Publish at December 14 2022 Updated December 14 2022
"Nature makes men alike, life makes them different"
Confucius
Nature never ceases to inspire the thought of philosophers who explore its sacred meaning, its biophysical reality, its climates, its landscapes, its environments, but, also, its impact on humans. Nature runs the risk of being "chosified" as an exteriority to oneself. It is the disconnection of urban people who absorb the fruits of nature without ever perceiving how it prospers or perishes. Even though each human participates in nature and is not only a consumer of it, he considers it as an environment on which to imprint his domination.
70% of humanity lives in cities; our immediate world is entirely shaped by us in the form of buildings and artificial spaces. This risk of oblivion is all the stronger because many thinkers have opposed "Nature" and "Culture". An opposition that we can still read in the reaction of eco-activists who come to smear with soups the cultural archetypes that are the paintings of great masters of painting to denounce inaction in the face of the urgency of global warming. This shortcut seems simplistic, yet Morin (2013) in his effort to develop a method to address complexity, warns us and asks us "not to dissociate knowledge of nature and nature of knowledge, any object must be conceived in its relation to a knowing subject, itself rooted in a culture, a society, a history,".
This method of knowledge recognizes and accounts for complexity. Even more profound is the expression of the anarchist geographer Elisé Reclus (1905 - 2015) for whom "Man is nature becoming aware of itself." This aphorism reminds us of the inseparable link that unites us to our matrix. Our bodies are not made of 70% water, which, before taking shape was cloud, rain, river and springs? We participate in the cycle of life and we are constitutive of nature's materials even though our city lives would like to make us forget it.
Morizot (2020) cites in his book "Manière d'être vivant" a study that shows that children know how to distinguish several hundred advertising logos, while they are unable to recognize the leaves of some trees. studies regularly highlight that regular contact with nature has beneficial effects on physical and psychological health, social relationships, and understanding and caring for our environment.
Chappot et al; (2017) note the negative effects of being away from nature on environmental respect and on individuals' physical and mental health while conversely other researchers have shown their importance on children's social skills.
A great deal of evidence is amassed that helps to encourage outdoor activities. The book offered by Jucker and Van Au (2022) helps share the positive case for refocusing on nature.
There are multiple possible deployments of pedagogies of/by/with nature that are, moreover, quite old.
For example, scouting is a youth movement initiated in 1907 that refers to the benefit of nature to build character, learn to be of service to others and the planet. Learning through play and in nature is an opportunity to grow up with values of solidarity, mutual aid and respect.
In the 1950s, it is possible to note the international movement Forest School, whose ambition is to offer regular activities in the wilderness, aiming at a better relationship with oneself, others and nature. At the same time after the war, for example in France with the vacation camps and a variety of youth movements, proposed immersions in nature.
In companies outdoor activities (in English outdoor learning) to build up a team on the occasion of cohesion seminar also have the wind in their sails. The "nature activities", such as climbing, team sailing, rafting, hiking in the forest are conducive to the discovery of his colleague in another light. These activities are particularly spotted with the emergence of corporate universities in the 1980s.
The Pedagogy Through Nature network is more recent, 2018. It is a process that promotes the holistic development of its participants through regular discovery activities in a natural, hopefully wooded, environment.
Foundations like Silviva are developing to reconnect with nature and "educate for the environment" by strengthening the sense of intimacy with it, and inspiring us to act more responsibly through sharing positive emotions.
Principles of Teaching Through Nature
It is possible by observing nature to spot principles that inspire ways of teaching, for example nature is constantly experimenting for species to evolve. It does this slowly and often takes time to slow down. Nature constantly maintains as much biodiversity as possible by recycling all matter and constantly adding diversity. Nature is in continuity by means of a cycle of seasons and stages to be crossed regularly. Everything happens as if a principle of respect for innate skills was operating.
A seed germinates and grows without being explained or taught how to do it, it is just in the favorable environment. This one is all the more so as mutual cooperation prevails. The support of trees by their roots between them or of animals in their family and their clan favors the survival of the species. Learning cycles could also be inspired by the seasons or water: a cycle of discovery, integration and anchoring could be promoted in human learning. Finally, nature teaches us the principle of non-judgment.
"If we are so comfortable in the wilderness, it is because it has no opinion about us".
Nietzsche
Sources
Nature Pedagogy Network https://www.reseau-pedagogie-nature.org/
Ariena. Pedagogies in Nature https://ariena.org/ressources-pedagogiques/pedagogies-dans-la-nature/
Wikipedia Nature https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature
Morin, E. (2013). The method: the nature of nature. Media Diffusion.
Le Figaro International. Soup thrown on VanGogh's sunflowers in London, environmental activists in court
https://www.lefigaro.fr/international/soupe-jetee-sur-les-tournesols-de-van-gogh-a-londres-les-militantes-ecologistes-devant-la-justice-20221015
Jacq, M., Marzin-Janvier, P. & Grenier, D. (2022). Spotting learning in nature-based pedagogy (NBP) situations. Spirale, 102, 77-87. https://doi.org/10.3917/spi.102.0077
Rickinson, M., Dillon, J., Teamey, K., Morris, M., Young Choi, M., Sanders, D. & Benefield, P. (2004). A Review of Research on Outdoor Learning. National Foundation for Educational Research and King's College London.
https://research.monash.edu/en/publications/the-value-of-outdoor-learning-evidence-from-research-in-the-uk-an
Jacq, M. Thesis on nature-based pedagogy.
www.inspe-bretagne.fr/sites/default/files/documents/presentation_pour_semaine_dd_marinejacq_brest.pdf
Reclus, É. (1905 [2015]). Man and the Earth. Book 2: Ancient history. ENS editions.
https://www.decitre.fr/livres/l-homme-et-la-terre-9782912339348.html
Scouting https://www.scout.org/fr
Chappot, Z., & Fierz, S. (2017). The influence of nature-based pedagogy on students' social skills (Doctoral dissertation, Haute école pédagogique du Valais).
https://doc.rero.ch/record/323947/files/chappot_zelie.pdf.pdf
Silviva https://www.silviva-fr.ch
Jucker and Van Au (2022) High quality outdoor learning Springer
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-3-031-04108-2.pdf
Little Scavenger Hunts - https://petiteschassesautresor.com/pedagogie-par-la-nature/
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