Starting Early: Environmental Education during the Early Childhood Years (continued)

Nature-related experiences tend to foster a child's emerging sense of wonder--referred to by Plato as the source of knowledge and by Cobb (1977) as our source of imagination. According to Cobb, it is through wonder that we come to know the world. It's wonder--rather than books, words, or learning all the facts--that provides the direction and impetus for environmental education in early childhood.

Guidelines for Program Development

Environmental education opportunities for preschool children should be offered on an on-going rather than a sporadic basis (Bixler, Carlisle, Hammittt, & Floyd, 1994; Gaylord, 1987). On-going environmental education programs for preschoolers, however, are relatively scarce, and those that do exist tend to serve primarily middle- and upper middle-class white families (Wilson, in press). This is unfortunate since children living in low-income minority neighborhoods are more likely to be affected negatively by environmental assaults (e.g., air pollution, noise, congestion, solid wastes, etc.) (Harding & Holdren, 1993) and less likely to have frequent positive interactions with the natural environment.

Environmental education for the early years should be based on a sense of wonder and the joy of discovery. Consistent with this approach, the following guidelines are proposed as a framework for developing and implementing an environmental education program for preschool children.

1. Begin with simple experiences. Young children learn best through experiences that relate to what is already familiar and comfortable. Thus, the best place to start is in an environment that is similar to what they already know. For example, focus on a single tree in a backyard or playground before venturing into a heavily wooded area.
2. Provide frequent positive experiences outdoors. Because children learn best through direct, concrete experiences, they need to be immersed in the outdoor environment to learn about it. Optimally, the exposure should be provided on an almost daily basis. A one-time trip to a park or nature preserve will have very limited impact on young children. Far better to provide ongoing simple experiences with the grass, trees, and insects in environments close to home or school than to spend time and energy in making arrangements for field trips to unfamiliar places the children may seldom visit. In addition to investigating the elements of the natural world already present in an outdoor setting, there are also many different ways to transform a typical playground into an environmental yard. Start by adding bird feeders, wind socks, flower and vegetable gardens, tree houses, rock piles, and logs, and then provide children with tools for experimenting and investigating (e.g., magnifying glasses, water hose and bucket, hoes, rakes, etc.).
3. Focus on "experiencing" versus "teaching." Because young children learn through discovery and self-initiated activities, the role of an adult is to be more a facilitator than a teacher. Learning among young children requires active involvement: hands-on manipulation, sensory engagement, and self-initiated explorations. Young children should not be expected to "watch and listen" for any length of time, nor should they be expected to always follow the teacher's lead or agenda. Far better to focus on what children find of interest than to compete for attention through teacher-selected activities and materials.
4. Demonstrate a personal interest in and enjoyment of the natural world. A teacher's expressions of interest in and enjoyment of the natural world are critical to the success of an early childhood environmental education program. It is the teacher's own sense of wonder, more than his or her scientific knowledge, which will ignite and sustain a child's love of nature. Therefore, even teachers with a minimal background in science need not be intimidated by the thought of implementing an environmental education program for young children. Feelings are more important than facts when it comes to introducing young children to the world of nature. No one has stated this more clearly than Rachel Carson (1956) when she wrote, "I sincerely believe that for the child, and for the parent [or teacher] seeking to guide him, it is not half so important to know as to feel" (p. 45).
5. Model caring and respect for the natural environment. Teachers should also model caring and respect for the world of nature. Talking to children about taking care of Earth is far less effective than demonstrating simple ways of expressing care. Care and respect can be modeled through the gentle handling of plants and animals in the classroom, establishing or maintaining outdoor habitats for wildlife, attending to the proper disposal of trash, and recycling or reusing as many materials as possible.

Conclusion

Young children tend to develop an emotional attachment to what is familiar and comfortable to them. If they are to develop a sense of connectedness with the natural world, they need frequent positive experiences with the outdoors. Providing opportunities for such experiences and sharing them with young children is the essence of what environmental education is all about. Rachel Carson, in "The Sense of Wonder," was one of the first to articulate the importance and characteristics of environmental education at the early childhood level. In her words (Carson, 1956), "If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder...he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in" (p. 45). Environmental education for the early years focuses primarily on young children exploring and enjoying the world of nature under the guidance and with the companionship of caring adults.

References

Bixler, R., Carlisle D.L., Hammitt, W.E., & Floyd, M.F. (1994). Observed fears and discomforts among urban students on field trips to wildland areas. The Journal of Environmental Education, 26 (1), 24-33. [EJ 496 836].

Carson, R. (1956). The sense of wonder. New York: Harper & Row.