WHAT ARE THE PRIME AREAS OF LEARNING?
The prime areas of learning and development are:
WHAT LANGUAGE IS SPOKEN?
DO THE KIDS GET COLD?
No, if dressed correctly in quality clothing the children stay nice and warm and can enjoy playing outside even in winter and cold conditions. We will provide a list of what they must wear in order to attend The Forest School.
WHAT DOES A DAY AT THE FOREST SCHOOL LOOK LIKE?
Children are dropped off between 8:30 a.m- 9:00 a.m. at The Forest Kindergarten (dressed appropriately for the day’s weather conditions). The day starts off with breakfast followed by a morning circle where children sing, bond, share their experiences and feelings. After which they engage in the planned educational activities either on our 4,000 square meter property or in nearby woodland forests that are within walking distance. After the day’s educational activities have commenced, children have time for free play before they go back indoors to wash hands and eat lunch. Children enrolled in the short program are then picked up between 12:45 -13:00. Children enrolled in the long program head to their cosy bedrooms where they start the nap time routine which consists of changing into their pajamas, gathering in a circle while receiving a drop of Young Living lavender essential oil which helps them further relax. Afterwards they snuggle up in their merino wool comforters and organic cotton bed linens and doze off to sleep as the teachers read them a story. Children that no longer take a nap are supervised by a designated teacher while they play outdoors or in the classroom depending on weather conditions.
Our staff will work with and observe each individual child and track their learning and development which is then discussed at scheduled parent-teacher conferences throughout the school year.
HOW ARE CONFLICTS OR PROBLEMS APPROACHED AT THE FOREST SCHOOL?
When conflicts or problems arise at The Forest School, we use Compassionate Communication (also known as Non Violent Communication).
Compassionate Communication helps the children to:
– notice and acknowledge what has happened when something goes wrong
– express how they feel and hear how others feel
– explore what it is they and others are needing and to think creatively about how everyone’s needs can be met.
Linked to this, we view ‘challenging’ behaviour as a child striving to meet their needs and needing support to do this in more skilful ways. We do not operate a punishment or rewards system.
To support this approach we have three principles that are at the core of our work and which we teach children:
– Take care of ourselves
– Take care of others
– Take care of nature
We use these as reference points – from which we discuss with the children how we can be in the forest together in ways that reflects our core belief -that everyone’s needs matter.