Public discussions of global climate change and other threats to the planet are making children more aware of environmental issues. As increasing numbers of kids come to school wishing to take action, educators want to know how to teach in a way that fosters a love of nature and an understanding of the complexity and seriousness of these issues.
In Childhood and Nature, noted educator David Sobel makes the case that meaningful connections with the natural world don't begin in the rainforest or arctic, but in our own backyards and communities. Based on his observations of recurrent play themes around the world, Sobel articulates seven design principles that can guide teachers in structuring learning experiences for children. Place-based education projects that make effective use of the principles are detailed throughout the book. And while engaged in these projects, students learn language arts, math, science, social studies, as well as essential problem-solving and social skills through involvement with nature and their communities.
The pressures of test preparation, standards, and curriculum frameworks often reduce the study of nature and the environment to a set of facts and general concepts. However, as Childhood and Nature demonstrates, linking curriculum with an engagement in the real world not only provides students with the thinking skills needed for whatever test comes their way, but also helps them grow into responsible citizens and stewards of the earth.
David T. Sobel is the director of Teacher Certification Programs in the education department and director of the Center for Place-Based Education at Antioch University New England in New Hampshire.
Prior to 1997, he served as the chairperson of the department for a dozen years. He was one of the founders of The Harrisville Children's Center and has served on the board of public and private schools. He is a member of the editorial board of the journal Encounter: Education for Meaning and Social Justiceand has served as a correspondent for Orion Magazine.
David received his bachelor's degree in English from Williams College in Williamstown, MA, and his master's degree in elementary education and child development from The Prospect School Teacher Training Program in Vermont and Antioch New England Graduate School in Keene, NH.
His published books include Children's Special Places, Beyond Ecophobia: Reclaiming the Heart in Nature Education, Mapmaking with Children: Sense of Place Education for the Elementary Years and Place-based Education: Connecting Classrooms and Communities.His articles examine the relationship between child development, school curriculum and place-based education. He was the winner of a 1991 Education Press Award.
David is currently director of Project CO-SEED (Community-based School Environmental Education). This project creates partnerships between communities, school districts and environmental organizations in an effort to collaboratively improve schools and support community development.
David's exploration and documentation of the natural interests of children are the foundation for much of his work. He says that he became a teacher because "I liked being responsible for designing adventurous encounters for others."
He has served as a consultant with school districts, foundations, environmental organizations and the National Park Service to assist educators with curriculum development, program planning and evaluation from a learner-centered perspective.
David has two children and enjoys mountain biking, adventure travel, landscape history, play area design, cold water swimming, and heating with wood.
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这本书的叙事风格极其独特,它更像是一篇篇精心打磨的教育哲学散文,而非一本操作手册。我尤其欣赏作者对于“时间维度”在自然教育中作用的强调。在如今快节奏的教学体系下,我们常常追求立竿见影的效果,但自然教育恰恰是反高效率的。书中描绘了等待一颗种子发芽的焦灼与惊喜,记录了孩子在同一棵树下,观察其从嫩绿到金黄的漫长过程中的心境变化。这种对“慢学习”的推崇,无疑是对当代教育功利化倾向的一记警钟。更重要的是,作者将这些观察和等待,巧妙地与儿童心理发展阶段相结合,论证了耐心的培养如何间接促进了他们的情绪稳定性和解决问题的深度。我发现,与其说这是一本关于自然设计的书,不如说这是一本关于“耐心教育”的指南。它教会我如何放慢脚步,去真正“看见”孩子在自然中发生的细微成长,而不是急于去衡量他们学到了多少既定知识点。这种深层次的哲学思考,让我对自己的教学目标进行了彻底的反思和重构。
评分这本书的封面设计本身就散发着一种宁静、怀旧的气息,那种淡雅的绿色和手绘风格的插图,让人仿佛能闻到泥土和青草的芬芳。我最初翻开它,是抱着一种“也许能找到些新思路”的心态,毕竟作为一名长期在一线工作的教育工作者,深知当前城市化进程对孩子们与自然接触机会的挤压。然而,这本书真正打动我的,是它对“场所感”的深刻阐述。作者并非简单地罗列出一堆户外活动清单,而是探讨了如何通过精心设计的学习环境,让孩子们在与土地、水流、植物互动的过程中,建立起一种内在的、无法替代的联结。特别是其中关于“微观生态”的章节,详细描述了如何利用校园的一角,引导学生观察昆虫的迁徙、季节的变化,这种细致入微的观察训练,远比宏大的自然教育主题来得更有实效性。它提醒我们,教育的本质不是灌输知识,而是唤醒感知力。读完后,我立刻开始重新审视我们学校后院那片被我们视为“闲置区域”的角落,开始规划如何让它成为一个真正能“说话”的自然教室,而不是一个仅仅用来跑跳的操场。
评分如果让我用一个词来概括这本书给我的整体感受,那便是“结构性重建”。我一直认为,好的课程设计必须有坚实的理论基础支撑,而这本书恰恰提供了这种坚实的支撑,但它的理论基础并非枯燥的学术堆砌。作者非常擅长引用跨学科的知识点,比如建筑学中的“场所精神”(Genius Loci),将其巧妙地嫁接到教育场景中。它提出了一个引人深思的观点:一个缺乏自然元素的学习空间,无论其硬件设施多么先进,其“学习效能”都会大打折扣。书中对“边界模糊化”的设计理念尤为震撼我——如何巧妙地在室内外空间之间创造过渡地带,让自然不再是被隔离的“户外活动”,而是渗透进日常学习肌理的一部分。例如,他们讨论了如何设计“湿区”和“干区”的自然材料堆叠,以适应不同季节的探索需求。这种系统性的、全局性的设计思维,远超出了我以往接触的任何一本关于环境创设的指南。它让我意识到,环境本身就是一位无声的、但却是最有影响力的教师。
评分阅读体验上,这本书的语言充满了一种令人信服的权威感,但又丝毫没有架子。它叙述案例时,详略得当,既有宏观的理念阐释,也有微观的操作细节。比如,在讲解如何引入“自然材料”进行艺术创作时,作者没有直接给出“用树枝做雕塑”的指令,而是花了大篇幅去论述为什么橡树的树枝与柳树的树枝在触感、韧性以及象征意义上的不同,对孩子构建世界观有何种差异化的影响。这种对细节的极致追求,显示出作者深厚的田野调查基础和长期实践经验。对我而言,这本书最宝贵之处在于它提供了“可能性清单”,而非“强制性清单”。它激发了读者去探索自己所在地域独有的自然资源,去定制属于自己社区的自然叙事。它鼓励教育者成为环境的“策展人”,而不是单纯的“管理者”。这种授权感和创造性释放,是很多同类书籍所缺乏的。
评分这本书最让我感到惊喜的是,它成功地将“可持续性”这一宏大议题,拆解成了可以被孩子理解和实践的具体行动。它讨论的自然设计,绝非一次性的项目,而是需要与生态系统共同成长的长期承诺。书中详细介绍了一些低成本、高回报的生态修复策略,比如雨水收集的简单装置,以及如何引导孩子参与到本地物种的保护名录中去。这不仅仅是知识的传授,更是公民责任感的培养。作者的视角是全球性的,但落脚点却是脚下的泥土,这种连接感非常强大。读完后,我感觉自己不再是一个孤立的教师,而是社区生态链条中的一环,肩负着向下一代传递健康环境的使命。这本书提供了一种强大的、可操作的愿景:让学习环境本身成为一个活生生的、能自我净化的、持续提供教育价值的有机体。它真正实现了将教育融入生命过程的理想。
评分五年前看过此书大概后,我对儿童与自然关系的理解,开始从书本页面转向观察现实,之后再看书也时刻谨记莫纸上谈兵,书本的条目经验只能作为参考,要去观察了解现场,要去感受孩子如何喜怒哀乐,为什么会发生这些情绪,如何根据每个孩子的天性和喜好去引导ta们…现在重读,发现这本书对我的影响十分润物无声,也时时觉得遇见的每个孩子都是天使啊,让我也一直在陪伴引导过程中和小朋友们一起成长,实在感谢~
评分五年前看过此书大概后,我对儿童与自然关系的理解,开始从书本页面转向观察现实,之后再看书也时刻谨记莫纸上谈兵,书本的条目经验只能作为参考,要去观察了解现场,要去感受孩子如何喜怒哀乐,为什么会发生这些情绪,如何根据每个孩子的天性和喜好去引导ta们…现在重读,发现这本书对我的影响十分润物无声,也时时觉得遇见的每个孩子都是天使啊,让我也一直在陪伴引导过程中和小朋友们一起成长,实在感谢~
评分五年前看过此书大概后,我对儿童与自然关系的理解,开始从书本页面转向观察现实,之后再看书也时刻谨记莫纸上谈兵,书本的条目经验只能作为参考,要去观察了解现场,要去感受孩子如何喜怒哀乐,为什么会发生这些情绪,如何根据每个孩子的天性和喜好去引导ta们…现在重读,发现这本书对我的影响十分润物无声,也时时觉得遇见的每个孩子都是天使啊,让我也一直在陪伴引导过程中和小朋友们一起成长,实在感谢~
评分五年前看过此书大概后,我对儿童与自然关系的理解,开始从书本页面转向观察现实,之后再看书也时刻谨记莫纸上谈兵,书本的条目经验只能作为参考,要去观察了解现场,要去感受孩子如何喜怒哀乐,为什么会发生这些情绪,如何根据每个孩子的天性和喜好去引导ta们…现在重读,发现这本书对我的影响十分润物无声,也时时觉得遇见的每个孩子都是天使啊,让我也一直在陪伴引导过程中和小朋友们一起成长,实在感谢~
评分五年前看过此书大概后,我对儿童与自然关系的理解,开始从书本页面转向观察现实,之后再看书也时刻谨记莫纸上谈兵,书本的条目经验只能作为参考,要去观察了解现场,要去感受孩子如何喜怒哀乐,为什么会发生这些情绪,如何根据每个孩子的天性和喜好去引导ta们…现在重读,发现这本书对我的影响十分润物无声,也时时觉得遇见的每个孩子都是天使啊,让我也一直在陪伴引导过程中和小朋友们一起成长,实在感谢~
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