Natural School Reform

In the Chapter, "Natural School Reform", Richard Louv describes the ways in which environmental or experiential education is beneficial to children -- more so than traditional education. The author describes environmental education as having a "focus on how to live correctly in the world", and experiential education as a way to "teach through the senses in the natural world" (201). To support his argument, Louv cites Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences, specifically the naturalist intelligence, which together help foster responsible and successful children and adults. Louv goes on to explain that experiential education leads to higher test scores than students receiving traditional education and more dedicated students, as it did in schools around this country and others, such as Finland. He also argues that the implementation of experiential education results in lower rates of disciplinary referrals and suspensions from school because the children are engaged and feel as though they have a lot invested in their work at school and therefore do not wish to be absent from class-- even on senior-skip-day, Louv points out in his chapter. Louv goes on to discuss the environmental organizations that support experiential education, such as the Sierra Club but, points out that many of these organizations target children and young adults as a way to target their parents as opposed to focusing on the possible change the children themselves could create now, as well as in the future. Louv concluded the chapter with the argument that older adults are also academically stunted without experiential education as many scientists such as biologists have never actually witnessed the ecological systems their degrees are supposed to have focused on. The main points Louv is trying to communicate are that experiential learning is beneficial in almost every way in that it helps the students apply what they have learned in traditional settings (i.e. books) with the real world around them, as well as providing social and emotional benefits when the students work together to complete hands-on projects as well as providing something for the students to take pride and invest themselves in.

This chapter had a lot of merit and, as a whole, I vehemently agree that experiential education should be implemented in public schools around the nation because I agree with Louv that the benefits for the students is incalculable. However, I did have a few qualms with the chapter. Firstly, while experiential education is widely beneficial it is expensive. Yes, Louv argues that non-profit organizations are helping to financially back certain schools and others have a lot of involvement from the PTA or other such organizations to help fund experiential education but that is not possible in every school system in America. Inner-city school districts are notoriously underfunded and often have little to no parent/volunteer involvement so funding that way would not work in those schools. The other problem I encountered when reading this chapter was how little credit and attention he paid to those in higher education. While he did touch on how negatively traditional education is affecting some certain career fields, such as biology, he doesn't touch on what I consider to be one of the most important aspects of young adults-- they are the new generation of stake holders and decision makers. I understand the thinking that if you educate someone in a certain way when they're young, they are much more likely to continue in that way of thinking when they are older, but I think experiential education in college can catch some of the students that could not receive such an education in grade school and can change the priorities of those students and what they think makes someone a good citizen, which would be very influential in the decisions they make as an adult consumer.