Purpose

The concept of children's alienation from, and reconnection to, nature has gained international interest. The purpose of this paper is to explore how forest school as a growing phenomenon in the UK is promoting this reconnection to nature as well as benefiting children's well-being. At the same time, forest school is providing children and young people with a more divergent learning experience, away from the structural pressures of the neoliberal classroom. With its emphasis on play-based learning in wooded areas, and the freedom to make connections and spatially engage with what is around them at their own pace, such engagement in these “alternative” learning spaces can support the development of a post-human discourse and sensibilities. This is fundamental in developing children's emotional connection in promoting pro-environmental behaviours and their attitudes towards valuing and protecting the non-human.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper draws on field notes documented during forest school leader training undertook by the author from April 2017 to May 2018. Further data were collected in the form of participant observations of forest school sessions in three schools; semi-structured interviews with the head teachers of these schools and two forest school practitioners. Supplementary data will also draw on the experiences of a group of second-year education studies university students after completing a module on forest school and outdoor learning, led by the author.

Findings

This article finds that the more children engage with wooded areas and interact with the natural environment and other creatures within that space, the more it affords meaning to them. This in turn promotes a sense of belonging and environmental stewardship, particularly in relation to non-human creatures. This article also finds that where schools provide forest school opportunities on their sites, such provision is conducive to supporting more creative practices within the “spatialities” of the neoliberal classroom.

Originality/value

Neoliberal education policy with its focus on high stakes testing and performance outcomes increasingly shapes the spatial practices of school life. Consequently, time spent outdoors and its relationship with intrinsic learning has declined in many schools. With many schools placing less importance on outdoor learning, children and young people have become further alienated from engaging in different ways with their environments. Further, data highlighting the link between forest school and children's interest in plants and other animals have not been the subject of much research.

中文翻译：

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通过森林学校促进与自然和其他动物的情感联系：破坏新自由主义的表演空间

目的

儿童与自然的疏远和重新联系的概念已引起国际关注。本文的目的是探讨森林学校在英国的一种日益普遍的现象是如何促进这种与自然的重新联系以及使儿童的福祉受益。同时，森林学校为儿童和年轻人提供了更加多样化的学习体验，摆脱了新自由主义课堂的结构压力。由于强调在林区进行基于游戏的学习，并可以按照自己的步调自由建立联系并在空间上与周围的事物互动，因此在这些“替代”学习空间中的互动可以支持后人类话语的发展。和敏感性。这对于发展儿童的能力至关重要

设计/方法/方法

本文借鉴了作者在2017年4月至2018年5月进行的森林学校领导者培训期间记录的实地记录。进一步的数据以参与者对三所学校的森林学校课程的观察结果的形式收集。对这些学校的校长和两名森林学校从业者进行半结构化访谈。在作者指导下完成森林学校和户外学习的模块后，补充数据还将借鉴一组大二学生的第二年教育研究的经验。

发现

本文发现，越多的孩子与树木繁茂的区域互动，并与该空间中的自然环境和其他生物互动，它给他们带来的意义就越大。反过来，这会促进一种归属感和环境管理权，特别是在非人类生物方面。本文还发现，在学校为其站点提供森林学校机会的地方，这种规定有利于在新自由主义教室的“空间”内支持更多的创造性实践。

创意/价值

注重高风险测试和绩效结果的新自由主义教育政策越来越多地影响着学校生活的空间实践。因此，许多学校花费在户外的时间及其与内在学习的关系有所减少。由于许多学校对户外学习的重视程度降低，儿童和年轻人已变得不再以不同的方式参与他们的环境。此外，强调森林学校与儿童对植物和其他动物的兴趣之间的联系的数据尚未成为许多研究的主题。