Outdoor Preschool in Baltimore Fosters Connection with Nature and Education
When 4-year-old Ravi, a student at a Baltimore nature preschool, saw a balloon floating across the sky recently, his first thought was one of concern for the birds.
“He said‚ ‘Oh no, Mom, I’m scared,’ and I said, ‘Why are you scared?’ and he said‚ ‘What if the balloon pops and a bird eats it and gets sick?’” Kristin Sternowski recalled.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Goal 4: Quality Education
- Goal 15: Life on Land
Sternowski found an outdoor preschool for her son after her family reconnected with nature during the COVID-19 pandemic. She attributes Ravi’s curiosity to his time outdoors, and his kinship with insects and animals, to his education at the Forest Preschool at Carrie Murray Nature Center in Southwest Baltimore.
“It’s this totally different understanding of how we impact the Earth and how we need to protect the Earth,” she said.
In an age of rapid technological advancements, statistics show the amount of time children spend outdoors to be dwindling. Attempting to bridge the gap, a group of child care workers is integrating nature and education into the outdoor school in the city.
Forest Preschool: Integrating Nature and Education
- Monica French, Mepi Neill, and Monica Wiedel-Lubinski founded the Forest Preschool in February 2018 at the Carrie Murray Nature Center.
- The preschool is licensed by the Maryland State Department of Education and operates under Baltimore City Recreation and Parks.
- It started as a half-day program and became a full early childhood education school in 2019.
French and Neill modeled the preschool after European forest kindergartens and pulled from Montessori school philosophies in creating a classroom that uses the woods to teach fundamental language, science, and math skills.
The preschool is located in Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park, which is the largest urban old-growth forest — over 1,200 acres — east of the Mississippi River.
Benefits of Outdoor Learning
- Promotes social development, academic achievement, and physical activity.
- Improves attention span and reduces the need for redirection during instruction.
One parent, Vira David-Rivera, said she had some reservations about starting her daughter, Ami, at the Baltimore preschool at 18 months. But she has since seen positive changes for Ami, now 4 years old.
Outdoor Classroom and Teaching Approach
- The day starts at 8 a.m. in the outdoor classroom.
- Children engage in activities such as painting, drawing, and learning from teachers.
- Lessons depend on what students find in the forest.
- Teachers encourage observation and critical thinking skills through questions about students’ discoveries.
Ages at the preschool range from 2 to 5 years old. All learning takes place outdoors, except during inclement weather.
Since starting the preschool, French says she takes life more slowly and looks more carefully at the world around her. After a day of teaching, she goes on walks to learn about nature herself.
“We feel it as adults — when we’re feeling so clogged by the world and everything is so stressful — and we’re recommended to get outside and get into nature, because it’s healing,” French said. “These children have the opportunity to fall in love with learning in a school setting out in nature every day. It’s a beautiful marriage of what can be.”
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. SDGs Addressed or Connected to the Issues Highlighted in the Article:
- SDG 4: Quality Education
- SDG 15: Life on Land
2. Specific Targets Based on the Article’s Content:
- SDG 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including among others through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles.
- SDG 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.
3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied in the Article:
- Indicator for SDG 4.7: Proportion of schools with a curriculum that addresses sustainable development and education for sustainable development (not explicitly mentioned in the article, but implied by the focus on nature education).
- Indicator for SDG 15.5: Extent of forest area protected or conserved (implied by the emphasis on preserving green spaces and old-growth forests).
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 4: Quality Education | Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including among others through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles. | Indicator: Proportion of schools with a curriculum that addresses sustainable development and education for sustainable development. |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species. | Indicator: Extent of forest area protected or conserved. |
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Source: baltimoresun.com
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