All the outside things—flowers and trees and all the equipment—were to help children to be intrigued by what they found outside. —Edith Dowley, Bing’s founding director
Learning outdoors has been a major component of the Bing education since the school’s opening in 1966. Our founder, Dr. Edith Dowley, was intentional about designing a school that called attention to the outdoor setting as a focal point for learning.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bing administration and teachers endeavored to safely reopen the school and deliver the best possible educational experience for children. All classrooms at Bing were encouraged to support outdoor play as much as possible. Looking for ways to pivot the program, the West PM teachers realized we had the opportunity to widen our lens and reimagine our class as an all-outdoor experience. We were inspired by historical accounts of New York City teachers during the 1918 “Spanish” influenza pandemic. To keep children and teachers safe from contracting or transmitting the deadly flu, these teachers took learning completely outdoors despite the weather. Having a suitable outdoor space, we embraced the opportunity to implement an education program fully outdoors in West PM.
Scientists and education experts strongly advocated using the outdoor spaces during the pandemic, which fit in perfectly with the ideal half-acre of outdoor learning spaces. Bing’s trees, grass, rolling hills and flowering plants year-round have always highlighted the value of learning outdoors. When asked about this design in the 1960s, Dowley said: “We hoped California children would like to play outside.” Her hope came to fruition and the value of education outdoors continues to be a principle we embrace at Bing.
West PM teachers met daily prior to the reopening of the school to design a set-up that was malleable and engaging for the children and teachers in the outdoor learning space. The in-depth and honest conversations during this planning time helped us understand our role as educators, the children’s developmental needs during a pandemic and the role the environment would play in children’s learning during a school year of uncertainties. As educators, we grew tremendously. With a little flexibility, creativity and courage, we improved our class management and pedagogy while discovering new ways to meet children’s developmental needs. We also gained a deeper appreciation for how the outdoor environment supports children’s emotional, physical and cognitive growth.
The Outdoor Space: A Welcoming Presence
As a safety measure, Bing established separate entry points for each class cohort. Many classes, including West PM, entered through a gate directly into the classroom’s yard. Parents had shared their concern about not being able to enter the school to support their children emotionally during the school re-entry. Those concerns were put to rest when they observed the power of the outdoor environment to greet their children. This became the bridge that seamlessly supported each child’s transition from home to school. Children were able to demonstrate to their families that they were resilient. After saying their goodbyes, children confidently crossed the gate threshold into West yard. Parents marveled at their child’s emotional strength, while children were simultaneously in awe of the array of colors from the natural landscape that welcomed them on the other side of the gate: lush greens, blues, whites, reds, purples, oranges, blacks and browns. These colors were magnets that lured each child into an environment that supported limitless opportunities for wonder and hands-on learning. The hills, sand, shade-producing trees, flower blooms, resident wildlife and ample space called out to each child. The children were excited to learn more about their relationship with the outdoor environment.
The Outdoor Space: Restoration and Development of Physical Strength
After months of being indoors during the lockdown, we noticed that children needed to get accustomed to being outdoors again. Some children were “on the move” the entire three-and-a-half hours of the session to meet the sensory needs that had been on hold for so long; others were seeking chairs to sit in because they were easily fatigued from vigorous body movement they hadn’t experienced in many months. Day by day we noticed how children were getting reacquainted with their bodies and physical abilities that had gone dormant. Teachers supported physical play with minimal props such as carts, shovels and wooden beams to enhance what nature already had in place. The props, along with children’s imaginations, gave children opportunities for whole body play. They embraced climbing trees, digging in the sand, moving large blocks and stumps, transporting peers in carts, rolling down hills, running across the yard, walking across beams, climbing over A–frames, flapping their wings to take flight and jumping as high as their bodies could take them. This freedom of movement encouraged and supported restoration and development of children’s physical strength. Soon each child grew stronger and more confident, challenging themselves further.
The Outdoor Space: A Naturally Engaging Teacher
The outdoor environment became a place where children began to notice nature at a deeper and more intimate level. On one occasion, a teacher was reading aloud under a willow tree to a group of children at story time. All of a sudden, a child exclaimed, “I hear a bird!” The same words were echoed by other children who moved their heads in the direction of the bird sound. The teacher closed the book, and together they listened to birds singing. The birds had always chirped in our yard, so what was different? Perhaps it was the act of quietly sitting in nature and relaxing at the end of an engaging school day. It was evident to the teacher that the children’s senses were heightened in the natural outdoor setting. They were attending more closely to their natural surroundings. Thus, such comments became more common:
“Do you see the nest way up high?”
“Lavender smells good!”
“What happened to the kale we planted?”
“I think a gopher ate them!”
“I saw a gopher!”
“How does a tiny seed turn into a large tree like the ones in our yard ?”
“Butterfly!”
Many of these observations led to in-depth projects. In small groups, teachers conducted investigations with children on plants, trees, insects and other visiting wildlife, as well as natural materials and phenomena such as sticks, leaves, water, rain, wind, mud, fire and wood.
Overall, our all-outdoor experience was a joyful exploration for the children, leading to new discoveries about themselves and the natural world. Each session, children had the freedom to move about the space, explore, and engage their senses, body and mind in meaningful activities. The feeling of community among the cohort and teachers was at an all-time high. Nine months together in the same space with everyone in sight of each other was an experience we teachers will forever cherish. All the children played together and celebrated with one another when they reached milestones. While class was in session, the troubles of this modern world were forgotten by children and teachers, and the love of learning and building community was abundant.
Bing’s outdoor environment continues to be a centerpiece of the school. West PM’s all-outdoor experience was an homage to Dowley’s belief about the importance of outdoor learning.
Maintaining a high regard for her vision for the school over 50 years ago allowed us to continue providing an excellent educational experience to children during a worldwide pandemic. Thank you, Edith Dowley, for your careful planning! It permitted us to have an amazing and unforgettable school year.
COMMUNITY BUILDING
Ode to the Butterfly!
After weeks of caterpillar and chrysalis investigations, the children marveled at the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly as they observed butterflies breaking out of their chrysalises. Each day for about three weeks, we had butterflies emerging and spreading their wings. The children cheered with each successful flight. When the last one had flown away, a variety of butterflies visited the West yard. Excitement filled the air with each new arrival. Soon children came up with a system to alert everyone about a visitor before it flew out of the yard: Each time a new butterfly appeared, the child who noticed it would yell “Butterfly!” Instantly, children would come running from all directions to see the butterfly in flight. This invitation to come and join the celebration strengthened the sense of community among the children as they ran up and down the hills to cheer the butterfly for its accomplishment. This became a daily occurrence for the class cohort, which joyfully lasted through to the last day of school!
Please visit Bing’s YouTube channel http://youtube.com/bingnurseryschool for a video featuring Dr. Edith Dowley’s reflection on Bing Nursery School.