By Clare Caro While putting together the Authentic Learning Environment education model, it was essential to address the environmental crisis. The planet is struggling with a decline of nature, increasing pollution and ecocide, all happening at local and global levels. This is everyone's crisis, especially for our children! We need to educate now, people who can address this growing crisis. The future - their future - will depend on making some big changes to how our culture operates. Currently, the culture is steering toward ecocide. We need to change the trajectory toward a more sustainable way of living. Education is a cultural game-changer. We can make that trajectory change through education, especially education in childhood. Because in childhood, views, beliefs, ways of thinking and habits are all formed.
It is worth pointing out here, that this is not a case of creating a 'subject', working from books or rote learning. The 'teaching' will be in the 'hidden curriculum' where learning is gained through total immersion and modelled behaviours, and the education structure where children learn from daily activities and the culture in the learning environment. One, Nature Disconnection Problem: Nature-disconnection and the severe lack of experiential knowledge of the flora and fauna species in the immediate local ecosystem. The lack of understanding that we are part of nature and play a role in the interconnection of everything. For the last century, there has been a trend that ties education to the inside of a building. Children spend around 12 years of childhood in education, which is 12 years of childhood inside a classroom. We cannot bond with the Earth from inside a room.
A side effect of creating and maintaining the nature-connection is that we start to value time spent in nature and nature itself. Values centred around a bond and care for nature guide us. Two, Normalised Pollutants Problem: Plastic and many other pollutants have become normalised to the point where they are 'invisible'. We do not see the toxic materials we surround ourselves with. Plastic is a top example, we live in a culture where there is plastic everywhere, a lot of it disposable and only a small percentage recyclable. Plastic is a real threat to the environment and a growing problem with daily consumption.
Understanding this is the first step to seeing the vicious cycle of one generation normalising plastic for the next. Solution: Normalise Sustainability We want to give young people a lens for identifying plastics and other pollutants normalised in our culture. With this lens, we can start to make choices away from environmentally harmful materials, out of the vicious cycle and towards the best collective outcome. We want to normalise non-toxic options and alternatives to plastic and other pollutants. To achieve this, we evaluate all materials brought into the learning environment and how they will impact the environment in the short and long term. The materials we choose, use and dispose of are carefully considered. Three, Isolated Thinking Problem: Lack of circular thinking, the inability to see the whole picture and join the dots.
Instead the thinking is isolated to personal needs-and-wants associated with consumerism. The other 'dots' on the circular-economy cycle, such as origin, resources, sustainability, social conditions of manufactory, longevity, purpose, and waste disposal, are not even on the isolated thinker's radar, let alone there as dots to be connected. Solution: Circular Thinking We want to embed circular and holistic thinking into the learning environment, our practice and the children's work. Circular thinking is a tool for change and actively considers the entire ecosystem and our impact in and on it. To achieve this, we will be using a project-based model that combines and links multiple disciplines. This is a conscious move away from the practice that trains the brain for compartmentalising (dividing into discrete sections or categories), located in years of subject-based teaching-learning. We will base as much learning as possible in real-life, in context, using real-life tools, objects, experiences and purpose, so that learning is not 'once removed' from reality. Four, The Lemming Effect Problem: The road to ecocide is paved by the Lemming Effect. A phenomenon where crowds of people from all walks of life, exhibit a certain kind of behaviour for no reason other than the fact that a majority is doing so. What if following the one-size-fits-all status quo, with the underpinning fear of not fitting in or meeting the standard has been learned. There is a school-of-thought that this is a learned behaviour, learned by spending years shaped by the (mainstream) one-size-fits-all curriculum that comes with ramifications if we rebel or don't meet the standard. Solution: Empowerment, Communication and Leadership We want to empower our children with communication and leadership skills, for them to be confident in making changes and walk the path less trodden to align with environmental values and morals. To achieve this, we provide the platform for children to develop their voices and get messages across clearly. Coupled with listen reflectively and being open to hearing and seeing other points of view without shutting down. They will learn how to manage their individual needs, wants, time and interests while sharing time, space and resources with others. We do this by implementing Personal Curriculums and a cooperative leadership power model, steering away from the authoritarian-submissive model. These four education design features are a great start to teaching our way toward eco-literacy and educating a generation of problem-solvers, decision-makers and change agents. By consciously building the solutions into the model structure, we can deliver a new set of learned behaviours.
Written by Clare Caro
Sustainable Children's Craft Activities Written by Clare Caro "Crafternoons" came about as a way of offering crafts for children that don't end up in the bin! We wanted to give children something meaningful to make and for their creations to be use-full with a real-life purpose. On top of that, we noticed that many children's craft activities were using materials harmful to the environment, such as glitter, foam board, synthetic fabrics and many forms of plastic. The list could go on. This combination of bin-destined 'makes' and toxic-materials raises concern, at a time when we need to be teaching eco-literacy and raising eco-consciousness. These sustainable children's craft sessions are designed to meet this need, working with three key components: Nature-Friendly Materials, Meaningful Purpose and Open-Age-Appropriate. Creating craft sessions that stick to eco-literacy principles, raise eco-conscious and are sustainable.
Watch out for plastics and anything with synthetic fibres; these often breakdown over time and are the source of micro-plastics that pollute our water and soil systems. If we are 'recycling' materials by using them in children's craft activities, ask, "What is the next part in the cycle?". Many crafts that 'recycle' plastics and synthetic fibres end up in the bin. The bin is the ‘end of a cycle’ not ‘part of a cycle'. If we use food products in our craft, are they used wisely? We see too many children's-crafts using good food that ends up in the bin. When choosing materials and tools, we also consider where our resources are coming from (buy local if possible), what kind of packaging products come in, and whether we are using long-lasting and repairable tools. These considerations take us closer toward 'circular economy thinking', where we look at our actions holistically and work sustainability.
Then there is the craft for children, where the purpose is often to fill their time and provide something to take home as a product-for-proof. Giving children's craft activity a real-life purpose holds a deep underpinning message. When crafts are worthy of use and valuable enough to keep, it shows value and worthiness in the maker's time, effort, creativity, and hard work. To put it another way, what message of their value and worthiness are we sending, when we give children use-less makes that will later end up in the bin? To find meaning and purpose in the craft sessions we hold, we look to seasonal celebrations, items for everyday use, and things we can use personally, as a family, or give to loved ones. Children have made festive wreaths for front doors in December, lanterns for Martinmas processions, and multi-use items such as rhubarb string, oak gall ink, and calendula balm. All the 'makes' have a purpose, and all use materials that aid a nature connection and are not harmful to the environment. Open-Age-Appropriate By open-age-appropriate, we mean providing activities that work for both younger and older children and all levels of ability. This open and mixed age-group approach celebrates everyone's unique style, pace, expression and fosters an inclusive atmosphere.
Providing for all levels of ability means, offering activities that engage early and more experienced hand development, and giving children the opportunity to develop their hand working skills. The three-dimensional handwork done in childhood happens to be vital for child development, specifically with the development of cognitive problem-solving skills. To the extent that when NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory looks for a research and development problem solver, they specifically seek applicants who worked with their hands in childhood. Because we see the value in handwork, we are careful when offering crafters a 'helping hand' so as not to rob children of this important developmental handwork. Why not give it a try? Sustainable craft sessions are fun and exciting, empowering the children and also work for groups of adults too. By designing activities that tick all three boxes (Nature-Friendly Materials, Meaningful Purpose and Open-Age-Appropriate), we promote values that nurture individuals, communities, and the environment. Crafternoon sustainable children's craft sessions were initially designed for the Rutland Home Education Group in 2019. We currently run Crafternoons through Root-and-Branch Out CIC, with sessions for both home educated and school children. [2022]  Written by Clare Caro Learning Social Literacy
Anatomy of Behaviour There are two important areas of the brain that affect behaviour; they are the amygdala and pre-frontal cortex. Amygdala The amygdala is responsible for emotions, moods and is our "emotional alarm system". Our 'alarm system' can get activated not only when there is something dangerous or harmful, but also when we perceive or feel something as being dangerous or harmful. It is the feeling of unsafety that can send us into survival mode, our amygdala becomes active, and changes happen in our body and in our behaviour. In the body; our breathing quickens, digestion slows or stops, our heart rate increases, eyes dilate and stress hormones increase so that we are physically ready to fight, take flight or freeze. In behaviour; we can become defensive, attacking and forceful, which can be dangerous and harmful to others (fight), we run or cling to safety (flight), or simply be nonresponsive and shut down (freeze).
Developing a stable amygdala and pre-frontal cortex connections are important when learning and developing social literacy. Safe Language Safe language is a way of communicating with another person whose "emotional alarm system" has gone off, or someone who is in the habit of communicating with amygdala-led behaviour. This language speaks in a way that invites cooperation, partnership, and maintains a safe environment. When humans feel safe, there is no need to be on alert, no need to protect ourselves with fighting, fleeing or nonresponsive behaviour. How to Safely Respond Gentle feedback is how we respond, rather than our own 'emotional alarm system' going off. With the emotional alarm system turned off, it is possible to hear new information, ideas and different points of view, empathise, work towards a shared view for a team "win-win" outcome, self-regulate and more. How to Raise a Problem Safe language helps us raise problems face-to-face, in a way that is easy for the person we are talking to to hear us - and that is easy for us to communicate our needs, opinions and agreed boundaries. We can develop that ability to hear the needs of others and use descriptive language, along with learning how to own a problem and seek solutions that work for everyone involved.
If a child can do advanced math, speak three languages, or receive top grades, but can't manage their emotions, practice conflict resolution, or handle stress, none of that other stuff is really going to matter."
Written by Clare Caro The Active Learner
What is an Active Learner? Motivated Active Learners are self-motivated and display the kind of motivation which comes from within, often referred to as internal or intrinsic motivation. Self-motivated people know what they would like to do and so they do it. They are not dependent on being given content or on activities being provided. The ability for self-motivation eliminates the uncomfortable state of ‘not knowing what to do’ - also known as boredom which many content-provided learners find themselves in. Inspiration comes from their own creative ideas or is inspired by the world around them. To develop this skill, learners need environments that promote choice, decision-making and creativity. Learners choose to do what they are interested in and their interests push their progress at the correct pace for them. Self-direction and creativity develop when we stop having ideas for them, such as when setting up activities and directing them. Confident Active Learners are confident to try new things - sharing and expressing ideas, plans, problems - without the fear of being ‘wrong’. We live in a culture riddled with self-doubt and fear that confidence can make us arrogant, yet we all know that healthy self-confidence is an extremely important skill to have. We want our children to be confident in the world. True confidence shrinks self-doubt and avoids arrogance. Confidence gives us the foundations to not only follow our interests and tackle the unknown; healthy confidence allows us to be ourselves. To develop this skill, learners need environments, which are accepting and free from judgment, yet also provide the tools to work within a judgmental environment. Self-confidence and self-motivation cannot develop when we prompt learners into being ready.
How we supply the raw material also offers learning; laying it out for them or storing it in an access-all-areas environment can develop either dependency or independency. Problem Solvers Active Learners find solutions - with their ability to assess risk, overcome challenges and ultimately solve problems – without it being a ‘problem’. Active Learners can develop the skills to approach and solve any challenges they may face. While this is an internal skill, something we do ourselves, it also includes knowing when and how to ask for help. Whether we are problem solving alone, in a group, or facilitating someone in their problem solving, we require the same tool kit of lenses, vocabulary and the ability to unpack situations from all angles. To develop this skill, we offer the level of help which allows the learner to do it themselves. When we solve and fix everything for a learner, we rob them of the time and opportunity to develop themselves. We are aware that ‘help’ is about choices, dependency and power dynamics, and promote an environment where all Learners are empowered to accept or decline help without judgment. Leaders Active Learners have skills of leadership, and, just as importantly, know how to be part of a team. These are social skills or ‘soft skills’, central to how well we get along with others and are part of a community. Leadership is founded on our ability to lead ourselves; developing our own motivation, confidence, and problem solving. There are many ways leadership can present itself in our world; authoritarian, passive and partnership, are the three key styles we see most often. We promote first-hand experiences of partnership group dynamics, where everyone has a voice, can hear others and work to a shared vision which the Learner will be able to transfer into group settings. These skills, along with influences from leadership and group dynamics we have experienced first-hand are where leaders pick up leadership skills. Leadership skills cannot develop when we get too involved in their work and are constantly looking for ‘teaching moments’.
We do this by providing time, a safe space and place, and reducing adults’ direct involvement. The simple way to see it: if everything is done for us, we can miss developing those skills ourselves. Lengthy attention spans cannot develop when we interrupt with our questions, praise, frequent warnings and entertainment. Creative and Imaginative Active Learners are creative; they can come up with their own ideas and make them into something. There is a third element we cater for in the creative process, and that is to develop the skills to view ideas in different contexts to examine how they impact each other, where they support or inhibit a system, but also evaluate how to affect change. Running creative ideas though bigger-picture thinking helps to birth safe and fully considered ideas into the world. Creativity is a skill that is sensitive to its environment and can be reduced or suppressed if now fostered carefully and compassionately. To develop this skill we provide environments which support the initial image-building ability (imagination) along with the space for ideas and the transition from idea to making; the creation with our own hands. Capable Every child is capable of being the Active Learner. The journey of childhood starts with fully dependent babies, finishing as fully independent adults. As the child grows, their capability grows. The support we provide on this road directly affects well-being in childhood and in life as an adult. Active Learners work within their capabilities, they assess risk and self-manage. The more they develop this skill, the more capable they become in recognizing their limitations, in managing their own physical and mental health, the more competent they become in relationships with others, their community and environment. The skill of being capable can evolve into responding (instead of reacting), functioning even when on adrenaline, and remaining ‘on-line’ (considered and productive) in the face of emergencies and crisis. Working within one’s own capabilities is impossible when there are ‘helping hands’ managing learners beyond their own capabilities.
Self-regulation allows a person to check-in with themselves, be attuned to others and their wider environment and to function with opposing ideas in mind at the same time, to recognise when they are stressed and know what to do with that stress.
To develop self-regulation, the authentic learning environment is designed to support the developing nervous system, the social-emotional brain, and executive brain function in the developing child. This requires practitioners that are highly skilled at co-regulation, which is the ability to regulate themselves as well as facilitating the development of self-regulation in the learner. The environment we create also holds the rhythm that mimics the rhythm of the self-regulation. Self-regulation cannot develop when the adults surrounding a learner are not able to self-regulate, or the environment has no rhythm-like structure. How do we teach learners these skills? We can’t. These are skills that the learners acquire themselves. Our role is not to 'teach', instead it is to set up the environment that allows the child/learner the time, and the space and a place, held by nurturing adults and a regulated rhythm. An environment where learners have enough freedom and availability, access all areas and furnished with raw materials. It is the environment where they develop and acquire these skills. COMING SOON THE ACTIVE LEARNER / PART 2 |
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