EDU 311
Reflection Paper
April 18, 2016
In the book, “Last Child in the Woods”, talks about how children need to be aware of their surroundings on a day-to-day basis and their environments. Many children experience their skills inside and outside the classroom. In my opinion, in today’s society we are teaching young educators to avoid any direct interaction in nature. Richard Louv begins her book by stating the importance of nature inside the classroom. As a future educator, I believe that the ultimate message is delivered in schools, within families, and outside organizations who devote time outdoors. Educators should know the significant as children develop fine and gross motor skill through play and communication with
other children.
Parents need to be aware of the change, and how they view the importance of it. In most classrooms, students learn material needed to know before moving up to next grade level. Students spend less time in today’s society in nature than before due to the lack of motivation and determination. In today’s society we move from television, computers, phones, and transportation. For example; most children rather stay inside to play video games in the summer than playing outside to decrease their energy or play a sport. Sadly, parents are too afraid to send their children outside unattended fearing stranger-danger, or things they hear on the news. As educators, we need to keep in mind the importance of safety when outside the classroom. Creating a classroom that is organized and shows mutual respect makes it easy to teach effectively. One way teachers can promote is to create environments that are safe for students to feel comfortable to be in.
Throughout the book, Richard Louv indicates that nature provides creativity through artwork. Most classrooms, teachers demonstrate creativity through the child’s daily live by showing creative experience through their art. When teaching, most of the activities help students to learn information in a way that is creative. Creativity establishes structuring and being able to dig deeper in a student’s mind to reflect knowledgeable information. Richard Louv states, “creative people use their imagination through their own experiences in nature. Also, by drawing observations to a child’s behavior. As a future educator, establishing different connections through own experience and creativity can help a student mirror the contact with nature in the classroom.
As a result, students are shrinking into reality each day. As the nature grows around us, new studies demonstrate how important in contact outdoors is to our human development. These connections with nature has made adults focus, during the past decades, but have begun to study the impact on the child’s environment. For example; when students are focusing on playing video games rather than interacting with others face to face they are decreasing in social skills in today’s society. Communication in the classroom is important because educators need to be able to express their ideas by incorporating structural and fundamental with promoting a positive classroom environment.
In conclusion, the book “Last Child in the Woods”, helps me understand the importance of creating an environmental classroom. As a future educator, one has to comprehend the value and significance when teaching students. Including nature can establish the key factors inside and outside the classroom. Teachers should focus on developing how children learn differently from each other.