The Scandinavian tradition of using nature and the outdoor environment as a learning resource and not simply as a place for children to ‘let off steam’ has become an important aspect of pedagogy in Denmark – where the majority of kindergartens and early year’s settings use the outdoor environment all year round.
Over the past decade there has been a growing international interest in using the outdoor environment with children and young people as a way of developing skills and increasing motivation for learning. Recent research studies illustrate that using the outdoors as a learning resource is highly beneficial for physical, mental, social and emotional development in children, young people and adults and increases their environmental awareness.
Each outdoor environment is unique to each setting and a pedagogical knowledge is essential to understanding not only the ‘what’ to do, but also the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of the learning processes – it is through pedagogy that a sustainable and truly developmental way of practice emerges.
| Residential Nature Kindergarten Study Courses in Denmark 2012 |
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Dates:
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| Where: The courses are based in and around Viborg, in the north western part of the Jutland peninsula. For international participants there is also the possibility of combining a study tour to the UK to visit Forest Schools there. |
| Who We Are: Inside-Out Nature is based in Denmark and is an established and well recommended organisation offering early years practitioners from around the world training on the Scandinavian approach to early years care and education. The organisation is run by Jane Williams-Siegfredsen who was formerly lecturer in education at Bridgwater College and was one of the team who visited Denmark and took back the idea to start Forest School in the UK. |
The course: The course is accredited by OCN (Open College Network) and covers:
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For further details please contact Jane at info@insideoutnature.com
Routledge have recently published a book written by Jane entitled ‘Understanding the Danish Forest School Approach’. Follow the link http://routledge.com/books/details/9780415581134/ for further details.