Forest Kids

Forest Kids
the woods of High Park or the Evergreen Brick Works in the Don
Valley.
The point is developing a habit of regular interaction with nature
so kids observe changes in the landscape and wildlife. And the
approach is steeped in the principles of child-led learning, which
means rather than having their own agenda, teachers are guided
by what fascinates the students.
On a rainy day, they may end up jumping in puddles, says
Jen Mason, outdoor educator and founder of Maplewood Forest
School in Guelph, where she guides groups from local schools on
nature outings.
The next time they’re back, somebody will ask: where did the
puddle go?
“And there you go, you don’t need a lesson plan,” says Mason,
one of a handful of Canadians certified as forest instructors in the
U.K.
They may start digging down to the wet soil, or asking questions
and thinking of experiments related to evaporation. The point is
“it came from the students and it’s a totally fun and memorable
experience in the real world.”
The outdoor education field is also paying attention. At its conference
this fall, the 40-year-old Council of Outdoor Educators of
Ontario will hold two days of workshops on forest schools.
Power hopes Forest School Canada will link people like Mason
who are quietly embracing this learning philosophy in their corners
of the country, and will help build momentum. This summer,
the two are collaborating on an initiative to train 32 forest instructors
across Canada.
The five-day sessions, to be held in Ottawa and New Brunswick
(discussions are underway for later sessions in B.C.), will be taught
by British trainer Jon Cree, who was at the forefront of the U.K.
movement, which began almost two decades ago.
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