Forest Schools

and Holistic
Learning

Level 1
Unit 1
Element 1.3
Session Learning

– What do we understand Holistic Learning to be at Forest Schools

– How can we provide opportunities to develop the Whole person
Holistic Development and
Learning
What do we at Forest Schools Mean by Holistic development, learning and education
– Holistic development is a thinking about the child as a whole and not separate parts acting in
isolation – an understanding that a child is more than the sum of its parts.
– Community is the central cultural theme In holistic education.
– Each of us as an individual finds our own meaning of the world, sense of self, sense of self place and
our life purpose by understanding our relationship with and in the community as a whole and the
natural world
– Holistic education aims to call forth from people an intrinsic reverence for life and a passionate love
of learning. (Ron Miller, founder of the journal Holistic Education Review)
– Holistic education has at its heart human relationships and all that involves in the learning process.
It inevitably spills out as experiential learning, as others are involved. (Robin Ann Martin)
– A holistic way of thinking tries to encompass and integrate multiple layers of meaning and
experience rather than defining human possibilities narrowly.
 Ideas of Holistic
Development
Physical
• Physical – Movement and kinanesthesia, our bodies are
biological and are linked to health and wellbeing

• Intellectual – thinking and problem solving, understanding and Spiritual Intellectual

reflecting on what works and what doesn't

• Linguistic – Verbal and no verbal communication and methods

to express ideas and thoughts PILESS
• Emotional – this includes our
• Consciousness Social Linguistic
• Self
• Peers
• adults Emotional

• Control
• Catalyst
 Ideas of Holistic
Development
Physical
• Social
• Community Spiritual Intellectual
• Companionship
• Compassion
PILESS
• Spiritual
• Awe Social Linguistic
• Wonder
• Sense of self and place in the magnitude of
Emotional
life
• Altruism
 Ideas of Holistic
Development Social

• Social
• Community
• Companionship
Spiritual Physical
• Compassion

• Physical – Movement and kinanesthesia, our

bodies are biological and are linked to health
and wellbeing SPICESS
• Intellectual – thinking and problem solving,
understanding and reflecting on what works and
what doesn't
Emotional Intellectual
• Communication – Verbal and no verbal
communication and methods to express ideas
and thoughts
Communication
 Ideas of Holistic
Development Social
• Culture – each place and nation has a cultural
identity

• Creativity – of ideas and thoughts, intellectual as well

as artistic Spiritual Physical

• Emotional – this includes our

• Consciousness
• Self
• Peers SPICESS
• adults

• Control
• Catalyst
Emotional Intellectual
• Spiritual
• Awe
• Wonder
• Sense of self and place in the magnitude of life Communication

• Altruism
 Holistic
Development
and Learning

• Each Stage has essential

environmental learning
requirements to support a child
through to the next stages of
development.
• By focusing holistically we can
provide the opportunities and
experiences for rounded thinkers
and adaptable children who are
flexible, sociable, emotionally well
as they grow into adulthood and
into older age.
 How does Forest Schools How does Forest
Schools Support Holistic Development ?
1. Each year long program begins with a 6 weeks baseline assessment to observe the child's
developmental phases in the here and now.
2. The baseline gives a starting point to work from and allows the leader to identify development
aims and methodologies of how to achieve those goals.
3. Each session is planned based on the observations of the week before
4. The reflections that the children undertake give the leader insights into the child's
interpretation and understanding of the key learning and play points
5. The session is then delivered with the resources required to allow children to explore, play, and
investigate their own interests, understood by the leader.
6. The adult observes and this informs the evaluations in order to plan for the next session
 How does Forest Schools Support
Holistic Development ?

Under each of these areas list 5 additional ways in which Forest

Schools Supports learning:
Areas Examples
Social Hearing what someone is telling me
Physical Walking along and then jumping off a log
Intellectual Making up a new way of doing something
Language Discussing ideas of how to make a ladder
Creative Designing ways of painting using mud
Emotional Talking about my feelings about myself
Spiritual Noticing the sun shining though the leaves
Session Learning

– What do we understand Holistic Learning to be at Forest Schools

– How can we provide opportunities to develop the whole person