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The Forest School of Guelph
My name is Jen Mason and I am delighted to be offering Forest Schools to your child this year. Please read the following document to get a sense of what Forest School is, what your child will be doing in the Forest School program, and how you and your child can be best prepared for this experience.
What is Forest School?
Forest School is an outdoor education experience in which students visit the same local woodland on a regular basis. Through forest play, young people learn about the natural world and how to use their own initiative to communicate, solve problems and co-operate with others. (Adapted from Archimedes Training: www.forestschools.com).
The Forest Schools concept was developed in the Scandinavian countries in the 1950s and brought to the United Kingdom in the early 1990s. Since then, it has gained tremendous popularity in the UK and is widely available there. The Forest School of Guelph is the second Forest School in Canada. The Forest School of Guelph and Echo Montessori School
Echo Montessori School is perfectly located to offer a Forest School program as it backs onto the Hanlon Creek Park and Sanctuary Woods. Children’s House students at Echo Montessori School will benefit from one hour of Forest School in this natural environment each day except in extreme weather conditions.
With their teachers and Jen Mason (the Forest School Program Leader), students will begin in the back yard of the school and move further afield to explore and experience the forest and natural area through the back gate. We will not cross any roads.
While many adventures are student-led, there are guided activities as well. These may include
shelter/fort-building, environmental art, make-believe activities, exploration adventures, game-playing, drama, music-making, sensory awareness activities, and naturalist training.
The Benefits of Forest School
Several studies conducted in the UK indicate that Forest Schools have numerous benefits for students including:
- Improved physical skills (increased stamina, and improved fine and gross motor skills),
- Increased understanding of the outdoors and respect for nature,
- Heightened motivation and concentration,
- Improved ability to work with others including an increased awareness of the consequences of their actions on peers,
- Increased self esteem and self confidence, and
- Language development.
Forest School Program Leader and Founder of the Forest School of Guelph: Jen Mason
I am a certified teacher, and outdoor, environmental educator. Since 1989, I have worked with young people in a variety of settings in Canada, the United States, and Australia leading wilderness trips and teaching about the environment and how we can live sustainably.
I have a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education degree (with a focus in Outdoor and Experiential Education) from Queen’s University and a Master’s degree in Ecology-Based Education from Prescott College in Arizona. In addition, I have taken numerous wilderness skills courses. I have current first aid and CPR certification.
I am passionate about getting kids of all ages outside into the natural world.
Clothing List
Children’s House students will be outside in the woods behind the school for one hour each day (except in extreme weather conditions). At The Forest School of Guelph, we subscribe to the maxim that “there is no such thing as bad weather; only bad clothing.” Dressed properly, children can enjoy their experience in the outdoors regardless of the weather. Students will be required to wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks and closed-toed shoes every day
(even in warm weather). This will protect them from scratches and insect bites. Additionally, each child will need the following items for the early fall:
- Waterproof rain gear—pants and jacket. To keep your child warm and dry, rain gear must be waterproof and not ‘water resistant’. (If you have trouble finding waterproof raingear at a reasonable price, please contact me).
- Sun hat/baseball hat
- Warm layer (thick fleece is ideal) that fits under the rain jacket
- Warm pants that fit under the rain pants
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent (if you would like us to apply it)
I am very excited to be offering this wonderful opportunity to your child. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
