A 2019 article in Frontiers in Psychology indicates that interacting with plants and nature has a positive impact on all learners, including students who struggle with traditional learning methods and the general educational setting.
Ming Kuo; Landscape and Human Health Laboratory, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Michael Barnes; Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, and Catherine Jordan ;Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN,
Children & Nature Network, Minneapolis, reviewed a wide array of peer-reviewed scientific evidence, ranging from research in the inner city, to the study of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, to neurocognitive and physiological explorations in order to see if nature experiences promote learning and child development.
Kuo et al. found distinct benefits from exposure to the natural world on teens and children:
-Nature Has Rejuvenating Effects on Attention -Nature Relieves Stress -Contact With Nature Boosts Self-Discipline -Student Motivation, Enjoyment, and Engagement Are Better in Natural Settings
-Nature May Boost Learning by Providing a More Supportive Context for Learning
-Vegetated Settings Tend to Provide Calmer, Quieter, Safer Contexts for Learning
-Natural Settings Seem to Foster Warmer, More Cooperative Relations
-Natural Settings May Afford “Loose Parts,” Autonomy, and Distinctly Beneficial Forms of Play Two additional personal benefits came to light during the review. "First, not only do experiences of nature enhance academic learning, but they seem to foster personal development – the acquisition of intrapersonal and interpersonal assets such as perseverance, critical thinking, leadership, and communication skills, and second, spending time in nature appears to grow environmental stewards." Studies on those who work on bonsai mirror these findings; working with bonsai improves mental and physical health in the practitioner. As bonsai are easy to bring into a classroom, especially in areas with little access to green spaces, they make the perfect classroom nature curricula, and can be adapted for classrooms with no outdoor space by using ficus where needed. We've seen many children take happily to bonsai in our beginner classes, and many return for continued experience!
It's clear that adding bonsai to the classroom, club, or group home can be a powerful educational and mental health tool. Daniel offers fun classes to clubs and schools, click here for more information!
Comments