Today is the day I decided I was going to start learning about how to write a blog. I wanted to connect with you all, check in, see what you have all been up to and where you are with going back to school. How do you feel about the new arrangements? Are you nervous about your child catching Covid-19 and bringing it home to a vulnerable family member? Are your children ok at home, have you cracked the home school teaching and are your children enjoying a lovely mix of learning inside and out? You may be in a great routine and have never felt more in charge or knowledgable about what your child is learning. The Government, although advising parents to send their children back to school in a phased return, has stated that it is not compulsory so the decision lies with individual parents/carers.
So what do Mums and Dads actually think? I suspect most of you just want 'to do the right thing by your child' and all the information and parent's social media groups have left you in a real quandary. My daughter, Millie, is now nearly twenty and has been home since the introduction of 'lockdown'. She has completed her first year at Lincoln Uni online with FaceTime tutorials and discussion groups. She found it hard to adjust to more self directed study, for example, having to teach herself how to use new graphic design software rather than having a lecture on it first. If I had my time again I'm honestly not sure what I would do and totally understand how anxiety provoking the decision is. After all, are children going back to school as they knew it? The answer is definitely no and they may well feel some anxiety about going back because they don't know what to expect. It reminds me of when I was a nurse and used to do pre-operative visits for patients: Do you give lots of information 'thread to needle' on the basis that the patient won't worry as much or by doing this are you giving them more to worry about?
If I am honest when Millie was in Early Years (0-5 years) I didn't know whether I was coming or going and was all on just to get her to school and me to work. I had no idea what Key Stage meant, what book band she was on or that I should be reading at home with her. I am a bit ashamed of this admission especially as for the fifteen years that followed I dedicated myself to teaching other children. Fast forward to the here and now as an Early Years Teacher and Forest School Leader I would think that under 5s are better "playing out" at home. Children learn through play and this is particularly true of this age group who are usually naturally creative and want to explore. You may well be reading this and thinking creative? My 4 year old robust boy who appears to destroy everything in his path? It may therefore be difficult to see the very subtle creative moments: these could be building bricks on top of each other, ok so his motivation is to kick them all down but it's still creating or the children that just love to dig.... still creating! Their talk will be all about the treasure that they are going to find or the country they will end up in or they may be practising their future role as site foreman (there's always a site foreman in Early Years)! In 'normal times' Early Years provision can be outstanding with great free play inside and out, child led planning and the opportunity for children to play with who and what they want. However, I really have no idea what Early Years will now look like veiled in Covid-19 risk assessments. It seems an odd year-group choice to send back first as they are the age group that will be the most difficult to social distance. To be honest there is very little point trying, you would just end up exhausted, children will be confused and they naturally want to play with each other in order to learn. I assume there is a good reason for the choice of this year group, maybe it will kickstart the economy quicker with more parents returning to work as a result. As parents you will have more idea about how things will run than me, as I'm sure schools have shared their intentions for keeping children safe.
I am hoping that schools will ask me back to support them in delivering outdoor learning on site, after all this seems like a good option. As I'm sure you're aware there is considerably less risk of spreading the virus when outdoors. I am also considering opening our Forest School woodland sites (Selby, Knaresborough, Kirk Smeaton) for children whose parents have opted for them not to go back to school. I would love to hear your opinions on this. Would it help you out? Would you be happier knowing your child is outside all day? This is certainly not meant to be in competition with schools, I need to be really clear about that, we all need to work together to support parents and carers. I would rather go back to working outside for schools to support them, however as a business, it would be good to know your thoughts especially as the summer holidays are looming and I will need to decide if there is the demand for holiday clubs. Needless to say there is a lot of preparation to do if I am to re-open. Despite the risk being lower when outside in a woodland, like schools, Forest School would look different. For example, children would be spread out on log seats for tool activities and den building might have to take a back seat.
I have attached a link from The Guardian which is one example of many articles that are popping up at the moment promoting outdoor learning and Forest School. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/may/10/scotland-eyes-outdoor-learning-as-model-for-reopening-of-schools. The other thing which schools could consider is teaching using the WILD Passport https://www.wildpassport.co.uk. There is currently training available for teachers and Forest School leaders to deliver this skills based outdoor curriculum. Details are available on the WILD passport website. It may be prudent of Head Teachers to start investing in training teachers to teach outdoors. After all, coronavirus maybe something that we all have to learn to live with.
Well I have really enjoyed writing my first blog, whether it is any good you will be the judge! Let me know though I am all ears for any feedback. Lastly, I do miss Forest School and all the children that come, I am hoping that you have all made your own Forest Schools in your own way and remembered how much fun playing out is? Please say hello from me to all our Forest Schoolers out there, I will leave you with some photos from Forest School just to remind us all of how great it is to be a child playing freely. Take care, Sally xx
Speak to you next week. There I said it ..... and have now committed myself to a weekly blog, post or live etc etc
