6: Movement

Hello, I'm Thomas Powell, and this is the Advancing Early Childhood Education Outdoors Now podcast. We invite policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and families to celebrate young children outdoors and envision a licensed category of nature-based childcare tailored to British Columbia. In the fall of 2020, three roundtable discussions brought together local and international experiences, research, and stories from experts and leaders in the fields of outdoor and land-based education, health, law, and psychology. This walking podcast series incorporates key insights from our roundtable speakers into a thematic listening experience. About halfway through, I will introduce our outdoor activity segment, followed by part two of our roundtable content for the return journey. Speaker bios are on our website, linked in the show notes. Hi, I'm Kaylee Hershey, your outdoor activity facilitator. At this time, I encourage you to assess the weather and don whatever gear you may need to spend the next hour in comfort outdoors. You may want to bring along a notebook for personal reflection or something to sit on. For example, a plastic sheet if the ground's wet. I'll meet you in the nearby nature location of your choice for the outdoor activity segment at the halfway point of each episode. Your location could be a park, a schoolyard, or even your backyard. Whenever you're ready, begin your walk. In the previous episode, legislative barriers to early childhood education outdoors in British Columbia were unpacked. In this episode, we address a central question posed by one of the roundtable organizers, Belle the Cole, at the beginning of our third roundtable. How can we move licensing outdoor education in BC forward? How can we answer the parent's cries of need and offer a provincial framework for educators and curious people to work in so that they can create a safe and healthy outdoor program for children? When moderator Dr. Ellen Kelsey asked Dr. Shelly McClure from Island Health in British Columbia how licensing officers could support educators to go outside, Shelly suggested that licensing officers could contribute to the creation of legislation that would draw from international experience and allow outdoor programs to be licensed. Being a seasoned early childhood education child care licensing officer and now a senior administrator for the early childhood education licensing officers, I was wondering how you see licensing supporting programs to feel more comfortable outside. I think one of the gifts is that licensing officers can work in partnership with educators and facility colleagues to provide information on how to maximize outcome-based legislation and also prescriptive legislation so that facilities operations can be successful. Dr. Henry Matthias, policymaker for Early Learning and Child Care in Scotland, expressed that he has lots of guidance for early childhood educators to practice outdoors, which he is happy to share. I've got a lot of guidance that I can share where essentially we're sharing the practice for mainstream nurseries of how to have the children outdoors much more and to set expectations that every child is able to choose to go outside during periods of the day, that every child goes outside every day, that every child has a regular opportunity to explore themselves a completely natural environment. I think that it does require some real practical guidance to shift the culture of early learning and childcare. And, you know, we've got loads of stuff in Scotland that only too happy to share with you. Researcher Dr. Matth Bulling also demonstrated willingness to share what worked well in Denmark. I would like to point out a special consideration in the new daycare act, and this is peer-to-peer learning. When we are starting up research projects in Denmark, and we do because we are very interested in becoming more acknowledged on how the outdoors can foster, for instance, physical activity and pre-literacy skills. And when we speak to the kindergartens, the leaders say, can you add a peer-to-peer component? Because there are some very experienced pedagogues and kindergartens, and we have to learn from them. When we in 2000, and I have to remember, '14, started a new school act in Denmark. We were very much inspired by Toronto school system. I think it was, and there was some kind of demonstration schools set up. So some very experienced schools, they could become like a point of reference for other schools who want to expand their knowledge. So I think as a researcher, this could be a very important way of dealing with the expertise and spreading the word. So this is how we're going to work in the upcoming research projects in Denmark. And I think that could be a suggestion for starting up good practices. And also how you deal with risky play in one preschool or kindergarten could be transferred to other kindergartens as well. According to Mads, peer-to-peer learning with educators experienced in outdoor education was an effective way to enhance the comfort level of educators newer to teaching in outdoor environments. When Ellen asked about advice for British Columbia, program specialist Aliza Yair indicated collaboration was central to success for the Washington outdoor preschool pilot. Washington State had a head start on licensing outdoor early childhood education. And your pilot has given you an opportunity to put what we've been talking about essentially into practice. What advice would you have as we think of our next steps in licensing outdoor early childhood education programs? And what's the most important thing you think we should keep in mind? Well, I think that what you're doing right now with 135 people on this round table is a pretty good step because it is in so many ways a web of practice and support, right? So there's the like government policy work that you can do, but then there's also the teacher preparation, professional development. There's all of those supports that I think are really essential and kind of get to the question you just asked Erin, which is, you know, how do you support teachers and their feelings of risk? And, you know, it's about helping people feel knowledgeable and competent to themselves be outside, which is one thing. And then also to be excited about and know what the pedagogy is that works outside. So yeah, so I guess just as you are, you know, working it through your regulations and also consider that how you are going to disseminate practices and train the staff that are going to be putting it into place. Because, you know, once you go outside, it's the it's the adults that are doing it that are making it fun that are making it safe. So, you know, really investing in the systems to support them. Aliza described the importance of working on teacher competence and professional development alongside the journey toward legislative change. Danielle Alphonse, BC researcher of Aboriginal Early Childhood Development, agreed that widespread collaboration was important while advocating for the inclusion of Indigenous knowledges. I think just collectively, even with the group that's listening, just that community building that sustainable community of support, and also that global information from Denmark and from the work that you're doing, Aliza. So again, pulling together research, and I would really also encourage aligning that research with Indigenous knowledges, because I think that that's a key aspect of connecting from that Canadian perspective, the importance and the validity of why land is important to our children and to our families and to community. Mad's connected with Danielle's idea and added his own insights. I still think it's very important what you're saying, Danielle, regarding combining research and practice and the citizens. So what I would recommend with our experiences from a greater demonstration project, not in kindergartens, but in school systems, is to come together policy, research and practice, and set some common goals and scaling it up. So you cannot manage to get the best practice for everyone at the same time, but you have to build upon the good experiences from those kindergartens and preschools. So that is the recommendation from the research and the projects I have been involved into. But I really appreciate your work you're doing. It's amazing. We will certainly look abroad and to British Columbia to see how it's developing, because we can learn so much in Denmark, too, from implementing ideas like this. Successfully implementing licensed early childhood education outdoors could start small with examples of well-aligned policy, research and practice, and grow from there. Practitioner Trisha Edgar submitted a lightning video prior to our third roundtable recommending a forest school approach. As we move forward and consider how outdoor early childhood education can become more of a reality in British Columbia, I would encourage those involved in the process to take a forest school approach to the process. What does that look like? Watch and listen. Ask how can we proceed humbly. Listen to the land around you, and listen to the people around you. And that means all of the people around you. Children, children with different physical needs, neurodiversities, elders, First Nations, people of color, people with different incomes. What is everyone saying about this process? How can we include everyone? How can we build a collaborative and connected process? How can everyone have feedback? And how can it become better over time? How can we learn from each other and the places where we are to have outdoor early childhood education in this place, connected to this place? A link to the full video is included in the show notes. Liz Williams, land-based early childhood education practitioner from Gietwongach, also emphasized the importance of an inclusive process to change licensing. In terms of the moving forward, we need to begin to make an acceptance of all peoples and all programming and to understand that we will all be in different places in different environments and how to do that balance for all to be inclusive in the licensing process. Just to ensure that the collaboration is amongst not only those that are and will be assisting in the licensing policies, but to also include communities in the process as well that will ensure that we all move forward with a good understanding of what our dreams are and our visions are for our children. Communities need to be a part of the process of legislative change so that common goals and visions can be established. Shelly also described the importance of collaboration to illuminate new possibilities. I think from a regulatory point of view, it's really about changing our mental model and I loved what Marianne has talked about today about risk. I know that when I first heard about RISD Play about four years ago, I went all spiny and now I'm one of the first to really think, "Yeah, you know, I held on to a perspective that language influenced and when I suspended that perspective and got curious, I was able to learn so much more that influenced my trajectory of learning, but also my belief and enhancement of how I could interact with others. So I think that's one of our roles as licensing officers and as regulatory practitioners is to partner with early childhood educators and experts in the field to know that collective wisdom is what is going to change the trajectory of our world in the 21st century. We cannot do it in isolation of one another. The relationship between licensing officers, practitioners and researchers can lead to legislation that reflects collective wisdom. BC lawyer Aaron Bookman also spoke on how policies are developed from the collective wisdom of researchers and practitioners. So from a legal perspective, I can tell you that one thing that people probably aren't aware of is that policy and law remains an overriding issue or consideration for the courts in any case. So what we're doing now in my view is vitally important because we are essentially putting together the policy argument that we made later or anything that may arise in the courts about some situation that occurs down the road. So please carry on from my perspective in doing the research, doing the work and getting our kids out there in the place they should be to grow and learn. And then if and when I'm involved, I will have all this information to work with to make sure that the right outcomes occur. The importance of listening and collaborating was also highlighted during the first roundtable by Dr. Enid Elliott, member of the Roundtable Organizing Team. We need to be dealing with this and talking about this together, that this is something that I think here in BC we're wondering how we can move forward with. And so that's why we've gathered these voices. So I think it's an ongoing discussion and hopefully this is the beginning of thinking about some of these ideas around, you know, how do we move forward to help make these programs be something that are not only, you know, outdoors and we've thought through them, but also they reflect our Canadian perspective around this as well. What does it mean to be in the place that we are and reflecting the diversity that we have as well? The Advancing Early Childhood Education Outdoors Now Roundtables welcomed hundreds of audience members and over a dozen speakers to begin envisioning pathways to license early childhood education outdoors in BC. We will soon return for the second half of our final podcast episode. It is now time for our outdoor activity. Welcome to the outdoor activity segment. If you listened to episode one, I encourage you to return to your sit spot. Otherwise, simply choose an inviting and safe place to sit down. I'll share a short story from one of our speakers, followed by a description of today's activity. For today's story, we have Dr. Enid Elliott and Dr. Shelley McClure from the Advancing Early Childhood Education Outdoors Now Organizing Team. Hello. I am Enid Elliott, an early childhood educator who does research and teaches at Comolson College in the early childhood education program. I am speaking from Laquungen and West Saanich territory, where the land has been cared for, honored, and loved for thousands of years. And each day, I try to be mindful of my gratitude for being on this land and the ancestors who've been caretakers for so long. I have been interested in outdoor programs for young children for some time now. Through my involvement and research with the Nature Kindergarten in the Sook School District, I have seen the power and benefit of the living, breathing world for the well-being and learning of young children. Last December, while chatting with Dr. Stanwick, our Chief Medical Health Officer, I mentioned the physical, mental, emotional benefits of being outside in natural environments and he was in complete agreement. I mentioned that outdoor programs were hard to encourage in BC as they could not be licensed unless there was a building that met a set of standards. And this meant that only some children could access these programs. I shared with him that Washington State had started to seriously look at how to license a program without necessarily licensing a building. He was interested and introduced me to Dr. Shelley McClure, who is here with me. Thank you, Enid. I'd like to acknowledge that I'm on the traditional and unceded territory of the Coast Salish people, the traditional territories of the Sunimo First Nation. So I'm the Regional Manager of the Community Care Facility Licensing Program in Island Health. And I've been in the field of human care licensing for over 21 years, as well as being an early childhood educator for as long. And I care deeply about creating environments that enable all children to grow and develop. I also believe in ensuring that all children have access to licensed child care, as we know one facet of quality is licensing. So earlier on in the year, we had the privilege of planning a small conference with the relevant government people to think together about how to make the necessary changes. But the pandemic happened, and the conference was canceled because, of course, attention was elsewhere. But now we are several months into living with this virus and pandemic, and we know that being outside is a good place to be. And so this plan, we think, becomes even more important. How to license the outdoor programs which parents are beginning to call for, and how do we encourage all programs to spend more time outside? I'm filled with excitement about the opportunities that could arise from licensing early childhood education outdoors in British Columbia. Take a breath considering your own reflections or questions, and then we'll continue. For today's activity, you are invited to plan an introduction to your nearby nature location. Think of a young child or young children in your life. Perhaps you have children or grandchildren of your own. You work with children, or you have friends or other family members with children. If not, you might just use your imagination and plan ahead in case a young child is somehow part of your life in the future. Today is about planning a visit for a child or children to join you in your nearby nature location, along with their caregivers, if applicable. If you've listened to previous podcast episodes, you might assist the children with one or two of the activities you've enjoyed, or you can check out the links in our show notes for other inspiration. Consider which activities fit with your nearby nature location, the children you have in mind, and the season. When you've decided, you can make notes or a voice memo about who you plan to bring, when you might go, what you're planning to do, and which materials you will need. During this time, you might also reflect or journal in your sit spot. A chime will sound as an indication for you to press pause on the podcast. You can then resume whenever you like. Ready? Here we go! Thank you for giving that time to yourself and this place. I invite you now to take another deep breath before you prepare to resume walking. In your own way, thank the beings such as the plants, insects, or birds who kept you company today. It's time to begin your return journey with Thomas. Thank you and welcome back. In the first half of this episode, we heard guidance from Denmark, Scotland, and the state of Washington to embark on a journey of legislative change that would license early childhood education outdoors. We also heard several voices from within BC emphasizing the need for expansive discussions to ensure the process is reflective of the diverse communities within this province. Now we turn our attention to aspirations for policy change and how listeners can become involved in the movement. Enid illustrated the benefits that could ripple out if early childhood education outdoors were to be licensed in British Columbia. All children really deserve access to these programs and if licensed, then families can access subsidies and if licensable, more programs will be created. And if licensing is involved, we have assurance that minimum standards are met. Enid envisioned a proliferation of safe and financially accessible early childhood education outdoor programs in BC. Danielle pondered on how to create policies that would include consent for children. Erin, like just hearing from that that legal perspective, it sort of helps to shape to think about how do you develop policies, policies in early childhood and what does that look like for consent for for children. Aliza reflected on what makes good policy and the inspiration she felt for being part of a global movement for change. It does just really drive home for me the importance of making policy that makes sense in practice and policy that supports best practice. So you know like what is the line that connects liability and law to spiritual pedagogy and like and drawing that line I think for people is just you know really exciting and I'm also just really excited that so many people in different contexts are doing this because I know that it I mean it influences me and benefits my work and efforts immensely as well. So I'm just enjoying being a part of this global community that is yeah just really trying to embed some of the best of what we do for our youngest and most precious beings on this planet. So that's really really beautiful to me. Aliza imagined policies that draw connections between law and liability and spiritual pedagogy. She articulated the value of international forms for conversation. Mads also described the mutual benefit for participation in international discussion. It's always interesting to hear the arguments of why the outdoors is used in preschools and school settings across countries because the arguments can be very different and to the research because the research are also led by the ideology in the country. So in Denmark the focus on health is very important these days because when you go outside you need to you need to consider there's some health benefits and that's making me thinking about you Aaron and your insights as a lawyer because it's so important for me to hear this because in Denmark we can sometimes think that this is the way we do and there's no other ways of thinking or nor other ways of thinking how to integrate outdoors around the globe and of course there's some considerations about the risks that we don't have but we will maybe have these considerations in the future I can guarantee you that in the 10 20 years from now we will see some some of the same examples so I actually think even though Denmark is sometimes referred to as a country of reference in using outdoors we could also learn something about how to deal with these kind of issues in the future because I think we will see them. UK researcher of child psychology Dr Helen Dodd illuminated how legislative change could promote increased nature connectedness by allowing prolonged outdoor play. I think you know there's a difference between children being outdoors all day being immersed in that outdoor environment and having outdoor education versus some outdoor learning which happens as part of their school day and so if they're taking you know if they're being educated in quite a traditional way in a building and they're taken out or let's go and do 15 minutes and we'll collect leaves or something and then we'll come back in and that you know it's great if they're doing that and that's much better than being inside all day but that's a very different experience for a young child than being outdoors all of the day or most of the day and being in a childcare setting where there really are no significant buildings for them to be inside and when we look at the literature on nature connectedness it's that prolonged time in nature that really builds that connectedness to nature and so some access to being outdoors and being in nature is better than none and I did see in one of the questions and somebody had raised what you do if you you know don't live somewhere or this you know your childcare environment doesn't offer some beautiful outdoor space and that's you know the case in many many places around around the world and you know and and for those schools in those environments get children outdoors as much as you can send as much time as possible in nature but you know we realize it's not the same for everybody but you know this initiative and the idea of ensuring that children can access childcare where they are outdoors all day and it's fantastic and and will I think have have different additional benefits beyond just popping outdoors to do a bit of outdoor learning and then get back into the classroom. Even though there are benefits to all early childhood education programs that are spending time outdoors research suggests the benefits of fully outdoor programs are even greater. Belva spoke about the opportunity for BC to make proactive policy change. The most important thing to remember and this has come up in our conversations a lot as we've been putting together these roundtables is legislation has changed as a reaction to a negative occurrence. We are advocating to change legislation as a proactive stance before something happens. That's the key because if one bad thing happens in an outdoor program it tarnishes all of our programs but if we can work towards creating a set of guidelines and a framework for people to learn how what kind of education do they need what kind of safety parameters training workshops how can we do this. It will be revolutionary. Amidst the enthusiastic proliferation of early childhood education outdoor programs there was an opportunity to create legislative change before a dangerous incident occurs. UBC Injury Prevention Researcher Dr. Mariana Bruxoni acknowledged the wisdom shared throughout the roundtable series and welcomed widespread action to forward the licensing of early childhood education outdoors. We all need to understand that we are all part of this journey that it's going to take all of us as a community to move this issue forward. So over the course of our roundtable sessions we've had incredible opportunities to hear from Indigenous elders, policymakers, early childhood educators, researchers, lawyers, so much wealth of expertise that's out there and available and they're so willing to share their experiences and how to make this happen. We have an incredible opportunity in BC right now to move towards licensing outdoor early childhood education and to foster that change to make that really important difference in the lives of our children that will set them up for the future as well as in the lives of our families and community. So I guess my point really is that we all need to see ourselves as part of this journey and that we can all play a role in moving it forward and kind of expanding our thinking to see how that can be made possible. Shelly agreed that the answers regarding how to license early childhood education outdoors are available and called upon listeners to agitate the government for change. You know as I shared I think it's such an exciting time and as each of the panelists said we're surrounded by solution builders and we need to be solution builders. The answers are within the province of British Columbia, they're within our neighboring countries, we can do this. So I encourage everyone to agitate the government to British Columbia to convene a BC outdoor early childhood education advisory committee to bring together qualified early childhood educators from licensed and unlicensed early childhood programs with a focus on with an outdoor focus. Also researchers who study the benefits of outdoor learning for young children, licensing officers, policy makers, public health officials, and Indigenous people. I think that we need to create another category of care to enable outdoor nature schools to be licensed in British Columbia within the next several months. We can develop standards for outdoor EC programs, so legislation that is specific to BC, including staff qualifications, policies and procedures, Indigenous knowledge and experiences and narratives. And we can incorporate and unite all the tools that we already have but and we can start to facilitate workshops and conversations for educators and community partners to increase their knowledge and their comfort and their understanding. I have a belief that every single person can see some benefit of nature-based child care and can champion this opportunity because the opportunity is now. And if it's not now, we have to ask when. We have the how, the what, the where, the why, and what's missing is when. When and from my perspective and certainly from the privilege of working with this committee and licensees and educators and others is the when is now. And we can make a difference for children, families and communities and we need to agitate the system and move this forward because we're ready. I'm ready and I believe you're ready too. An advisory committee involving outdoor practitioners, licensing officers, policymakers, researchers and Indigenous people could create a new category of care for licensing early childhood education outdoors with applicable standards. Professional development for early childhood educators could simultaneously occur. ENID compiled a series of audience-submitted calls to action at the end of our last roundtable. So when we asked for your ideas here, so here's what I heard from some of the comments in the in the side chat that people thought maybe we need to advocate for better facilities in our parks. And I think maybe we need to also advocate for more green spaces in our in our urban areas. You know, we need those green spaces. And what about the role of practicum students? Because maybe we need to be encouraging new ECEs to see the outdoors as a place for learning. Creating equitable access to outdoor education. You know, that includes like access for all children, all families, making it affordable. And that some of that has to do with the cost of equipment and outdoor gear. Someone suggested completing a children's charter of rights, you know, with access to nature for a minimum of one hour a day. And connecting, perhaps connecting these two rights of Indigenous children and families. So that, you know, we keep that awareness in our minds. And it's time to disrupt that kind of kept coming up, you know, and that perhaps these questions encourage us to think critically about this system as it stands now. And what would what do we want to include? What do we want to add to it? How will we include family daycare? How will we include all children? How will we make everyone more comfortable outdoors? And how do we get to know even more deeply the place in which we are? So it seems like people felt it was a time to share our vision, share our ideas and resources. Someone said, as I reflect on the presentations today, and the ones that were previous, they speak to me in terms of outdoor education being a vehicle towards equalizing and drawing from Indigenous principles of being, of learning and knowing. Someone suggested gathering evidence, research and programs at work and lobbying and advocating, maybe through a petition, having curriculum, which to present to the province, which shows outdoor education. So how do we see ourselves as part of the world that surrounds us, giving as well as receiving? And someone felt points to consider from Liz, the importance of keeping families involved, Trish, the importance of connecting to places that children return to in building relationship was place. And Shelley, that this being a time to disrupt our previous ways of thinking about early childhood education and Marianna reminding us that risk is a neutral term that can lead to both positive and negative outcomes. So I urge everyone to take this conversation to your community and speak to your MLA, medical health officers, licensing officers, because I think it's those local conversations and provincial conversations that can help make our communities safe for our children and that we can think deeply about answers to some of the questions that came up in the chat. And I think some of those answers are local answers and some might be provincial answers. And I think we need to think creatively because it is possible to go outside with children and it's possible to have programs that spend most if not all the day outside because we've heard that it benefits children from health perspective. We've heard how it's being done in other countries and to the south of us and we've heard that it's possible. When we have children outside connecting with the birds, the wind and the rain, they're learning to be members of the larger community, the community that includes the life found outside. We all need to listen to those voices and let better time to start than early childhood. So thank you all for joining us in these three weeks of discussions. It's been a wonderful team effort and as participants we're really so pleased that you could join us. Thank you. There are many ways to be involved in advancing early childhood education outdoors now. Aliza offered encouraging words for the movement to license early childhood education outdoors in British Columbia. I think you guys are doing great. Keep going. It is going to be a long process and I think you know something that I reflect on is how at least kind of more dry aspects of licensing and policy really are steps along the way to these healed relationships between people and land and between cultures and so I think you know keep going. Keep taking steps. It's not a short road but it's definitely one of the most meaningful. Early childhood education outdoors can bring healing to relationships between peoples and the land. That was our final episode in this series. You can find links to our website and social media in our show notes so you too can be involved. Thank you for listening. Remember to see the show notes for links to resources and speaker bios. These podcasts were created with the generous support from the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies at UBC, Island Health and the Lawson Foundation.