Defining the terms in nature-based early childhood education

Key terms

在以自然为基础的幼儿教育领域有很多术语. Below is a brief description of how we define various terms. For a more comprehensive (and printable!) version click here for the “Sorting Out the Terms & Concepts of Nature-based Early Childhood Education” document.

  • Simply put, 以自然为基础的幼儿教育(0-8岁)是在自然环境中进行学习的地方. 有许多项目模式被认为是基于自然的早期儿童教育(NbECE),如基于自然的学前教育(也称为自然学前教育)。, forest preschools (also called forest kindergartens), nature-based kindergartens, nature-based first grade, and so forth. In all of these programs nature is at the core of the curriculum, there is extensive daily outdoor time over the course of a school year, 教师实施高质量的幼儿实践和高质量的环境教育实践. 换句话说,自然和户外几乎渗透到NbECE项目的每一个方面. So, 虽然模型或程序结构可能会有所不同,但有一个共同的方法来教育儿童-自然教学法.

    请记住,将自然融入幼儿教育是一个连续统一体,从没有自然融入到连续统一体的另一端,在这个统一体的另一端,自然融入到项目的所有部分. 一个充分融入自然的项目模糊了室内和室外空间之间的界限, outdoor time is extensive and often the first activity of the day, natural materials are found throughout the indoor space, and classroom activities are based on seasonal happenings. This full integration of nature is NbECE in its purest form. 我们在萨马拉早期教育的使命是帮助儿童早期教育摆脱“无自然”的状态,更接近完全的自然沉浸.

  • Nature-based preschools, sometimes simply referred to as nature preschools, 是否有针对3-5岁儿童的有执照的幼儿课程,其中至少30%的上课时间是在户外进行的, nature is infused into all aspects of the program, 教学法强调通过游戏和动手发现的探究性学习. This means the curriculum is emergent (i.e., based on children’s interests), 但鉴于频繁的户外时间体验通常植根于自然世界的季节性事件. Additionally, nature is integrated into the indoor spaces, 游戏区域的整体外观是自然区域,而不是结构化的游戏设备. 以自然为基础的学前教育包括在指定的游戏区域之外度过的时间, nature infused into the indoor spaces, and with nature as the driving theme of the curriculum (Bailie, 2010; Green Hearts, 2014; Larimore, 2011b, 2011a; R. C. Moore, 2014). 另一种描述这种情况的方式是将自然融入“室内学习”,” “outdoors,” and “beyond” (Warden, 2015). 以自然为基础的幼儿园不同于森林幼儿园,森林幼儿园的户外活动时间更长(70-100%),而且使用范围有限, if any, of indoor space (Larimore, 2016; Sobel, 2014).

    这种以自然为基础的幼儿园模式起源于美国,1967年在康涅狄格州的新迦南自然中心建立了第一所以自然为基础的幼儿园. 直到21世纪初,许多人将这种模式称为以自然为中心的幼儿园(Bailie), 2010) and then the language shifted to nature-based preschools (Larimore, 2011). 在许多情况下,这段历史仍然影响着学习与学习之间的平衡, about, or with nature in particular nature-based preschools. 今天,有250多所幼儿园自认为是基于自然的. (A list of current nature-based preschools is maintained by the Natural Start Alliance.)我们在萨马拉早教的目标是让这个数字增长到数百个,最终达到数千个,或者实施高质量的基于自然的行政和教学实践的项目! 

  • 森林幼儿园与自然幼儿园非常相似,它们通常为3-5岁的孩子提供服务. In a forest preschool, however, 70-100% of the day is spent outdoors (Larimore, 2016; Sobel, 2014). As a result, 室内空间通常不太发达,主要是作为恶劣天气的避难所. Like nature-based preschools, nature is infused into all aspects of the program, 教学法强调通过游戏和从孩子的兴趣中产生的动手发现来学习. 历史上,森林幼儿园植根于德国的Waldkindergartens和瑞典的Skogsmulle项目模式(Sobel, 2014). Thus, 许多森林幼儿园称自己为“森林幼儿园”,这是德语的英语翻译. In U.S. contexts, 我们更喜欢使用“森林学前教育”,因为它明确了年龄范围,而且这些项目通常不在包括幼儿园在内的正规学校系统之外.e., the year before First grade).

  • Any student or parent that experiences a nature-based infant, toddler, 或者学前教育项目不可避免地要参加以自然为基础的幼儿园(和一年级), second grade…). Like nature-based programs for younger children, elementary students have daily outdoor time as part of their curriculum. Nature is also brought into the classroom through physical materials, but also in the selection of reading materials, topics for small group activities, and so forth. In other words, 自然融入到课堂的各个方面,并作为实现学习成果的工具.

“自然几乎渗透到以自然为基础的幼儿教育计划的每一个方面.”

— Dr. Rachel A. Larimore, Founder & Chief Visionary of Samara Early Learning

What is a nature-based preschool?

以自然为基础的幼儿园在幼儿教育中越来越受欢迎. In this video Dr. Rachel A. Larimore, Founder of Samara Early Learning, 具体描述了基于自然的幼儿教育和基于自然的学前教育的广义概念.