Ever heard of ADD? Of course, we (teachers) have heard of it, dealt with it and know it when we see it even though we are not allowed to really mention it and instead must use code (i.e. “Have you talked to your child’s pediatrician about the attentional concerns I’ve raised?”)
Well, have you ever heard of NDD? Nature Deficit Disorder, as coined by author and journalist Richard Louv in 2011, is exactly what it sounds like: a gap between kids and nature. Louv says “research strongly suggests that time in nature can help many children learn to build confidence in themselves, reduce the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, calm children, and help them focus.”
Finnish teachers are very willing and able to bring their students outside of their classrooms for play and learning, according to Timothy Walker. Some of us, in our school settings, have access to nature right outside our windows and doors. Teaching in Alaska, we are surrounded by so much spectacular nature it’s breathtaking. Teaching at the foot of the Chugach Mountain Range at my school, it’s even harder to resist. One of our 6th grade teachers spearheaded the effort to create a “Living Classroom” adjacent to the school and our playground. There are wooden benches, a big cleared space, collapsible camping seats and even a carved sign indicating the space. So a nature space can even be created in the absence of one.
Walker suggests we think about this strategy in different tiers of getting students outside.
Tier 1: Bring nature into the classroom.Projects that tie to curriculum are abundant (sprouting potatoes, butterfly lifecycle, leaf rubbings, etc) and bringing plants into the classroom and caring for them is wonderful, in my opinion. I was fortunate enough to receive a Donors Choose grant a few years ago for a garden table. It is full of plants, big and small, and the special grow lightbulbs are soothing. I love having smelly plants like lavender and mint. I also have plants around the classroom to green it up.
Tier 2: Stepping outside for a lesson. Use your school campus as a habitat to enhance your measurement lesson(s), poetry study, writing prompt(s), etc.
Tier 3: Greening the school grounds by undertaking projects. I like to think of this as campus beautification. There’s a school in my district that has big raised garden beds against the school wall and each grade level has one to plant things in. Putting up bird feeders, planting a tree(s) and pulling weeds to make a small area look nicer are other ideas. This past spring (last week of school), I taught my students about dandelions. They are very clever plants. . .that I detest. After our science lesson we went outside to a small, square space directly in front of the principal’s office and went to work getting rid of trash, dandelions and other weeds for 1.5 hours. THEY LOVED IT and wanted to do it again the next day. . .and so we did!
We can all take baby steps towards connecting our inside learning space to the wonderful nature outside.
Up next: Keep the Peace
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