It’s Only Natural

In 2005, American writer Richard Louv first introduced the concept of “nature deficit disorder” in his book Last Child in the Woods. Sufferers of the disorder are not physiologically ill, but are so far removed from nature that they develop behavioral and psychological problems. As Louv proposed, natural education has emerged to fix the problem.

In recent years, China’s natural education has prospered. In its early days, it drew heavily on Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s concept of “natural man,” which focuses largely on freedom from restraint. But nowadays, as environmental problems worsen, natural education has shifted focus to coexisting as part of nature and aims to improve the ecology. Contemporary natural education promotes not only education “in” nature and “about” nature but also “for” nature.

“Firefly lanterns light my way to the moon,” wrote Li Muhe, a 10-year-old girl at Fongaia School. “Muhe used to just like to stay home and read,” reveals her mother. “Now, she likes to experience nature and finds beauty in everything she sees.” Gaia, the personification of earth in Greek myth, inspired the name of the school, Fongaia. Founded in 2014, the school of natural education is a subsidiary of Friends of Nature, an environmental NGO. Vice principal of Fongaia School, Zhang Meng, or “Winter Wheat” as she’s known at the school (everyone at the school adopts the name of a plant or animal), granted an exclusive interview to China Pictorial to talk about China’s natural education.

China Pictorial (CP): As a founder of Fongaia School, what made you decide to launch a school for natural education?

Zhang: I was volunteering for Friends of Nature to work on projects related to natural education. But without consistent funding, we couldn’t keep things going for long. In 2013, I had a chance to visit some of Japan’s schools of natural education. Japan has more than 30 years of experience in natural education and about 4,000 nature schools. Compared to us, they have a more mature and sustainable system.

I used to teach at a college. I have always believed education can make people change and grow. I have been volunteering for four years, in which time I participated in many activities and got more connected to nature, which changed me a lot and elevated my life. I knew I could do this well. In 2014, I decided to establish Fongaia School.  

CP: Do you think many Chinese children suffer from “nature-deficit disorder”?

Zhang: I think it’s painfully obvious and not confined to urban children. Several days ago, a teacher from a village came to our school. She told us that when her son saw flourishing winter wheat, he said “Chinese chives grow so well.” But “nature deficit” is about more than a lack of knowledge about nature; it’s more about the ability to feel nature. When we were children, we spent a lot of time in nature and established a magical connection to it. We knew that when we felt sad and angry, we could always get comfort from it. But now, many people fail to get any consolation from nature, children and adults alike. Instead, they feel anxious when they’re out in nature. They consider it dirty, and they’re afraid of insects. They don’t know how to interact with nature to get happiness and strength. Humans are part of nature. Natural education involves not only relations between man and nature, but also interpersonal relationships and self-improvement.

CP: What are the reasons for the disconnection?

Zhang: Firstly, we only experience fragmented nature. When we see a table, we know it is made of wood, but we do not necessarily know where the wood comes from; we turn on the tap and see water flowing out, but we do not care where it comes from; we throw out garbage and it’s gone, but we don’t know where it goes; we don’t know where food comes from. Our attitudes toward nature become fragmented. Secondly, children lack freedom. Their schedules are arranged by their parents and crammed with all kinds of classes. When the kids are exposed to nature, parents are most concerned with sanitation and safety. We urge everyone to “return life to nature, give childhood back to children and learn from daily life.” Thirdly, social values are too materialistic. Almost all parents want their children to go to a famous university, find a decent job and live a well-off life. This has become the standard goal in life. But few people think about profound things or the value of life. For example, when they ask about our classes, many parents ask things like “What will my son learn?” and “What kind of skills will he build?” And they expect their children learn fast. Real natural education doesn’t teach the names of plants and animals. Some kids can memorize an entire atlas of insects, but they don’t really understand the importance of those creatures to the planet. If a person lacks empathy, feelings and passion for nature, all the knowledge in the world is useless. Intimacy with nature completes the cognitive relationship with the world and strengthens the explorative spirit while igniting an interest in learning. This is where its value lies.

CP: What is the status of natural education in China? What does it need to overcome?

Zhang: In recent years, China’s natural education has developed rapidly. Many organizations involved in natural education have emerged in first- and second-tier cities. A lot of people have become interested in this field, evidenced by the growth in enrollment in our training classes to become a nature guide. At first, it was hard to find students, but now it is so popular that people are fighting to get a spot. Working as a nature guide is not even a high-salary profession. But the practitioners understand the value of natural education, a sign that social values are becoming more diverse. Instead, they feel anxious when they’re out in nature. They consider it dirty, and they’re afraid of insects. They don’t know how to interact with nature to get happiness and strength. Humans are part of nature. Natural education involves not only relations between man and nature, but also interpersonal relationships and self-improvement.

CP: What are the reasons for the disconnection?

Zhang: Firstly, we only experience fragmented nature. When we see a table, we know it is made of wood, but we do not necessarily know where the wood comes from; we turn on the tap and see water flowing out, but we do not care where it comes from; we throw out garbage and it’s gone, but we don’t know where it goes; we don’t know where food comes from. Our attitudes toward nature become fragmented. Secondly, children lack freedom. Their schedules are arranged by their parents and crammed with all kinds of classes. When the kids are exposed to nature, parents are most concerned with sanitation and safety. We urge everyone to “return life to nature, give childhood back to children and learn from daily life.” Thirdly, social values are too materialistic. Almost all parents want their children to go to a famous university, find a decent job and live a well-off life. This has become the standard goal in life. But few people think about profound things. Some textbooks cover natural education and some schools launched their own gardens to plant vegetables and flowers.

When natural education is mentioned, most people think of it for children. But adults need it more. We emphasize “parent-child- together education” because children are more perceptive and sensitive to nature than adults. However, when the kids get home, influenced by their parents, they quickly go back to their old ways. Targeting parents makes the process slower. In fact, in natural education, nature itself is the ultimate teacher, with endless wisdom. All of us should try to understand the world around us and each other, and nature facilitates better communication.