorf schools have connected teaching to spiritual and natural worlds. Nature is not new to early childhood. I have taught for about 30 years. As a teacher I have always prioritised outdoor natural learning environments and open-ended natural materials over manufactured playthings. Water,…

Lavender HILDEGARD XXXV. LAVENDER Lavender (lavendula) is hot and dry, having very little moisture. It is not effective for a person to eat, but it does have a strong odour. If a person with many lice frequently smells lavender, the lice will die. Its odour clears the eyes [since it possesses the power and malign spirits are terrified]. HILDEGARD XXV. SPIKE LAVENDER Spike lavender (spica) is hot and dry, and its heat is healthy. Whoever cooks this lavender in wine or, if he has no wine, honey and water, and frequently drinks it when it is warm, will lessen the pain in his liver and lungs, and the stuffiness in his chest. It also makes his thinking and disposition pure. USES TODAY: Ananti-bacterialremedyforinfections, inflammation and viruses Decongestant, antiviral and…

LEARNING WITH NATURE AND LEARNING FROM OTHERS. NATURE AS SETTING AND RESOURCE FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION MacQuarrie, Sarah & Nugent, Clare & Warden, Claire. (2015). Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning. 15. 1-23. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258420985_Learning_with_nature_and_learning_from_others_nature_ as_setting_and_resource_for_early_childhood_education Nature-based learning is an increasingly popular type of early childhood education. A substantial amount of literature has discussed the meaning of terms such as outdoor learning so that a clearer description can be shared. There is, however, a need for similar discussion in relation to a description of nature-based learning. This paper foregrounds the role of culture in nature-based learning, and particular consideration is given to the relationship between adult and child participants. Case studies recorded in a Scottish nature kindergarten and two Nordic counterparts, take a situated view of nature-based learning. Findings indicate…