Session 1 : Forest School
It is my first day of placement. I am feeling very excited but also a little apprehensive.
My biggest interest in studying children is, the way in which they interact with each other and the process in which friendships form. I feel this will be a big part of my reflections throughout this placement.
Today we carried out various activities throughout the first session. This session was with homeschoolers. As part of the session, we gathered around the campfire discussing the plan for the coming weeks of this term. Chris asked all the children what activities they would like to do this term. Most of the children contributed various ideas for activities to do. Chris took into account all of these ideas and created a plan for the coming weeks. It was encouraging to see Chris’s desire to include the children in how the sessions should be run.
The children then had some free time to explore, climb trees and just be free in nature. I noticed there were immediate separations in the group, the girls paired off together, the older boys were standing around chatting and the younger boys were creating imaginative play. Already in the beginning friendships were forming, as well as different interests.
In the second session, we were running forest school activities for children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. The dynamics in this group were very different. The children were immediately wary of my presence. There were only 3 children there, however it certainly wasn’t quiet. All three of the boys have ADHD and learning difficulties. They had playful interactions with each other, however the language used between the boys was degrading. We again discussed various activities for the coming weeks, and Chris and I came up with a plan.
I was feeling quite apprehensive as to how the boys would react to the weeks of me being there and the way I was going to be able to handle different situations But I was also feeling so excited that these boys were able to be free from what constrained them in school and having the opportunity to be a part of something creative and freeing.