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Brief description of the project (general purpose/objectives, number and dates of the meetings, timeline, proposed activities, starting points for discussion selected in each of the meetings, etc.)
The EACH project aims to cultivate critical thinking and environmental awareness through collaborative practices, including the thoughtful introduction of digital tools in early childhood education. This iteration of the project was implemented in a forest-based Montessori kindergarten, where nature itself constitutes a core element of the learning environment. Sessions were facilitated interchangeably by four educators – Agata, Paweł, Łucja, and Natalia – and took place both outdoors and in semi-open settings like yurts. Observations were conducted by Emilia, Julia, Alicja, Kaja and Olga and they were supervised by Jarek.
From February 4th to March 28th, 2025, children participated in activities structured around Philosophy for Children (P4C), environmental inquiry, and multimodal expression. Limited internet access in the forest setting further encouraged an emphasis on sensorial engagement, and interpersonal dialogue. The Montessori philosophy of freedom within structure, hands-on learning, and deep respect for the child’s autonomy was naturally aligned with the EACH project’s principles.
The sessions often began with open dialogue in a circle format and were followed by collaborative explorations outdoors or creative expression indoors. Across multiple themes – ranging from "Nature Detectives" to "My Favourite Tree" and "Symphony of Nature" – children developed observational and reflective skills through drawing, photography, digital sound recording, and philosophical discussion.
Concluding Remarks:
The forest Montessori environment provided a unique and fertile ground for the EACH project, blending freedom, ecological immersion, and reflective practices. The children’s learning was deeply rooted in sensory experience, imaginative dialogue, and authentic interaction with nature. Future iterations of the project in such settings might benefit from:
The forest preschool team demonstrated adaptability and dedication, and the children’s progression in collaborative reasoning, environmental ethics, and creative expression revealed the transformative potential of combining Montessori education with EACH’s triad: critical thinking, climate awareness, and digital literacy.
How have the children participated? How (if) has their participation changed throughout the sessions?
Children's participation was marked by vivid engagement, curiosity, and peer responsiveness. The natural environment provided a rich stimulus for inquiry and dialogue. For example, during the session, children eagerly identified interdependencies in nature (e.g., “pinecone – seed,” “gellyfish-water,” “cloud – sun”) and documented these using mobile devices. Their reasoning evolved from intuitive associations to more layered reflections, especially during group discussions and photo presentations.
Children displayed increasing confidence in leading inquiries, negotiating shared interpretations (e.g., animal tracks in the snow), and revising hypotheses when confronted with new evidence (“not a boar, maybe a fox ... look at the claws!”). The photographic component enabled children to revisit and reflect on their ideas, helping them bridge experience with abstract thought.
In collaborative art sessions, such as recreating “my favourite tree” from photographs, children not only practiced observation and detail reproduction but also explored aesthetic, personal, and ecological dimensions of nature. They discussed differences between photo and drawing, as well as subjectivity in representation, laying a foundation for critical literacy.
What was the role and the activities of the adult/guide/facilitator?
Adults maintained a facilitator-observer role, consistent with Montessori principles. They introduced themes, structured transitions, and enabled access to tools and materials, while generally refraining from imposing interpretations. When children hesitated or showed emotional responses (e.g., sadness about not having their sound recording played), educators responded with sensitivity and supported children’s emotional regulation.Facilitators encouraged philosophical questioning (“Can a tree be a friend?”, “What happens when the environment changes?”) and created moments for peer-led dialogue. However, moments of distraction or behavioral intensity highlighted the need for stronger strategies to sustain reflective attention in open-air settings, particularly during longer circle discussions.
If different from the practitioner, what role did the class teacher play?
The teachers’ roles included both pedagogical and organizational dimensions:
What fostered the collaborative-participative process? Which were the factors impacting on social, critical thinking and meta-cognitive skills?
What might have hindered the collaborative-participative process?
Have children generated a shared knowledge about environmental issues? What was the process?
Yes, children generated shared knowledge about environmental issues through embodied and emotionally resonant exploration. Their understanding emerged not through abstract instruction but through symbolic associations and sensory experiences during walks in the forest, dialogic circles, and artistic activities. Children discussed the value of trees for animals and humans (“trees give oxygen, we couldn’t live without them”), imagined deforested landscapes, and emotionally connected with trees as “friends”. These insights, though child-sized and metaphorical, reveal early ecological reasoning and care-based ethics.They built knowledge collaboratively, such as when co-constructing interpretations of animal tracks or environmental sounds, deepening each other's ideas by layering observations (“That might be a fox—not a boar—look at the claws!”). Visual and sound-based documentation helped children revisit and refine their thinking.
What fostered children's environmental awareness and the promotion of their active role in addressing climate change issues and promoting environmental sustainability?
Learning occurred outdoors, among trees and animals, reinforcing the reality and relevance of nature. Children observed interdependencies firsthand (e.g., seeds, habitats, shelter), nurturing a relational perspective.
Children expressed care and affection toward nature, often describing trees as comforting or protective. The story of a woman living in a redwood tree for two years sparked wonder and reinforced nature protection as an act of dedication.
By creating artworks and photo-based representations of trees, animal tracks, or forest soundscapes, children developed ecological sensibility through creative expression. Their choices were emotionally meaningful and fostered agency (“I want to show that this tree is special”).
What might have hindered children's environmental awareness and their active role in addressing climate change issues and promoting environmental sustainability?
While children discussed nature with care, references to pollution, climate change, or sustainability were rare unless introduced by adults. There was limited use of environmental vocabulary.
Activities were often child-led and individual (e.g., choosing a favourite tree), with less emphasis on systemic or collective environmental action. This may have limited the understanding of broader climate dynamics.
Children were not regularly exposed to concrete climate-related challenges (e.g., drought, trash accumulation, endangered species). This may have constrained the development of cause-effect reasoning around environmental issues.
How have children used Digital Technologies?
Digital tools were used in a developmentally appropriate, Montessori-consistent way, embedded into children’s real-world exploration rather than being the center of attention. Children took photographs of nature interconnections, recorded environmental sounds, and used those recordings as stimuli for drawing and discussion. Older children independently used mobile phones or tablets with guidance; younger ones observed and reflected on outcomes. For example, during “Nature Detectives”, they used the zoom to inspect details; during “Symphony of Nature”, they listened to and interpreted soundscapes they had helped record. These engagements strengthened memory, encouraged reflection, and supported multimodal learning without overwhelming the child-led ethos of the forest setting.
What fostered a critical approach to digital technologies?
Digital devices were framed as tools for discovery, not entertainment. This aligned with Montessori principles and emphasized function over novelty (e.g., “zooming in to see claw marks”).
Activities combined digital tools with bodily and artistic engagement; recordings were revisited through drawing, discussion, and sensory description (e.g., “What did you feel when you heard it?”).
Children chose when and what to record or photograph, and their interpretations were valued. This empowered ownership and self-regulation in technology use.
What might have hindered a critical approach to digital technologies?
Due to environmental constraints (forest, poor signal), devices were used briefly and inconsistently. This hindered children’s ability to develop deeper technological literacy.
Adults often initiated or mediated tool use, which may have limited spontaneous, exploratory engagement—especially among younger children.
While children engaged with what was captured (photos, sounds), there was little discussion of how technology works or its broader implications. Opportunities for media literacy were missed.
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