Citizen Naturalists

Childhood and Nature advocate Richard Louv wrote recently about the need for Citizen Naturalists. Although his comment was made in reference to the adults who are interested in “salvaging threatened natural habitats and creating new ones”, the definition could as well include the young children we hope will grow into these needed adults. To the extent we are able to provide our Proto-Citizen Naturalists with opportunities to explore the natural world during the course of the school day, we are declaring this aspect of learning is as important as any other we promote.  Moreover, in a world with growing concern over the loss of after-school outside play and exploration, the school day for many students may provide the greatest opportunity for the outdoor experiences that fosters this development.   

A 2009 article entitled: Children’s Nature Deficit:What We Know – and Don’t Know (Charles & Louv) http://www.childrenandnature.org/blog/  has a long list of annotated findings such as:

• Children’s discretionary time at home is diminishing.
• Children spend increased time with media and multiple forms of media.
• International study suggests low rates of children’s nature experiences across many countries.
• Evidence of decreased mobility, reduced availability of natural areas, and restrictions placed on children’s activities in natural areas, suggests fewer opportunities to engage in the natural world.
• Children’s access to public play space has declined.
• Private and public land is increasingly restrictive regarding children’s free play.

However, one accounts for the information available on the changes in children’s outdoor experiences over the past few decades, it is doubtful many of us would argue that children are spending more time in outdoor play than did their parents. Nor would any parent or teacher deny the seemingly innate curiosity that young children demonstrate in the natural world.  Aside from the community loss that might result from a generation of children growing up with limited exposure to the natural world, it is a great personal loss to them if they are missing out on interactions with the natural world that can provide counter-balance to the fast paced digital one that is becoming the norm for modern life.

Having barely stepped into my new role as The Harley School's Citizen Science Coordinator, extensions of the Citizen Science concept beyond that of data collection and interpretation seems increasingly important. Even if students never share their outdoor experiences beyond classroom discussion, to the extent their innate curiosity about the natural world is maintained, I believe we all gain. For this reason, I am particularly excited about the possibilities that I am exploring with several primary teachers who have an equal interest in this area of curricular development. I welcome the input and experiences of others.

General References:

Richard Louy, (“The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with Life in a Virtual Age” and “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder.”) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Louv

Children & Nature Network http://www.childrenandnature.org/