Green classroom
Last weekend, 16 children from Tam Ky City and neighboring areas gathered at the small garden of Ms. Pham Cam Van (An My Ward, Tam Ky City) to explore an interesting activity - making scented bags from the leaves of the fifth month, a traditional leaf for the Doan Ngo Festival of the people of Quang Nam. The lovely little bags were made from huynh dan leaves, broom leaves, dung tea, kham flowers, cinnamon bark, star anise... with a distinctive scent, the result of the children's curiosity, ingenuity and excitement.
“I didn’t expect the leaves to be so fragrant. I didn’t even know that grandparents boiled this leaf water to drink on the Dragon Boat Festival. It was so interesting. Especially, from these ingredients, I made a scented bag for my mother. I was so happy!” - Linh San (10 years old) excitedly said.
For teacher Van, such experiential classes are not only fun, but also an opportunity for children to understand more about traditional culture, about things that seem familiar but are gradually fading away in modern life. "Children's world today is mainly air conditioning, phones and social networks. Children lack green space, lack real life interactions" - said Ms. Van.
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Since 2019, every summer, teacher Van has opened a "village school class" or a "classroom without walls" right in her garden or in cool green spaces. There, children learn how to sow seeds, grow bean sprouts, take care of vegetable beds, listen to stories through books, do experiments about rain, sew, make cakes... These seemingly simple things help children practice life skills, learn how to work in groups and face failure.
Special classes - where children do not sit at desks, do not hold pens to write, but learn with their hands, with their eyes, and through vivid experiences in nature - have brought children interesting summers.
Many parents today have complained about the “confinement” of modern summer vacations. Children either study extra or are glued to their technology devices, rarely having the opportunity to experience real life. “We just want our children to live a true childhood, to play, get dirty, fall down and get up. They learn necessary life skills, not just theory,” one parent shared.
Grasping that need, in recent years, youth organizations, skilleducation centers, and community groups have organized experiential learning sessions in Loc Yen ancient village, Tra Que vegetable village, Thanh Ha pottery village, Huong Tra eco-village, etc. Open spaces help children leave the four walls, immerse themselves in nature, and connect with village culture.
Such classes not only “teach play” but also “teach life”. Children are assigned tasks, observe, take notes, and solve unexpected situations. In these classes, children also learn to accept failure, an important factor in the journey to adulthood.
However, according to teacher Pham Cam Van, no matter what form the event is organized, the prerequisite is still to ensure the safety of children. “Children are very active, so the learning and playing areas need to be safe. Even though the experience is open, adults still have to closely supervise to create a safe but not restrictive environment,” said Ms. Van.
Summer is coming, experiential classes in green spaces like the model of teacher Pham Cam Van can be a practical solution in modern education, where children learn skills, feel the value of life, love nature more and understand themselves better.
Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/hoc-he-giua-thien-nhien-3155863.html
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