Earthling Power: How Nature Study & Play Shape Our Understanding of Community
Earthling Power: How Nature Study & Play Shape Our Understanding of Community
When children fall in love with nature the world changes a bewildering dimension opens and they realize we are no longer at the center of the universe. We are but a single creature among many; we are one of the Earthlings. When we study and play in the forest the presence of the other Earthlings (and the odd powers they exhibit) rouses our curiosity. And it’s exactly this interaction that teaches us about our primary power . . . our imaginations. Nature is the great equalizer. When we are enmeshed in the more-than-human world we realize that community isn’t solely a human affair it is the domain of Earthlings. Big, small, bipedal, rooted, or tailed, we all play a vital role in shaping and maintaining a healthy, Earthy community. In this session participants explored how nature based education and play fosters a more encompassing, complex, and joyful understanding of community, and how this orientation is necessary in building our sustainable future.
Presenter: Michel Anderson, Ecoliteracy and Sustainability Coordinator, Waldorf School of Baltimore
