the sense of wonder

The idea of creating a blog is an experiment to see if we can get a discussion going that will help us all share our thoughts and ideas as we read the book. Since you are reading this, you’ve found the blog.

This book discussion sprang from our conversations during last year’s grade level meetings about re-connecting our selves and our students to nature. Several of us had the chance to hear Richard Louv speak at an Audubon conference in the fall.

In Section #1 “The new relationship between Children and Nature, Louv starts us out with a beautiful quote from a local naturalist/writer- Henry David Thoreau- describing nature as a savage beast from which we are “so early weaned”. He then goes on to introduce his concept of “nature deficit disorder”, which seems to have struck a chord within educational and parenting circles.

Did nature play a significant part in your childhood? How did it shape you?

Have you seen evidence that supports or refutes the existence of Nature Deficit disoder?

There is an article on Louv’s Children and  & Nature  Network website that presents recent research on the effect of going for a nature walk in the woods on children with ADHD. Researchers found that going for 20 minute nature walk was as effective or better than a dose of medication in helping childrens’ attention spans.

I wonder if any of you have any evidence to support this?

I hope I can convince you to participate in this discussion.
Thanks for clicking in to this blog. I look forward to “chatting” with you- on line or in person, as we explore this topic throughout the year

It’s funny how certain memories stick with you. I grew up in the suburbs of Detroit in the 50’s, back when our mothers threw us out after school so they could fix dinner. I grew up on a busy street, but there were still a few vacant lots and places where you could hang out in trees for hours at a time. There was a wonderful “twisty tree” that was hollowed out and polished smooth from so many children jumping through the middle of it (with both feet). Years later I went looking for it, but of course it was gone.

Ever since I read Silent Spring and The Sense of Wonder back in grad school in the seventies, I have loved Rachel Carson’s way of thinking and talking about nature and children.. The name of this blog, the sense of wonder, reflects that admiration and the way it has come around again to inspire us to realize the power that nature can have in our lives.

Last year I had a chance to hear Richard Louv, author of “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder. He and Peter Forbes spoke at an Audubon workshop focusing on reconnecting Children and Nature. The day is imprinted in my memory, partly because of torrential rain, and partly because I had not been aware of this whole new movement trying to reconnect children to nature before we forget how to.

In future posts I’d like to explore both my own connection with nature and how it has helped me through the years, and ways in which I think we can help “kids these days” find their own connection. So here we go…  one foot in front of the other.