Piaget's Schema and Forest School

Delving back into learning theories I explored during my teacher training has been a welcome, but slightly scary, experience; it's strange how what I do everyday in the classroom has developed from learning theories of many years ago. and how much of it is second nature in my teaching without thinking about it. I approached this research with slight anxiety knowing the names of educational theorist but honstly not fully remembering what their theories were based around.


Piaget's idea of schema is based around the following:

• Focus on the process of learning, rather than the end product of it.
• Use active methods that require rediscovering or reconstructing 'truths'
• Use collaborative, as well as individual activities (so children learn from each other)
• Devise situations that present useful problems, and create disequilibrium in the child
• Evaluate the level of the child's development, so suitable tasks can be set

 Simply Psychology - Piaget

With this in mind, I can now see the intrinsic links.
Forest School programmes are all about 'Discovery Learning' - the understanding that learning takes place within a forest setting allows the learner to be immersed in a wealth of first hand experiences, where they can safely explore and discover for themselves and develop their knowledge and understanding through doing and actively exploring. Piaget's theory of assimilation and accomodation require an active, rather than a passive, learner. He believed that problem solving skills cannot be taught; they must be discovered.

Having the teacher as a facilitator, and not teaching directly, allows for children to use their curiosity and take risks with their learning; without trying to imitate and copy what a teacher has said. During our initial training week we thought a lot about planning activities for children and thinking about what we wanted them to learn, but we were taught that this was always 'Plan B'. Child centred learning allows the children to lead the way in what interest them and our planning would always be the backup to the children's 'Plan A'. This mirrors the approach we are taking with the Learning Challenge curriculum, where we carry out pre-learning tasks to provide the learners with a voice and guide the teaching.

Alongside child-centred, active discovery learning, Piaget also believed in 'Readiness to learn'. He based this around biological maturation and associated stage, believing the notion of 'readiness' to be greatly important. His theory was that a child should not be taught certain concepts until they have reached the appropriate stage of cognitive development. Within a Forest School programme this would be used when planning activities with children. Thinking about the use of fires, activities would build on their prior experience and build on that resulting in children of reception age experiencing fires at a different level to that of say year 6 children, who might be ready to safely build and light their own fire. There would be a definite series of learning to ensure children are building on prior learning, experiencing and understanding fully.

My morning's reading and assimilating of Piaget's schemata has definitely deepened my understanding of the theory of Forest School and has built my confidence in preparation of presenting to our PTA, to ask for funding for equipment, as well as to the school governors.