book review-How to Raise a Wild Child

Well, the summer is definitely winding down and it's time for a review of something from the summer reading pile.
Scott Sampson's new book, "How to raise a Wild Child" was perfect reading as the Lake Michigan wind blew the beach grass flat and required extra strong page holding.
After I pack up and return this book (yes, Mom, and all the others) to the local library, I will head to my favorite local bookstore in Northfield and buy it ASAP.
It's an easy and engaging read with loads of quality advice for parents and others to engender a meaningful, lasting connection between children and the natural world. (disclaimer-stolen from jacket cover..)
I'm suggesting this book to everyone this year and will continue to encourage the adults I know to choose experiences for their children carefully. I'm also planning to follow Sampson's advice and will pare down the store bought playground toys at school. More of what he proclaims as the five best toys for children--(1) stick, (2) box, (3) string, (4) cardboard tube, and (5) dirt. Check.
Sampson outlines his goals in writing this book. "The first is to sound the alarm bell and broaden awareness on humanity's disconnect from nature." Second is to scientifically explore the process of nature connection. I found this section very interesting, with info on children's ever-shrinking attention spans and the role of digital technologies (hey, he is a TV producer). His third
and primary goal is "to help parents, educators, and others become nature mentors for the children in their lives." I would say Scott Sampson did just that, and so much more.

 "In wildness is the preservation of the world."
----Henry David Thoreau

excerpt from "How to Raise a Wild Child":
Learning in Place
Let's step back for a moment and imagine some of the qualities we might want to see in a reinvented, truly student-centered learning environment. Such a setting would celebrate student's autonomy and individuality, building on strengths and interests to drive curiosity. It would foster (rather than choke) inspiration and engagement through plenty of active, real-world experiences, many of them beyond the classroom walls. Emphasis would be on character development grounded in fundamental values, like beauty, truth, and goodness. And, if truly successful, this system would engender a deep-seated, resilient sense of wonder that, in turn, would translate into a lifelong love of learning.
Remarkably, a robust movement has recently emerged within education that embodies all of these qualities...Schools in the traditions of Steiner (Waldorf) and Montessori have long been at the forefront of this movement.

"The land is where our roots are. The children must be taught to feel and live in harmony with the Earth.”
"The things he sees are not just remembered; they form a part of his soul.”
"The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.”
----Maria Montessori