Effects of Nature-Oriented Preschools on the Socio-Emotional Development of Israeli Children

Abstract

Based on on different development theories that combine nature and human psychology, nature-oriented methods of education have started to emerge. The subject of nature-oriented preschools addressed in this study comprises two aspects: (1) the psychological developmental theories that create the theoretical background for the insertion of human-nature interactions and their effects on the preschool children, especially on their socio-emotional development, and (2) a literature review of the theories dealing with the impact of nature on people, including the effects of both flora and fauna. The study presented here is part of a larger research plan investigating the effects of nature-oriented preschool system on several socio-emotional aspects of Israeli children. Using qualitative research methods, we aim to examine the behaviors of 20 children, aged 5-6, from an urban nature-oriented preschool in Israel and 20 children (5-6 years) from a regular urban school from the same area. The research aims to employ interviews, observations and questionnaires in order to investigate the nature-oriented preschools' influence on the socio-emotional functioning of nature-oriented preschool children compared to children from regular preschools.

Keywords: Nature-oriented preschoolhuman-nature connectednesssocio-emotional development

Introduction

Nature-oriented preschools include a direct approach to nature, whether through living creatures, cultivating plants and other activities that directly link people with nature. A large body of literature exists on the contribution of green spaces and animals to people's physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, and many institutions today are using animals-assisted activities in therapeutic settings and in educational ones (Serpell, Coppinger & Fine, 2000). The effect of the interactions between animals and humans stands out in research examining the link between people and dogs and it indicates that pets’ ownership boosts health and quality of life in a number of different ways (Toohey et al., 2013). The effects of the human wellbeing of the connection with nature through positive and creative interactions, particularly with animals animal, will be addressed in this paper, with special attention of the ways of integrating the human-nature interactions into the educational framework of preschool children, i.e. nature-oriented preschool education.

The subject of nature-oriented preschools addressed in this study comprises two aspects: (1) the psychological developmental theories that create the theoretical background for the insertion of human-nature interactions and their effects on the preschool children, especially on their socio-emotional development, and (2) a literature review of the theories dealing with the impact of nature on people, including the effects of both flora and fauna. The study presented here is part of a larger research plan investigating the effects of nature-oriented preschool system on several socio-emotional aspects, including different types of intelligence, on Israeli children.

Child Developmental Psychology Theories

While intelligence is well known to be addressed by the Piaget's theory (Piaget, 1970; Miller, 2010), which connects the individual's world of thoughts to his/her experience in ways that implies using signs and symbols, Gardner & Hatch (1989) stipulated that human brain is divided into different plains in a way that processes dealing with different issues, such as number, language, pictures etc., are carried out using different pathways, that can be seen as different types of intelligence. According to Gardner and Hatch (1989), intellectual use of tools at school combines two main usages of elements, such as lingual symbols and logic symbols (mathematics). It is true that these two uses are key to determining people's learning abilities, but additional intellectual aspects, especially in interactions and functioning outside the school, are activated and nourished by symbols that are almost entirely unused at school (Gardner & Hatch, 1989). This phenomenon, which ignores diverse skills and human abilities, created the basis for the theory of multiple intelligences that expands the meaning of human intelligence and the understanding of child development in relations to the challenges of the environment (Gardner & Hatch, 1989), by taking into account diverse aspects that all constitute a part of the same general intelligence. The seven types of multiple intelligences are: the logical-accounting intelligence, lingual intelligence, musical intelligence, spatial intelligence, physical-movement intelligence, interpersonal intelligence and intrapersonal intelligence (Gardner & Hatch, 1989), where the first two types are generally valued in schools, the next three types are generally associated with arts and the last two types are also known as Gardner’s personal intelligences.

Referring directly to Gardner's theory, Vygotsky (1980, apud Miller, 2010) dealt with the process that people carry out when confronted with a stimulus. Hence, Vygotsky (1980) considered that people's reactions are not automatic, but the information processing that takes place from the moment of stimulus perception and the reaction involves a mediation of the environment by the stimulus. Hence, people's reactions are modeled according to a stimulus that is perceived in their consciousness. This process not only takes place when a stimulus is recognized, but also later, at the stage when one has to deal with it and self-regulate people's reactions. Language, according to Vygotsky (1980), is a mediating tool that affects individuals' perceptions of their world and therefore, different stimuli get different meanings as individuals mature and pass from toddler to childhood stages (Miller, 2010).

Through socially mediated attention, passed on by significant adults in children's lives, children focus their attention on stimuli that are significant in their lives, and as such, in fact, their development is determined as dependent on stimuli to which they are exposed. Exposure to stimuli relevant to lingual and logical intelligences alone will focus children's development on stimuli relevant to these types of intelligences. Thus, by combining Gardner's and Vygotsky's theories, as long as the education system focuses on stimuli relevant only to specific types of intelligences, children, and adults, will act according to these types of intelligence alone (Miller, 2010). This phenomenon not only limits children's abilities to express themselves and focuses them on defined areas of expression, but it is also likely to prevent congenital skills and intelligences from being expressed and in fact prevent many children from fulfilling their abilities and tendencies (Gardner & Hatch, 1989).

Human-nature interactions: Effects on human education

It is generally acknowledged that nature's impact on humans is likely to be measured by human’s closeness to fauna and flora. As argued in the introduction, the connection between humans and nature, especially animals, is likely to bring benefits in a number of different ways. One of the most important theories behind the natural tendency of humans to connect with nature, especially with living beings such as animals, is the biophilia hypothesis (Wilson, 1984), which sees the natural tendency of humans to positively interact with other forms of life as an evolutionary product of co-existence between humans and other beings. A special attention has started to be given to the relation between children and nature by several authors, such as Kahn & Kellert (2002), in their work Children and Nature: Psychological, Sociocultural, and Evolutionary Investigations , pointing on the developmental benefits of the interactions with companion animals (i.e. with whom children can develop a nurturing relationship).

In everything related to wellbeing, it appears that benefits associated with keeping pets can be generally divided into four main areas, with interdisciplinary overlapping: therapeutic, psychological, physiological and psycho-social (Wood, Giles-Corti & Bulsava, 2005). Of everything related to the mental contribution the presence of animals has on people's lives, the following are often pointed out: providing unconditional love, developing feelings of responsibility and empathy and increasing self-image and self-esteem (Doron, 2000). Pet ownership supports and promotes health in several aspects (Doron, 2000) and this is done, amongst others, through going for walks and runs with dogs, where these activities are seen as beneficial both socially and physiologically. Also, these two influences are considered to prevent health problems later in life. Also, compared to elderly persons without companion animals (dogs), elderly dog owners show a higher level of physical activity and social involvement, especially meaningful social interactions, a higher quality and a greater concern for their residential environment and neighborhood (Toohey et al., 2013).

Another influence of nature on humans is through green spaces and gardens. According to Kellert (2005), being far from nature or lacking of sufficient exposure to it, is likely to lead to problems and developmental delays in children, both mentally and physically. As a consequence of the freedom individuals in society have to choose regarding where they live, without any dependence on food production, most people have moved away to cities and have become distanced from exposure to nature and various natural systems. According to Kellert (2005), this distance, both physical and cognitive, might affect the children's spiritual mental and physical development, in terms that distance from nature might prevent them from an expanded development, which, as an implication of Gardner & Hatch's (1989) theory, implies the development of intelligences more than only lingual and logical forms. Apparently, compared to individuals living in urban areas (distanced from nature), the children (and adults) who are frequently exposed to nature are able to better adapt their abilities to a number of areas, including physical skills, physical discomfort, intellectual development, emotional maturity, creative skills, moral judgment and spiritual meaning (Kellert, 2005).

Nature-oriented preschools, which are developed to operate mainly for the benefit of children living in urban areas, are meant to provide them with exposure to nature that has been lost in urban sprawls and modern life, and to allow them to develop all the aforementioned skills in order to turn them into more complete, better and much capable persons. Kellert (2005) emphasized in his research the term restorative environmental design , which would enable the experience of and connection to nature as part of urban spaces.

Methodology

Conclusions

We consider that this proposed comparative analysis between the effects of school environment on the socio-emotional and intellectual (i.e. multiple intelligence) development of children enrolled in regular preschools and nature-oriented preschools in Israel might contribute to a deeper understanding of the need for such nature-oriented curricula for early ages. We expect that the perception of parents regarding the impact of school system on the social and emotional competences of their children will be in the favor of nature-oriented preschools. More important, this type of nature-oriented education might be of particular need in Israel, which is a country well known for running educational and therapeutic programs for crisis management, resilience development and emotional regulation for fragile categories of individuals. Nature-oriented preschools could be relatively low-cost solutions for preparing the Israeli children to optimally cope with different types of stressors later in their life, as well as a welcome environment for education, based on healthy and positive interactions.

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