Ep. 244: What is the value in early exposure to nature?
Guest: Simon Jackson, Nature Labs
Falling in love with the majesty of Mother Nature early in life is a proven way of instilling a passion for protecting the environment.
The best way to do that is to provide an immersive experience, as in taking the class out into the forest. The challenges to doing so are too many to overcome.
The next best solution is to provide teachers with online resources that literally pop, or are exciting and intriguing. Curriculum-based materials that instill a foundation of nature literacy designed to enhance critical thinking skills that promote thoughtful decision making are crucial.
Why is this important? The answer comes in every decision we all make everyday: decisions that consider the impact on the environment when we purchase a product, manage our trash, determine our mode of transportation and how we use energy. Every decision matters and when we understand our role in the complex weave of combined actions, then we can collectively work towards a better future.
We invited Simon Jackson of Nature Labs to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the project that he and Jill Cooper designed to change students’ relationship with nature.
