The Great Outdoors

 

In a fit of desperation I have moved out to the back patio in the hopes that whatever is blocking my ability to write this morning will be jogged out of the way. The air is filled with birdsong. An occasional car drives by. So far two planes have crossed overhead. When I’m in the house I don’t hear any of that. We have extremely solid windows, I guess.

Plane number three.

I just got a quizzical look from a catbird who probably wonders why I haven’t refilled the birdfeeder yet this morning. 

It feels like a good day to think of all the different groups and institutions that care for our natural environment and/or promote enjoyment of nature and provide nature education in Columbia/HoCo. There are a lot of them. 

• The Howard County Conservancy
• Robinson Nature Center
• Columbia Association 
• Howard County Recreation and Parks 
• Community Ecology Institute, (Nourishing Gardens, Freetown Farm, Families in Nature, Farmacy Garden…)
• Multiple Columbia Village CARES groups
• Yards Alive!
• Oakland Mills Interfaith Center Green Team
• Howard EcoWorks
• Live Green Howard
• Upcycled 

I’m sure I’ve forgotten some. If I have, please clue me in and I’ll add to my list. 

Some years ago an educational theory developed by Howard Gardiner called Multiple Intelligences was all the rage. True confession: I was a fan. Here’s an infographic that explains the concept.

Image taken from University of Tennessee Health Science Center website 

Like most popular theories, it was applied in ways that it was never meant to be and many folks these days consider it to be facile and passé. 

I’m sharing it here because it was the first time I ever saw love of and connection with nature identified as a unique expression of intelligence. You see it above labeled as “Naturalist”. We often reward verbal and mathematical intelligence first and foremost. But I definitely taught students over the years whose connection with the natural world was exceptional. 

The world really, really needs those people. Parents need to recognize and value this intelligence in their children and schools need to give students ongoing opportunities throughout the K-12 experience to explore and build on their innate “naturalistic” motivation. Making room for that can be time consuming and messy. And I’ve often noticed that the most hands-on, experiential science programs draw from the pre-identified GT population. 

That means that the students have met certain verbal/mathematical standards first. What if the thing that makes you brilliant isn’t verbal/mathematical? In all likelihood you will be given more of what you are not particularly good at in hopes you will improve and there will be no time in your schedule for the kinds of learning that truly light up your brain and motivate you. 

I was not that kid, by the way. I was allergic to everything and consequently my interactions with nature were limited and heavily medicated. I grew up loving nature at a distance. 

I’ve written so much here about the importance of arts education and I wouldn’t change one word of it. But I have become such an admirer of local environmental advocates and I realize how crucial their work is to the survival of the planet. 

How do you connect with nature? If you have children, have experiences in nature been a priority for your family? 

One more question: where is your favorite place to be outdoors in Columbia/HoCo?