By now many of you surely have heard of Richard Louv and his book Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder.

 

I looked at his blog, Field Notes From the Future, to see what he has to say lately. He reports the nonprofit Children & Nature Network, which he chairs, “has tracked and encouraged more than 50 regional campaigns that are helping reintroduce children to nature.” It’s been good for both students and teachers. “Canadian researchers found that teachers expressed renewed enthusiasm for teaching when they had time outdoors. In an era of increased teacher burnout, the impact of green schools and outdoor education on teachers should not be underestimated,” he says.

 

On October 29 at the NSTA Conference in Minneapolis, he’s going to give you some scientific evidence on the benefits of outdoor learning and practical tips for getting your students’ families and your colleagues and administrators in touch with the natural world. 

 

—Debra Shapiro