4.2 - Assignment (Unit 3): Summarise own personal development and learning during the Forest School Training process and explain how this may inform own wider practice.

When I first started this Forest School course, I had assumed it was going to be a lot about how to make dens, how to build fires, tying knots and bugs! However, I have come to discover it is so much more complex than I realised, but I am so pleased and grateful for the learning opportunity. 

This course has made me realize the influence that outdoor activities and experiences have, not only on children but also on adults.

Although I do not have a background in teaching and only started working as a teaching assistant 18 months ago due to a career decision, I have always had a passion for working with children. During the Covid pandemic, before being able to return to work, I volunteered at a local primary school to assist reception children. This experience lasted for 3 months and made me realize how fulfilling it is to witness a child embarking on their life journey and to contribute to their growth and independence. After a year in my current teaching assistant position, I offered to assist with the forest school sessions at the school. I discovered that I truly thrived in this role, inspiring children to embrace the outdoors, explore, get messy without worry, and appreciate the endless joy that nature offers.

I myself grew up on a farm, living in a tiny village with only a handful of children, we had to create our own fun, we would spend hours and hours walking across fields, climbing trees, following animal tracks and seeing what we could create in the outdoors. Now having my own children and not being fortunate enough to live on a farm, we find it difficult to find the time or space to be outdoors, that is until I started this course. 

Since working on this course, I have been taking my children to lots of different outdoors spaces and we have done so much exploring and I have seen from just those small few sessions with me, my own children have started to develop differently. They are more confident, they talk to me more (they are 10 and 12 so not the most verbal anymore!) but I have also seen the knock on effect it has had on them, they have started inviting their friends to the park or just the green space we have near us to run and play, and their friends have been joining in. 

Spending time outdoors has had a positive effect on my mental well-being as well. Following the loss of my mother to cancer in May of this year, which was an extremely challenging period, I could have easily succumbed to despair and stayed indoors for months. However, having the commitment to explore the woods for research, photography, and course-related experiences compelled me to be outside. This decision greatly improved my mental health and that of my children as well.

Now having the understanding of the impact Forest School sessions have on children has completely confirmed for me that this is something I want to be part of, this is something that I think all children should have offered to them in some way. Being outside is so important for the children for personal growth and growth in their family and friendships. 

Some of the things that I have also learned during this course, I have managed to implement within the classroom. I have a few children in my classroom that need brain breaks. To begin with, I had things planned for us. We planted some seeds, played some board games, and to start with, they engaged. But after a few sessions, they weren’t interested and went back to some of the negative behavior we were seeing in class. However, I took what I had learned from this course and the ethos of ‘child-led’ and just asked the children what they would like to do. We ran in the playground, found new bugs in the garden, visited the school vegetable patches, and just did some digging. We even found a slow worm and a toad!

I am very excited to be able to introduce the use of tools in our Forest School sessions, I am placed with slightly older children this year therefore I will be able to introduce slightly more ‘riskier’ tools and create some wonderful experiences for the children and myself. 

Participating in this course has broadened my perspective on holistic development and child-centered theory. It has enabled me to contemplate my teaching and learning methods. I now exhibit more creativity, show forgiveness towards myself and others for errors, and remain open to discussions when observing children in my environment, including my own children. I am willing to adapt the initial plan I had in place.

Thank you for all your dedication and for helping our children grow.