For a while forget all about formal education at schools – Nomad school is a must-do experience for anyone who wants to learn living from experience.
Nature School
Nature has always been a source of inspiration; some find ‘tongue in trees’, some ‘books in the running brooks’, some ‘sermons in stones’ and others ‘good in everything’[1]. Everybody enjoys being in nature, and even a tree may ‘moves some to tears of joy’[2]. That’s why nowadays it is believed that innovative outdoor education in which children get to learn various skills through outdoor experiences can work its magic.
Forest schools follow the same approach. They encourage and inspire learners to have first-hand experiences in a natural environment. They provide them with opportunities to develop their confidence and self-esteem. In these schools, children are physically active a lot of time, and this would result in their mental and emotional well-being as well. They learn to be self-aware, confident and independent. They learn how to regulate themselves & develop good social communication skills. But more importantly, they learn to take notice of their intrinsic motivations.
Nomad School: Adding Luster to Education
There is a famous saying which says: “You send your child to the schoolmaster, but ‘its the schoolboys who educate him.”[3] It is also a well-known fact that children learn less from what they read in print, and learn more from each other. So, why not giving them a chance to stay off schools and spend time with the most authentic people?
The experience of being with Nomads and living a nomadic life for some days is one of the amazing experiences that, though short, leaves long-lasting effects on those who try it, specially children. Being with Nomads can be the best inspiration for life too, for the simple reason that they are exactly practicing what nature schools try to mimic.
What children will be learning from nomads?
Here are some of the distinguishing features children can learn while they are with Nomads:
- Nomads’ main habitat is nature. Mother nature has so much to give to human beings. Being in nature and adapting to its magic rhythm work its magic. More importantly, learning outside the classroom prepare children to manage risk and cope with challenges. So, let them be stewards of nature.
- Nomads are the most authentic examples of people who have been inspired by nature. What forest schools try to do, is the simple, authentic, and old-age heritage of nomadic lifestyle. Their special way of life and their being on the move would be so exciting for the children of the towns.
- Nomad children are born to have a nomadic life. As a result, they are strong, flexible, independent and creative in their own ways. They know how to adapt themselves to different and sometimes harsh situations. They practice collaboration better than those who live in cities. All in all, they have practical knowledge of life. So, you can see how they can be a shining example of what a child should be[4], and no doubt the interaction between our children and Nomad children will bring about the desired effects.
- The mere fact that our children are going to gain first-hand experience of a quite different lifestyle is so amazing. For some days, they are going to see how it feels to take care of the herds and to feed them in pastures. They are also going to learn how to milk the goats and make bread; how to fetch water from the beautiful springs in the mountain. In short, they are going to learn the impressive Nomads’ conservational education; the way they are living in harmony with nature.
After the trip, they would not be the same person before. They also would appreciate the nature and its blessings more, they would be more careful not to damage it and they learn to become independent self-reliant individuals like their nomad friends.
[1] William Shakespeare
[2] Francis Bacon
[3] Ralph Waldo Emerson
[4] According to LinkedIn, 2019, Creativity, adaptability, and collaboration were the most in-demand soft skills