Waldorf Academy has announced it will be expanding its nature study program to include kindergarten. The school recognizes the benefits of nature study and the outdoors and implements a range of outdoor topics.
Toronto, Canada - October 9, 2018 /PressCable/ —
Waldorf Academy has announced it is developing its experiential learning program and expanding it to include a unique kindergarten program. Waldorf schools understand the health and academic benefits of nature study and implements it as part of its commitment to excellent schooling.
More information can be found at: https://waldorfacademy.org
Although Waldorf is not an exclusive nature learning environment, nature-based curriculum is a concept with which Waldorf educators are very familiar. Waldorf Academy is celebrating 4 years with PINE for their outdoor classroom and commitment to experiential learning and connecting with nature.
Richard Louvʼs (author of Last Child in the Woods) idea that unstructured time outdoors is critical to healthy childhood development is a fundamental part of the Waldorf philosophy.
However, the school explains that programs are far more than play and games. Waldorf Academy collaborates with various organizations that support a deeper connection to nature that may include outdoor specialists such as Outward Bound and LUNA adventures but these are largely for their yearly expeditions.
In order to facilitate an ongoing connection with nature throughout the year Waldorf Academy partnered with PINE. PINE collaborates with teachers to achieve a focused mentoring relationships with students where staff are invested deeply in their growth.
PINE caters their program to every grade, drawing from the Waldorf Curriculum and objectives of the class teacher. Using inquiry-based, student-led learning, PINE draws from the natural curiosity of students to seamlessly integrate learning with outdoor exploration.
Some of the topics included are Biodiversity, Wildlife Tracking, Plant and Tree Identification, Environmental Stewardship, Journaling and Story-telling, Fire Making, Shelter Building and Habitats, and more.
Katherine Fulford, kindergarten teacher at Waldorf Academy, states: “We all have an inborn connection with nature. This bond is most prevalent in young children who are wide open to the world they encounter and take a deep interest and joy in the outdoors. Our role as teachers is to guard that space and foster the child’s sense of reverence and connectedness to the natural world.”
Full details can be found on the URL above.
Contact Info:
Name: Jennifer Deathe
Email: jdeathe@waldorfacademy.org
Organization: Waldorf Academy
Address: 250 Madison Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M4V 2W6, Canada
Phone: +1-416-962-6447
For more information, please visit https://waldorfacademy.org/
Source: PressCable
Release ID: 414539
