In posts I have discussed how I attempt to incorporate a little information into everyday outdoor play without making it seem like a lesson. However, being a nature professional with the teaching bug, I find myself IN lessons, the likes of which children don't always wish to attend. At camp I would get feedback such as "the nature program is like school" because of the lessons tacked onto my hikes and games. So how do I disguise a lesson from the children?
Animation is one of the best tools of course, but one you have to find for yourself, on your third nature hike of the day, in 95 degree weather, with enough leftover energy to convince the kids who don't want to go, and the counselors who don't want to go...wait, where was I? Oh yes...
Tools in my knapsack include:
1) Exaggeration
2) Diversion
3) Discovery
Exaggeration
On our nature hikes at camp, it was important to me that the kids understood why what we did was for safety. I had the children tell me why such things as "stay on the trail" and "use your walking feet" were important, I described how we would act on the hiking trail, and warned them about potential trail hazards. The kids would come to Nature all pumped to go on a hike (or perhaps not, in which case I would pump them up for it) and have to sit and listen to safety instructions?!?! I had some glazed eyes. In this instance I pulled out exaggeration.
"On the trail, I will stay in the front because I know where we are going and I'll be on the lookout for hazards such as poison oak and rattlesnakes (not an exaggeration, we were in southern California after all.) Your counselor will take up the caboose, in case any mountain lions sneak up on us. They'll distract it so the rest of us have time to get away." Jaw-open stares, the kids who had stopped paying attention snapped to. Is she being for real? But when all the counselors and myself burst out laughing the kids joined in. Yes I guess it was POSSIBLE to see a mountain lion, but not probable (and we would work hard to keep the kids safe of course).
This established with the children that we were going to have fun. It's ok to joke around: we could play while we walk and talk. Yes I'd be telling them things they need to know, but it wouldn't be all shop talk.
One does need to be careful here though. For example, occasionally a kid would express worry that we were going to get lost. When I reassured them that I knew the trails, sometimes I tagged on a "have I ever steered you wrong before?" I realized at that moment how important it is that they never have a reason to doubt this, and even a joke could have an impact on an impressionable child. Thankfully they always answered no. The children need to be aware of a difference between a joke and a deficit in credibility.
Animation is one of the best tools of course, but one you have to find for yourself, on your third nature hike of the day, in 95 degree weather, with enough leftover energy to convince the kids who don't want to go, and the counselors who don't want to go...wait, where was I? Oh yes...
Tools in my knapsack include:
1) Exaggeration
2) Diversion
3) Discovery
Exaggeration
On our nature hikes at camp, it was important to me that the kids understood why what we did was for safety. I had the children tell me why such things as "stay on the trail" and "use your walking feet" were important, I described how we would act on the hiking trail, and warned them about potential trail hazards. The kids would come to Nature all pumped to go on a hike (or perhaps not, in which case I would pump them up for it) and have to sit and listen to safety instructions?!?! I had some glazed eyes. In this instance I pulled out exaggeration.
"On the trail, I will stay in the front because I know where we are going and I'll be on the lookout for hazards such as poison oak and rattlesnakes (not an exaggeration, we were in southern California after all.) Your counselor will take up the caboose, in case any mountain lions sneak up on us. They'll distract it so the rest of us have time to get away." Jaw-open stares, the kids who had stopped paying attention snapped to. Is she being for real? But when all the counselors and myself burst out laughing the kids joined in. Yes I guess it was POSSIBLE to see a mountain lion, but not probable (and we would work hard to keep the kids safe of course).
This established with the children that we were going to have fun. It's ok to joke around: we could play while we walk and talk. Yes I'd be telling them things they need to know, but it wouldn't be all shop talk.
One does need to be careful here though. For example, occasionally a kid would express worry that we were going to get lost. When I reassured them that I knew the trails, sometimes I tagged on a "have I ever steered you wrong before?" I realized at that moment how important it is that they never have a reason to doubt this, and even a joke could have an impact on an impressionable child. Thankfully they always answered no. The children need to be aware of a difference between a joke and a deficit in credibility.
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