Reflection on the new changes at Mini Rangers

Forest School techniques are all about giving children a purpose to learn.  Teaching knots that will tie up the shelter, using a peeler to prepare vegetables, a knife to whittle or a bow saw to chop wood.  It may seem far fetched when you look at your newly walking 1 year old to make the leap to them using a bow saw, but little by little and with staggered steps the idea is that by the time your child reaches the end of reception not only will they have mastered these skills, but they will be able to choose which tool goes with which job.

Learning for purpose have lead the changes at Mini Rangers.  Firstly we looked at snack time.  This was the perfect area to introduce different tools for food preparation to the children.  This is to encourage their competence and bring them a stage further towards our development goal of 'realising tools can be used for purpose' as an emerging skill to an expected skill of 'selecting tools and techniques needed to shape, assemble and join materials they are using.' and finally at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage (End of reception year) children will be 'safely using and exploring a variety of materials, tools and techniques.' These same goals can be overlaid onto the camp fire activities where new tools and risk go hand in hand.  With our tool talks and respect positions and inviting children to come in to feed the fire we give purpose to these EYFS goals.

Trajectory schemas are seen by
'An interest in how objects and people move, and how children can affect the movement.  This schema can be seen in children's actions when they drop objects, jump, swing and Climb up and down repeatedly.'
So that Steep bank, that can only be climbed or slid down with no activity based at the top really feeds into the Trajectory schema.  This is why Schema's are so exciting to me, I have children who constantly throw food, toys or anything else I put on their high chair and the fact there is a relationship to that steep bank at Etherow is a really exciting observation.  Moving on from that we are also looking at the mastering of Physical Development here.  So from the emerging skill of 'climbing confidently and pulling themselves up' to the expected skill of 'moves freely with pleasure and confidence in a range of ways'  to the  exceeding skill of 'Negotiating space successfully and experimenting with different ways of moving.'  All this and to go with it the added bonus of seeing the characteristics of effective learning such as Active learning and motivation - being involved and concentrating, keeping trying, enjoying achieving what they set out to do.

'where skills are taught in isolation from the need to use them, there is  a risk that balance can be lost and the growth of independent and creative thinkers is limited' (Nutbrown, p50)

Sometimes the jargon of the EYFS can numb the sheer joy of the activity I mean children climbing that bank are not thinking of the muscle strengthening, the co-ordination of remaining balanced while engaging with a vertical slope or indeed how they will get down!  For each child the motivation may be unique to them - that is the question for you to ask!  Can you remember them dropping food and toys off their high chair, do they love to chase and catch bubbles, playing paper areoplanes? Observing the children each week climbing the bank it is irresistible.  It is great to see parents making that climb supporting their eager child.  Here I was being given a climbing lesson.

An experienced mini ranger is expertly showing me how she climbs the bank.

I wanted her to use the rope, but she uses her legs as her strength and support.

Here she humours me by holding the rope,

    This expert climber has her own style and she will climb the bank, but she will do it how she does it best and she is the expert in her own learning.  She has taken control and revels in it.  She shows a persistent interest and despite the effort and the struggle it takes to get to the top and then get down again, she continues to explore.  There is much to be learnt about the characteristics she shows at the moment  reveal her motivation for the task in hand.

Some children might use transporting as a means of understanding the world.  definition:
An interest in moving themselves around and in transporting objects.  Once they are mobile, babies and children begin to move objects and themselves from one place to another, using bags, bikes, trucks etc.  
I have discovered myself lately that when a child is compelled to transport it is often a good idea to take a bag on every journey.  Certainly down in the Education area at this time of year there is so much to transport and for good reason too.  I am going to be regularly taking children off to the woods with parents and carers to search out tinder and kindling, collect leaves and spot plant life.  If you recognise your child in this schema I am sure that child will come prepared for collecting anyway.

It is Vygotsky the Russian Psychologist who contributed to theory of children's thinking and Cathy Nutbrown explains that organised learning can often be traced back to the real experiences children have such as filling the washing machine, baking, gardening, writing postcards or birthday cards.  Tasks are categorised by what a child can do now and what a child can do with assistance Vygotsky identified the inter difference between this as the 'zone of proximal development'.

This is exciting because here we are talking about the importance of that close adult relationship that as a carer or parent we work towards building.  As Bowlby asserts
'As long as mothering is of high quality and is provided by figures who remain the same during the child's early life, then (at least four or five mother figures) multiple mothering need have no adverse affects'.(Bowlby J 1969/1982 attachment and loss: vol 1 Attachment. New Yorks Basic Books).

As parents it is not only important to give our child high quality interactive experiences when they are with us, but to ensure that these activities are continued in whichever high quality child care we choose.  I will say no more on this subject as I am of course inherently biased!

Mini Rangers share many of the same aims as Forest School such as

The use of a woodland setting  -  We are looking at children's freedoms within boundaries, innovative approaches to learning and strict safety routines.

A high adult to learner ratio - With the parent/carer taking the lead in the child's learning allowing the children to undertake tasks and play activities without exposing the children to undue risk of harm.

Learning can be linked I try to link whatever we are doing with the Early Years Foundation Stage.  As an Early Years Teacher this is my area of comfort and expertise.

Regular contact for the children - We run mini rangers, rain or shine throughout term time.  this ensures that we are allowing children to plan and enjoy the routine of mini rangers.

The most important people for the children at mini rangers are the mini ranger's parents.  It is your continued interest and wonder at their excellence that will drive the children forward on their quest for knowledge and skills.

This type of group is constantly evolving.  We rely on volunteers, so to some extent different volunteers bring in different expertise and that is fantastic.   I hope you all continue to enjoy Mini Rangers and the new ideas that come and evolve here.