EL CRISTIANO Y SU PLENITUD DE VIDA EN CRISTO

In the previous section I reported that most practitioners made very limited reference to environmental pedagogies that encourage learners to reflect on nature and that are socially-critical. There were, though, three practitioners who included approaches that provided learners with opportunities to reflect on nature. Two practitioners, Pat and Stevie, did this through scientific analysis. This theme is discussed next. I focus on analysing only one of these examples (Pat’s) as this will enable me to add depth and provide further insight to my interpretation. The third practitioner contextualised notions of nature within a creative writing course and I discuss her approach in section 4.2.5

During our initial interview, Pat explained that he taught a variety of science and maths classes. Some focussed on family learning, where parents and children would learn together. Others were only for adults and ranged from entry level to level two. Pat followed a syllabus for each course but within this was keen to engender a greater affinity for nature. He saw his role as a practitioner in ‘opening people’s horizons and views, widening their

experience and helping them to enjoy the whole of what our planet has to give’ (2.2.12:8). Pat contextualised environmental learning within many classes he taught. He gave an example of a lesson from a family learning maths class. In this lesson, Pat included opportunities for learners to extend

their awareness and understanding of nature. To do this he asked learners to identify examples in nature that conformed to certain proportions or

mathematical rules, stating:

I give them a whole lesson developing proportion in different ways and show them how absolutely miraculously proportions are found in nature and how you can actually measure natural things and see mathematical equations. And they are absolutely thrilled they think ‘we never knew this’ …. They can do drawings for instance

constructing rectangles that a snail can fit into and then you discover the same proportions are for a sunflower. So that’s the sort of stuff you can do in mathematics (2.2.12:19).

In particular Pat asked learners to analyse how many elements within nature complied with a mathematical rule termed the ‘golden ratio’. This ratio is represented by the Greek letter ‘phi’, and Pat explained that it is manifested in nature in the form of a spiral. Pat described how learners were asked to identify evidence of the golden ratio within nature during a visit to a local woodland area:

You go to trees and you look at the leaves on the tree and I say to them [learners] ‘if you were to look on the top of the plant looking down would you see the leaves underneath each other would they grow underneath each other - why not?’ So they [learners] talk about the light. …Now surely there must be an optimum angle to get every leaf to catch as much light as possible, so let’s measure that angle against the other angle of the 360 degrees. You are bringing in degrees, protractors, even little children can look at their parents doing it and see what they are doing and get the idea even if they haven’t done angles at schools. Then you divide with a calculator - 137.5 by 222.5 and you come out with 0.6 - again the ‘golden ratio’. So for every living species of tree or plant, to catch the maximum light, they organise the leaves in the same ratio as snails, shells, sunflower seeds and pine cones. Isn’t this

incredible? So that would be an example of using proportions, ratio in mathematics - to see it in reality and see those patterns in our own environment (2.2.12:22).

Arguably, Pat’s approach could be interpreted as encouraging a conception of nature as one that complies with ‘blind universal laws’ (Bonnet, 2007:714). The trees in the woodland that Pat and the learners visited were being

reduced to a mathematical ratio, and their particularity and individuality was being veiled by learners applying mathematical constructs and laws.

Learners were asked to prove the existence of the golden ratio and define and generalise nature through the application of mathematical constructs. I

considered Pat’s approach important for two reasons however.

Firstly, he emphasised the value of outdoor experience in contributing to learning about nature, commenting that ‘It is one thing to teach it in the classroom, another thing is to go for a little walk and show it happening and the latter is the best’ (2.2.12:10). This emphasis on outdoor learning indicates that Pat was engendering amongst learners a sense of experiential knowing (Heron and Reason, 1997). He was encouraging a ‘kind of first-hand

knowledge of nature’ (Orr, 1994:52) through ‘direct face to face encounters’ (Reason, 1998:44):

If you can experience something first-hand and in a practical way, it’s far better than the theory. So to see things, to design a little outdoor experience, to learn these things and to see them actually happening is far better (Pat, 2.2.12:10).

Pat explained he was trying to convey an understanding of the ‘awesome aspect’ (2.2.12:22) of nature by engaging learners in direct face-to-face encounters and by asking them to explore the complexity, integrity and interconnections with nature. He was engendering amongst learners a deeper sense of awe and reverence towards nature in terms of ‘knowing through empathy and resonance’ (Reason, 1998:44)

Secondly, Pat encouraged amongst learners a sense of presentational knowing (Heron and Reason, 1997). Learners were asked to reflect on their first-hand encounters with nature, internalise their experiences and explore representations of their initial impressions through artistic interpretation. During the visit to the local woodland, learners collected leaves, petals, pine needles and grasses and from these created their own artistic representations

of the golden ratio in spiral form. Next, they were asked to present these images to the rest of their group. Pat was not only developing the notion of acquaintance with natural phenomenon through initial face-to-face encounter but, was also encouraging the integration of artistic impression that enabled a more intimate and expressive knowledge of nature to be experienced where ‘thought is taken to include feelings’ (Horwood, 1991:23).

Pat’s approach has significance for the main research question. Firstly, his approach illustrates that there were already examples of practice within the adult community education service where I worked that sought to engender amongst learners two (experiential and presentational) of Heron and

Reason’s (1997) four epistemological ways of knowing. Within a maths setting, he was actively encouraging learners to engage, express their feelings and get closer by acquaintance with nature (Bonnett, 2003). Secondly, Pat was willing to share his example of practice with other

colleagues. Having this example of practice, that integrated experiential and presentational ways of knowing nature within a maths class, proved

invaluable during the period of intervention. It could be discussed and reflected upon by other practitioners and the relevance to other learning settings considered.