PRENDRE DES MESURES DÈS MAINTENANT

L'école Forest and Nature est un modèle éducatif fondé sur la recherche, qui vise à soutenir les façons dont les êtres humains apprennent naturellement le mieux : en plein air, sur un terrain accidenté, au contact de la nature, dans un cadre social, avec des mentors/animateurs qui incarnent le respect et la relation réciproque avec les autres et avec la nature, offrant de nombreuses possibilités de pensée créative, d'exploration, de recherche, d'apprentissage et de jeu libre.

This way of learning has features in common with many Indigenous cultures' sophisticated systems of education throughout the world, including here on Turtle Island and on Treaty 1 Territory.

'Forest School' as the pedagogy we know today was officially begun in the 1950’s in Denmark as a program called ‘Walking Kindergarten,” where children were going out and engaging in child led learning on and with the land, outdoors all day. It grew in popularity and quickly spread throughout Scandinavia, Europe, China, Aotearoa, New Zealand and the world, with thousands of programs now running worldwide.

Forest and Nature School has become quite popular in Canada as well, with over forty FNS programs running in the country. The Child Nature Alliance of Canada (CNAC) runs the Forest School Practitioner Certification Course recognized across the country as a standard for FNS facilitators.

L’école en forêt et en pleine nature se déroule toujours sur le terrain et avec le terrain, les apprenants retournant sans cesse dans le même espace naturel, développant ainsi une relation nuancée et profonde avec les habitants et les composantes de ce lieu.

Être en plein air est extrêmement bénéfique pour notre bien-être. Il a été démontré que cela aide les enfants (et les personnes de tous âges !) à réguler leur système nerveux, à améliorer leurs résultats scolaires et à développer un lien profond avec la nature et un amour pour le plein air. De plus, être en pleine nature et bouger toute la journée présente de nombreux avantages pour la santé physique !

Each day at Forest and Nature School is co-created by learners, facilitators and what is happening on the land.

A day when the snow is sticky is going to lend itself to sculptures and forts, whereas a day when the pollen is blowing may elicit conversations about pollination. Kids may wonder - where is that coming from? And a whole lesson can emerge from this, or a series of lessons and explorations that unfold over time.

Learners may be energetic or restful on a given day, and facilitators are constantly assessing the energy to see what would be best to do at a given time - active games, bushcraft/woodworking, art, restful nature journaling, sit spots, etc. 

The wonderful thing about this pedagogy is that it allows space for natural inspiration and deep learning, with plenty of time for uninterrupted involvement in free, self-motivated play. 

L'école en forêt et nature offre assurément beaucoup de temps pour s'immerger pleinement dans le jeu. Dans la pédagogie de cette école, apprentissage et jeu sont considérés comme synonymes ; la recherche a démontré que l'apprentissage est optimal lorsqu'on s'amuse !

En jouant, nous acquérons de nouvelles compétences et développons de nouvelles connaissances avec joie, enthousiasme et plus rapidement que par l'apprentissage par cœur (une étude affirme que nous mémorisons huit fois plus vite !). Cela favorise chez les apprenants un amour de l'apprentissage qui durera toute leur vie.

At Forest and Nature School, learning is child-led, ‘inquiry-driven’ and ‘emergent,’ meaning that new pathways for learning emerge naturally from inspirations and experiences of the learners, and learners are given the option to join in on activities supporting natural curiosity, creativity and enthusiasm.

Practitioners ensure the availability of tools, equipment, and context on the land and aid learners in developing both ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ skills.

Hard skills include risk assessment, physical agility and dexterity, balance, coordination, cooking, fire and safety, knots, shelter building, arts and crafts, musicality, and more.

Soft skills include cooperation, co-regulation, self-regulation, consideration, conflict management and self-care.

Emotional literacy is supported and encouraged by practitioners and volunteers who support children and youth to be themselves and to be empowered in their choices, knowing that they are being listened to, respected, and supported in their learning to socialize considerately with others.

Forest and Nature School teaches learners how to care for themselves, others, and the land well. Learners are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions, to follow their creative inspirations, and play in ways that challenge, inspire, and lead to meaningful personal growth.