The Environment as Classroom

Recently Cabragh Wetlands was privileged to have Prof. Tom Collins addressing parents and teachers on the topic: “The Environment as Classroom”. Prof. Collins is the Head of the Education Department at the National University of Ireland in Maynooth and is currently chair of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. Since his talk was so well received, it seems appropriate to share some of its essence with the broader public.

According to Prof. Collins culture and heritage form an important part of our children’s lives. This differs from place to place as each area has its own ‘story’. Schools should give children a sense of that place, a sense of where and to whom they belong. “Take down the walls of the school and link the child to the environment” says Prof. Collins. Encourage children to explore the terrain of their local landscape and thus allow them to have a sense of their own identity. Ireland is currently facing an influx of many different nationalities and education plays an important role in connecting the child’s story to their local place and culture.

Prof. Collins argued that children are too often asked to ‘consume’ information - being a consumer is a soulless exercise. To produce is creative. Children learn through their hands by doing. For example, you won’t teach a child to tie a shoe lace without having a shoe and lace to practise on. And this is true with many other skills also.

Referring specifically to oil consumption, Prof. Collins explained that we are presently living on nature’s capital not nature’s interest. We are depleting resources that cannot be replaced. Our children are heading into a future that will bring many challenges, so it is important to enable them to have the confidence and self-esteem to cope with the inevitable changes facing them, and key to this will be to teach hem to live life fully within their local environment and heritage.