Locating the Educator in Outdoor Early Childhood Education. (6th May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dawson, Kate; Beattie, A. Elizabeth
• Editors: Piersol, Laura; Blenkinsop, Sean; Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles, Amy
• Is Part Of: Australian journal of environmental education. Volume 34:Number 2(2018)
• Page Start: 127
• Page End: 142
• Publication Date: 2018-05-06
• Subjects: early childhood education, -- place, -- pathic knowledge, -- slow ecopedagogy, -- preservice teacher education, -- outdoor teaching and learning; Environmental education -- Periodicals; Environmental education -- Australia -- Periodicals; Conservation of natural resources -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Conservation of natural resources -- Study and teaching -- Australia -- Periodicals; Ecology -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; 333.7071
• DOI: 10.1017/aee.2018.24
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1380-2038

Abstract

Abstract: We tell the story of an experience Kate Dawson, her students, and three eagles had at an outdoor preschool. The experience profoundly affected Kate, and prompted us to ask the following questions: What made this experience feel so magical, and what caused it to happen? Why are these magical moments valuable, and how might they impact our pedagogical practices? We posit that magical moments in outdoor early childhood education depend upon relational and pathic knowledge, and understanding of place, rather than intellectual or cognitive knowledge about place. We suggest conditions and practices educators may employ to foster magical moments, including slow ecopedagogy and embodied, sensory, and spiritual attunement to place. We consider our role as educators in the educator-students-place system, particularly when acknowledging that place is agentic, and acts as learner, knower and teacher. To understand place pedagogically, we must think of ourselves as learners and as the objects of learning, as much as thinking of ourselves as knowers . This requires a pedagogy of embodied responsiveness and a surrender to place as teacher. Far from simplifying the work of the educator, living within a relationship of educator-students-place complexifies the practice of teaching.