Handbook of Nature Study Notes

In combination with the first outdoor hour challenge, here are some of the interesting points that I noted down from pages 1 to 8 of the Handbook of Nature Study:

• The object of the nature-study teacher should be to cultivate in the children powers of accurate observation and to build up within them understanding.
• What nature-study should do for the child:
• give practical and helpful knowledge
• cultivate his/her imagination
• cultivate a perception and a regard for what is true and the power to express it
• cultivate a love of the beautiful
• give a sense of companionship with life out-of-doors and an abiding love of nature

• If nature-study as taught does not make the child love nature and the out-of-doors then it should cease (!!)
• Out-of-doors life takes the child afield and keeps him in the open air, which not only helps him physically and occupies his mind with sane subjects, but keeps him out of mischief.
• Out in this, God's beautiful world, there is everything waiting to heal lacerated nerves, to strengthen tired muscles, to please and content the soul that is torn to shreds with duty and care.
• In nature-study any teacher can with honour say, "I do not know; let us see if we cannot together find out this mysterious thing. Maybe no one knows it as yet, and I wonder if you will discover it before I do."
• In nature-study the work begins with any plant or creature which chances to interest the pupil.
• Nature-study does not start out with the classification given in books, but in the end it builds up in the child's mind a classification which is based on fundamental knowledge.
• The nature-study lesson should be short and sharp and may vary from ten minutes to half an hour in length. There should be no dawdling; if it is an observation lesson, only a few points should be noted and the meaning for the observation made clear.
• The lesson should not be repeated unless the pupils demand it. It should be done so well the first time that there is no need of repetition.
• In nature-study, the observation of form is for the purpose of better understanding life.

I like the last point. Nature study is not just about identifying and naming things. We identify them so that we can better understand their life and purpose.