An Investment in Health

“The woods were my Ritalin. Nature calmed me, focused me, and yet excited my senses.” 

― Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder

After hiking in the woods, my 13 year old son remarked with a big smile;"I feel so good!"  And I knew exactly what he meant.  Not just because we had checked the box of exercising  or the box of being away from technology; Our brains and bodies felt in-sync.

It was a hard hike, up a ridge, down, and up again.  The air was dry, leaves on the trail were slippery, and the air was changing from warm summer to chilly autumn.  We didn't bring water, and the hike took us much longer than expected.  Yet, the group of teenagers I brought with me didn't complain.  And as we wandered along, them in black skinny jeans and occasionally pausing for a selfie, all were different when we left the woods than when we went in.  They were calmer, yet more aware, and it reminded me of that Richard Louv quote from above.  

“Time in nature is not leisure time; it's an essential investment in our chidlren's health (and also, by the way, in our own).” 
― Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder

I am new to having teenagers.  When they were younger, they desired to be outside and with the family as much as possible.  Now, they hide away in their rooms, or seek out opportunities to be with friends, away from the family unit.  Because I study child development, and because I remember being a teenager, I know this is normal.  I have started inviting their friends to join us for a hike in the woods.  Sometimes they groan, but they have yet to say no.  And when we get there, they eagerly make their way along the path.  I usually am far enough ahead to be out of ear shot, giving them the feeling of autonomy.  They don't necessarily ask for this, but I find it a good practice, allowing them freedom to be themselves with their friends, without feeling like mom was ease dropping. The point is not to force them to be with me, but to give them time outside, moving, hiking, connecting with the natural world.  Also, I enjoy a quiet hike where I can gather my thoughts. I always find that after we are outside doing something physical and enjoyable (not a chore), we are all nicer to each other.  

So, time in nature, as Louv writes, is an investment in health.  I see it as an investment in mental health, as well as physical health.  We have to teach our children to not only take care of their bodies through physical activity, but also take care of their mental health, by introducing them to, and repeatedly doing, things that help condition the mind. 

5 days

5 days until we move.
I have lost the camera somewhere amid the boxes, but did manage to take a photo of this before I lost it;

Elias has been struggling to learn long division.  Yesterday he forgot his homework, but still wanted to do math, his "favorite subject".  So, he asked me to go over long division.  We tried this at the beginning of the  school year, and he struggled.  Last night, he got it.
And he wanted me to make up a lot of challenging problems.
When he woke up this morning, he started immediately, and did the problems all by himself.
Then Dash wanted to do some, and he is learning long multiplication.
So there they sat, in the dark, writing on the chalkboard doing long math problems, because they love it.
That's what's cool, they want to do it.  This is not worksheets and tests that they dread doing, but the challenging of figuring out problems.  Its like they felt their brains grow.

Now, as far as getting them to do their actual homework, the worksheets, that's not so easy.   This is when I see alternative education working for kids, the kind that lets them explore what they are excited and passionate about at that moment.  When you are not ready for a subject, but it says you are supposed to learn it on the schedule set by the department of Education, or the school administrator or even the teacher, it does not work.  No matter how hard you push, you just cant get a kid to understand a subject if they are not ready.   And if you miss that golden moment when kids are ready to learn the subject, then they may never get it.  You have to pay attention to the child.  Observe them, their interests.  This is what a Montessori teacher is supposed to do.  As long as the teacher can follow the child, this works.  Problem is, sometimes you get parents and administrators that want to push the child, they want to brag about how smart the child is, how advanced they are.  (If you are a Waldorf grades teacher, tell me, how does it work?)

Oh, should I be going on about education right now?  Am I using my blog to procrastinate? I guess maybe.  I guess I should clean up the breakfast dishes and take a nap, then get started.  There is a lot to do...

Education's new paradigm

May there reign here spirit-strength in love;

May there work here spirit-light in goodness;

Born from certainty of heart,

And from steadfastness of soul,

So that we may bring to young human beings

Bodily strength for work,

Inwardness of soul,

Clarity of spirit.

May this place be consecrated to such a task;

May young minds and hearts here find

Servers of the light, endowed with strength,

Who will guard and cherish them.

Back in Nashville, School is starting for my old school, Linden Waldorf.  I have many friends who work there and take there kids there.  I think I am finally over my falling out with them (a story for another day), and really remember all the great stuff about the school.  One of the things I love, is the teachers would begin each day gathering together and holding hands in a circle, and say this verse.  I love the last part, and it always brought tears to my eyes, to think of teachers guarding and cherishing young hearts and minds.  Such a different way of approaching teaching than most teachers who have been made to think children are all the same and have the same needs and should learn the same thing at the same time...

I was drawn to Montessori for this reason; Each child can learn what he/she needs, when they are ready to learn it.  There is no pre-set date or age for a child to learn a subject, all the materials are there, in the room, for the child when they are ready.  The teacher is ready to teach when the child is ready, not the other way around...

What I love about Waldorf, the art and play, combined with the Montessori philosophy, that each child will learn when they are ready, set up a pretty decent educational paradigm. Still not perfect, but better than most traditional schools. 

There is a guy, Ken Robinson who describes my educational philosophy perfectly.  He has given TED talks, and written books, and is also on youtube.  Here is a link to one of the best; 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U&feature=player_embedded#at=13

hope you enjoy!