Handprinting the Earth

The idea of an environmental handprint is the positive side of the environmental footprint.  For example: Handprint is positive action, commitment, measurement; it also means connecting – joining hands and a symbol of care. Environmental issues have become part of one’s life and so there is a dire need to practice positive sustainable actions from…

Time for Out of Classroom Learning

NAEE’s recent featured book was a report by the social change consultancy, NotDeadFish: Work on the Wild Side.  You can download it here.  The report “attempts to debunk the myth that outdoor learning and residentials are not viable teaching mechanisms“.  I’m not sure that this myth actually exists, and neither, I suspect, do the authors of the report…

A child’s right to nature

Today’s blog takes us to the Children and Nature Network where you will find the following posts (and more): A CHILD’S RIGHT TO NATURE: Why the City of Austin Created a Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights #100HOURSUNPLUGGED: A Challenge to Families to Go Offline and Outside Together TOGETHER IN NATURE: The Impact of the Family…

Arkive and Homework

When grandchildren visit, their homework in tow, it’s essential to get involved.  This is not so much to contribute the wisdom of venerability, as an extra pair of hands.  The latest task was to write about a creature found in the rain forest.  Whilst this was a generous topic: open-ended and full of possibility, there…

The 10 Tree Charter Principles

As we noted recently, the Woodland Trust is leading a call for a Charter for Trees, Woods and People (the charter project) with more than 70 organisations taking part.  The details are here. The 10 principles of the Tree Charter are here: Thriving habitats for diverse species Urban and rural landscapes should have a rich diversity…

Wider learning and connected experience

Today’s blog is by Sheila Gundry, Resource Future’s Education Manager. Wider learning and connected experience Learning Outside the Classroom Day (18 May) is a lovely reminder of the great strides made across the country to encourage outdoor learning.  For me, having worked in Field Centres for many years, nothing seemed more natural than to teach and…

Natural England reports outdoor learning research

Here’s a selection from a round up of recent evidence and reports, policy agenda developments, large scale delivery sector initiatives, resources and news items issued by the partnership of Natural England with The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom and Historic England on behalf of and for the Strategic Research Groups. The Possibilities of “Doing” Outdoor and/or…

Education and Global Goals

Today’s blog is by Clive Belgeonne, Education Adviser at DECSY (Development Education Centre, South Yorkshire), one of the National Leaders (North) of the Global Learning Programme (England), and Course Leader of PG Citizenship Education at Sheffield Hallam University. Education and Global Goals In September 2015, 193 world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development.…

Bambi: a Menace to the British Countryside

Today’s guest blog is by Geoffrey Guy who lectures at Reaseheath College.  Geoff is the Director of Education for Bushcraft Education Ltd, and the founder of the Bushcraft Education blog: Bambi: a Menace to the British Countryside A red stag striding through the heather of a Scottish hillside might be a majestic sight but did you know that despite…