“FOREST SCHOOLS” IN THE PRESCHOOL EDUCATION SYSTEM: THE DANISH EXPERIENCE

Abstract

The article determines the essence and role of "forest schools" in the system of preschool education of a number of Scandinavian countries, in particular Denmark. The "forest schools" are becoming increasingly popular and widespread in conditions of the environmental education priority, the growing role of the natural pedagogical environment in the practice of preschool education institutions of modern European countries. The author touches on the issue of the history of "forest schools", it is clarified why the "forest schools" practice was most widely used in the Scandinavian education system. In particular, attention is focused on the fact that in the enhanced pedagogical program of Danish preschool institutions, special attention is paid to the problem of nature and education in the fresh air, and in the practice of Danish preschool education institutions (day care centers), the natural environment has become the environment for the implementation of the educational process, in which the most necessary competencies for a child are formed. First of all, it is children's acquisition of specific experience of interaction with nature, the feeling of being a part of it. The article also draws attention to the role of educators in the organization of a natural pedagogical environment in conditions of a "forest school". The author touches on the issue of children's acquisition of the ability to assess the risks and act accordingly in "forest school" conditions. It is noted that risk and challenge are an important part of children's educational environment in Denmark. They believe that children should learn to independently assess various risks and accept challenges. Accordingly, teachers should support and guide children in how to self-assess risks, how to choose behavior, how to determine the degree of safety in various situations. And here the role of teachers is extremely important, since they have to make the games of preschoolers in the conditions of the "forest school" as safe as possible, at the same time leaving space and opportunities for children to independently assess existing risks and choose a model of behavior.