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Project In Lieu of Dissertation When the Natural Systems Thinking Process meets Special Needs: A

Manual for Intervention using Reconnecting With Nature Activities and

Related Remedial Intervention for Underachieving Students in

International and Culturally Diverse Schools.

Revalyn Faba-Sack Greenwich University

Institute of Global Education Applied Ecopsychology and Integrated Ecology

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When the “Natural Systems Thinking Process” meets Special Needs: A Manual for

intervention using Reconnecting With Nature Activities and Related Remedial

Intervention for Underachieving Students in International and Culturally Diverse Schools.

A Project In-Lieu-of Dissertation Submitted to the

Faculty of Applied Ecopsychology and Integrated Ecology Greenwich University

and The Institute for Global Education

As partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Ecopsychology and Integrated Ecology

Greenwich University and Institute for Global Education,

Project Nature Connect College of Social Sciences and Health

May, 2008

Copyright by Revalyn Faba-Sack revalyn@gmail.com All Rights Reserved

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Table of Contents

Introduction…………….……………………………….…………...…..6

Scholarly Review of Literature……………………….…..………….….9

Project Procedures……………….……………………………………..28

Project Results..…………………….…………………………………..35

Project Conclusions and Epilogue ……………………………………..52

Bibliography………………………………………………………….....55

Internet References……………………………………………………...62

Project Appendix 1..…………………………………………………….64

Project Appendix 1a ………………………………………………...….66

Project Appendix 1b …………………………………………………....68

Project Appendix 2……………………………………………….……..70

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Acknowledgements This project has taken years to complete and I am indebted to Dr. Michael Cohen for

having coached, mentored and motivated me in my quest to find a way to help those

students I have encountered who have been in desperate need of help in order to realise

their potential as students and young adults.

My support group has been a pillar of strength through the year; Dr. Sarah Edwards,

Gerry Eitner, Gaia Davies, Carole, Jane Ann, Cindy, Tessa and all my friends in the

COOP. To my wonderful supervisor, Mardi, whose generosity of spirit and wisdom have

guided me to the finishing line, goes my respectful gratitude.

I am also thankful to colleagues (who wish to remain anonymous) who were valiant

enough to allow me to implement my program and who provided essential documental

information so that I could track the progress being made by the target pupils whose

occasional smiles made it all worthwhile. Indebted to, and inspired by the pupils who

participated in the project, I hope that they are able to hope again.

My four children are my torch in moments of darkness and my comfort in those of

despair. Their love is my ultimate source of inspiration.

To you all, thank you.

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ABSTRACT

Special Needs is no longer a neglected, tangential field of education and in

international and culturally diverse national schools. It has become an area of emerging

investment and school policy vital for accreditation by bodies such as the International

Baccalaureate Association (From Principles into Practice, 2008) and the European

Council for International Schools (Gallagher, 2008).

However, less regulated is policy relating to underachieving pupils with

psychological needs related to their exposure to violent conflicts in many scenarios or

those uprooted from familiar environments which may lead to general underachievement

in academics. Stringent child protection mechanisms have made research of methods and

investigation of individual pupils difficult, as confidentiality is controlled by legislation.

The inclusion in Individual Education Plans (IEP's) of an experimental program which

included activities fundamental to the "Natural Systems Thinking Process" (Cohen,

1997) was piloted as a means of providing coping skills for affected youngsters and their

classroom performance was monitored..

Readings cover the areas listed below and provide the rationale for the implemented

experimental program. These are:

a. General overview of learning support and Special Educational Needs in International

Schools.

b. Use of Individual Learning Plans (IEP's) and the Inclusion of Natural Systems

Thinking Process (NSTP) activities for intervention.

c. Use of NSTP activities in an experimental intervention program dealing with

underachieving pupils in three schools in different countries.

The alterative intervention program will be outlined and evaluated in the presentation

and analysis of findings collected over a period of six semesters or one and a half

academic years. Periodic follow ups in the future are scheduled. Action research for the

future improvement of the program will be contemplated.

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Project Introduction

Pupils in international schools around the globe are often regarded as fortunate by

their peers because they get to live in places which vary in depiction from exotic to

exciting, certainly different to local schools back in the home countries. Less frequently

considered is the fact that children who are uprooted from familiar surroundings may well

become underachievers as they struggle to adapt to their new environment. These

children are often situated in countries with less than optimal support services and where

being an underachiever does not guarantee the provision of support services. Another

group of pupils in international schools or in national schools with culturally diverse

populations is comprised of those who are the offspring of asylum seekers or illegal

migrant workers, whose legal status may be precarious or unstable. Their journeys may

have been anything from safe to highly dangerous but they, too, have been uprooted from

the environment they were born into. The Special Needs that these past experiences have

generated become the responsibility of their teachers who may not always have the

training or support to provide effective intervention which is outlined in each pupil’s IEP

(Individual Education Plan).

The two groups of pupils are not homogeneous in composition; they differ in their

socio-economic background, reasons for transience and plans for future education.

However, the common thread is the overwhelming impact that their transience has had on

their social, academic and psychological behaviour patterns and the extent to which

support, guidance, treatment and ultimately hope plays a part in their everyday lives.

Unfortunately, statistics on the numbers involved have not come to light in the

researcher's attempt to discover demographics. A further commonality is that they all

work to an IEP (Individual Education Plan) which aims at improving their learning

outcomes at school which have given cause for concern.

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Rationale for an Alternative Experimental Intervention Program

Both groups of pupils learning in environments decreed by their transience may

well suffer from psychological or social problems or other learning difficulties; however,

this does not always emerge in their school records as psychological assessment is not

always available and support services may not even be offered. The current study and

action research was conceived as both exploratory and remedial. Certain pupils were

identified as underachieving from the following scenarios: in an international school in

China, in a culturally diverse national school in the north of Israel and in a local self

contained class for the children of asylum seekers at an elementary school in Norway.

They were not receiving counseling, despite evidence of psychological and social

problems nor were they receiving medication of any kind meaning that the problems had

been acknowledged but were not being treated. They were offered the opportunity to

register their children in the program which entailed no cost and the aim of improving

academic and social behaviour for their children was welcomed by the parents.

The decision to use a model of intervention based on reconnecting with nature

activities was attributed to a variety of factors, including the desire to promote healing,

enhance the quality of life at school and in the home environment and provide each pupil

with the tools for dealing with personal and social challenges with minimal support. The

target pupils had not undergone psychological evaluations or had not responded well to

counseling where this was being supplied. By following natural attractions, especially

suitable for young children, it was hoped that each pupil would find an individual

connection to his/her surroundings and this, in turn, could ideally form the basis for re-

building community-based social skills as the natural and personal worlds became

accessible in a holistic, integrated manner. Parents were involved as much as was

possible; in some cases, communication problems because of language barriers were

present. Teachers were openly cooperative and supportive since in all cases as Special

Needs support had either been unsuccessful or non-existent. They provided data on

achievement levels over a period of six semesters or one and a half academic years during

which time activities were continued by teachers and target pupils on a regular basis.

The programs were carried out in the three above mentioned geographical areas with

pupils from different socio-economic backgrounds, of diverse ethnicity and religious

beliefs. They were all in need of a type of intervention which would not be restricted by

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any national, religious or curriculum specific factors. Results were collated and findings

shared with all participants. The exceptionally individual nature of the research is a result

of no other documented triangular studies having come to light, despite the researcher's

attempts at locating any. This has meant that collaborative or confirmatory studies could

not be used.

This lack of a body of research findings may have its source in the lack of funding for

such research projects, especially when the target population remains in a state of political

limbo while refugee status is either confirmed, denied or transformed into candidate

resident or asylum seeker status. Nevertheless, continuing the research and intervention

appeared viable in the hope that the children involved would benefit, whether or not the

research method satisfied the benchmarks for accountability and statistical accuracy. As

one Eritrean child in the program put it, "I want to learn to write so that I can teach my

mother." The hopes, despair, hardships and injustices behind that simple sentence provide

the ultimate rationale for this project.

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Scholarly Review of Literature

General overview of learning support and special educational needs in national and

international schools.

The history of learning support in most Western countries mirrors certain general

principles governing education in the twentieth century which in turn is a direct

consequence of the changes in the political arena so that monopoly type systems of

education gradually gave way to include public, private, state or independent institutions

(Berger,M.L., 1977). Democratic ideals, such as the right to vote for people of both

sexes, protected election processes and a reduction in the power and status of the nobility

and royalty had been adopted by most Western societies by the 20th century along with

the right to education that extended to more and more of those populations,

(Heidehammer A.J., 1972, pp 315- 318) culminating in legislation pertaining to

compulsory education for all children, up to a pre-determined age. Modern day education

acts occupy legislators such as the current United States "Leave no Child Behind"

(reviewed Nov. 2007) or article 14 of The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (1999).

However, there is a previous history of legislation to ensure compulsory schooling in

some Western countries, such as the 1944 Education Act in Great Britain which legislated

compulsory education for all children from 5 to 16 years of age in England, Wales and

Scotland, and from 4 to 16 in Northern Ireland.

Such legislation had profound consequences for the West as it opened the doors to

basic education to all children. This right could not be suspended because of physical,

emotional, financial or learning difficulties, thereby compelling education systems to

provide education for children with or without any particular disability, handicap or

difficulty. In Great Britain and elsewhere, “disability was re-defined as a political issue"

(Ribbins & Burridge, 1994) which resulted in support for learning becoming more

exposed in legislation and reflecting a particular vision. This has meant that Special

Needs provision has been offered in either separate, parallel or integrated circumstances.

The Green Paper of the Department for Education (DfE 1994) entitled "The Organisation

of Special Educational Needs" established clear guidelines for ensuring that pupils'

learning needs would be met. Section 3a of the British Education Act of 2001 outlines the

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obligation of the state to provide primary and secondary education to pupils with Special

Needs, with no exception to any specific need.

Philosophical sentiments are enmeshed with political and economic concerns and

each assertion reflects a standpoint which transcends purely educational criteria.

Mc Gregor (1993) emphasizes that legislation shapes integrative Special Needs education

by establishing its legal framework based on either an inclusive or exclusive vision: in the

former "integration is made difficult, if not impossible, in a divided system," whereas in

the latter there may be a "dangerous legacy of inclusion" (Warnock, 1995).

This schematisation of generations of children and the dynamics of educational policy,

known as inclusive or exclusive, resulted in self-contained so-called “special” schools

coming into fashion when exclusive policies prevailed. When policies became inclusive,

specialized support services were reconceptualised as special education and that, in turn,

has evolved into SEN or Special Educational Needs, encompassing support where needed

for any mainstreamed pupil. Special education became part of mainstream education

directed by government agencies such as The Office of Special Education Programs

(OSEP) "Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act" of 2004 in the USA

or the "Special Educational Needs and Disability Act" of 2001 in the UK. A breadth of

vision developed

We must develop models of intervention and support

which transcend the oft-narrow perspective of special

education (Bailey & Bailey, 1993,pp. 58 – 63).

Children were gradually being kept in mainstream education both as a means of

promoting social and academic well being and to save on duplicating institutions. Special

Needs encompassed support for learning in a broad sense so that academic, physical,

intellectual and psychological challenges could be dealt with and achievement enhanced.

The British government’s definition of Special Needs is outlined in the Education Act of

1996 decreed that

“a child has special educational needs if he or she has a learning

difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made

for him or her” (Chapter Three).

This permitted the inclusion of underachievers in the group of SEN pupils.

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Learning difficulties are not regarded as merely academic but include emotional and

physical difficulties which accounts for the heterogeneous nature of the Special

Educational Needs population today (Stock Kranowitz 2005). This heterogeneity gives

rise to varied methods of approach, assessment and tuition in the field of remedial

teaching in which the "perception of teaching issues as social ones requiring collective,

rather than individual, action" (Mahoney & Whitty, 1994, pp. 93 – 112). This accounts

for the socialization of remedial education and Special Needs which has led to the

expansion of mainstreaming or inclusivity and the extensive introduction of Individual

Education Plans (IEP's) in the western world.

In addition to national education systems being opened up to all children, the

phenomenon of internationals schools, which were a rare institution in the 50’s, has

become subject to an explosion of growth and global investment so that there are today

1,892 international schools in 124 countries which educate more than 486,000 students

aged 3 to 19 years, according to the IBO's website (www.ibo.org). This implies that

Special Needs is not only a concern of national education programmes but also of

international schools, given these demographic statistics. International schools have to

face a reality and challenge similar to that faced by schools in all home countries; the

common factor is having pupils whose learning outcomes require specific and specialized

intervention:

The educational problems or special needs of multicultural,

multilingual pupils in international schools arises because of their

disabilities or personal limitations and the facilities offered by the

international schools they attend (Ainscow & Florek, 1989).

The acceptance of the responsibility of offering learning support and Special Needs

services by international schools is one aspect of the service they offer globally transient

learners. They attempt to offer a "reliable product conforming to consistent quality

standards throughout the world" (Cambridge, 2002). If international education is

conceived as a global product or service rather than as a process, its culturally diverse

consumers or clients are united in their search for a product which is not only of quality

but also transferable as transience or the option of continuing mobility presents itself.

They will be seeking "educational certification that is both portable between schools and

transferable between different education systems" (Cambridge ibid.). "The notion of a

one-to-one correspondence between international schools and international education is

rejected," according to Hayden, 2007, so that international schools may be primarily

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regarded as schools located overseas whose mission is to offer a successful educational

service to expatriates and their children. Underachievement impacts marketing and the

recruitment of new pupils but does create a niche for learning support and Special Needs

services (Hawkes 1991).

The nature of such support in both international and culturally diverse schools aims at

enhancing academic achievement and attempts to "eliminate social exclusion that is a

consequence of attitudes and responses to diversity in race, social class, ethnicity,

religion, gender and ability" (Vitello & Mithaug, 1998). Such inclusivity mirrors the

inclusive vision which has been accepted in Europe, the United Kingdom, North and

South America and parts of Africa and Australasia in national education systems where

the process has had a social dimension which is essential because "the development of

inclusive practices requires processes of social learning" (Ainscow, 2007). Inclusive

Special Needs support is common to both national and international education and

provides a meeting point for such diverse learning systems. The difficulty lies in not in

agreeing on but in providing effective intervention (ibid) which opened the debate about

the content, design and effectiveness of IEP's (Bowers, 1992).

Special Educational Needs or learning support is an integral part of the accreditation

requirements established by both organizations which paralleled similar requirements by

national education authorities worldwide. "European Council for International Schools"

accreditation requires its schools to have "….teaching and support staff sufficient in

numbers and with qualifications and competencies to carry out satisfactorily the school's

programmes" which must "address individual student's needs." (CIS/NEASC Standard

Eight and Section E Standards, 2 – 5. pp 1 – 25, 2003). The International Baccalaureate

Organisation outlines resources and strategies aimed at making all its programmes

accessible to pupils with SEN and stresses the aim of "enhancing the learning of Special

Educational Needs students in the mainstream classroom," (IBO: 2004), all of which

mirror national SEN legislation.

Learning support and SEN can therefore be conceived as a sub-service offered by

both national and international schools to a population who may be in need of such a

service in both the short and long term. In order to offer this service, schools need to

have suitably qualified and experienced staff; for national schools, recruitment is usually

dependent on a local work force which may include outsourced workers. The Schools and

Staffing Survey database (SSAS) run by the Institute of Education Sciences of the US

Department of Education has produced results in its latest published data of 2003/4 which

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shows that nationally the level of job satisfaction of SEN teachers is not high which may

impact recruitment at overseas schools (Male and May, 1997). International schools do

not usually have a readily available local work force or local outsourcing options and this

may impact the scope and availability of the support services they offer (Lewis 1994).

Where outsourcing for missing specialities is not available, such as educational and

clinical psychologists, the quality of learning support and SEN tuition in international

schools may be compromised, impacting underachievers and all SEN pupils. Results of

high stakes tests such as the International Baccalaureate Diploma, Advanced Placement,

IGCSE or the worldwide PISA or Program for International Student Assessment do not

reveal any Special Needs per se when final qualifications are awarded, as strict

confidentiality regulations protect the diffusion of such information; however, the

underachievers are always present as the tail enders or as those who are not eligible for

diplomas, awards or certificates (Spevak & Karinch 2000).

The appraisal of learning support services in international schools is dependent on the

performance of pupils in externally evaluated examinations as well as acceptance into

higher education or vocational training institutions. Future marketing may be based on

student achievement and services such as SEN may be included or excluded depending

on the target clients' requirements (Lewis, 1994). International schools may therefore be

viewed as having a vested interest in providing effective learning support and SEN

services despite their not being subject to local legislation regarding such services. In

national schools, appraisal is often implicitly undertaken when whole school academic

performance scores are collated (www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications). The underachieving

pupils are regarded as the group of tail-enders of each list even though they may, in fact,

be a heterogeneous group of pupils with a variety of needs relating to their poor

classroom performance (Hawkes 1991).

Competition amongst international primary and secondary schools is an additional

factor which may justify a particular school's offering support services. The growth in the

number of international schools has resulted in the need to offer unique or especially

attractive incentives to potential clients and SEN services have become a useful

marketing tool where international schools may compete for a shared population of

prospective clients (Hawkes, ibid). The intricacy of evaluating the performance of

Special Needs pupils in international or culturally diverse schools where "language,

culture and nationality are likely to influence test performance and results" (Thomas,

1990) is enhanced when psychological and emotional factors are also present.

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Psychological intervention which may often be part of an overall recommended

therapy can be compromised when qualified professionals are not available in certain

national and international settings. In addition, "motivational and attention variability

may make it difficult to obtain accurate indications of progress over time" (Jeffries, Kim

& Pring, 1987). The implications for pupils in international and culturally diverse

schools where psychological and emotional issues impact their learning outcomes is not

extensively documented but will form the basis for the pedagogical action research

outlined by this researcher in following chapters. The benchmark for the provision of

comprehensive support for learning as defined in the UK SEN Code of Practice

(November, 2001), affirms that "the culture, practice, management and deployment of

resources in a school or setting" should be "designed to ensure all children's needs are

met." Consequently, such research can serve as an additional yet non-traditional

assessment tool aimed at evaluating whether the benchmarks for meeting Special Needs

and underachieving pupils' needs have been met.

Use of Individual Learning Plans (IEPS's) in k-12 Schools

An Individual Education Plan or IEP is the scaffolding in use worldwide for the

design and implementation of an individual academic scheme of work either to operate

within or alongside a syllabus, national or international; the IEP defines learning

outcomes for an individual learner so that it may become "the cornerstone of a quality

education for each child with a disability" (US Department of Education Guide to the

Individualized Education Program, 2000). The content of the IEP is as comprehensive as

is necessary in order to ensure quality education and deals specifically with "placement,

services such as a one-on-one aide and therapies, academic and behavioral goals, a

behavior plan if needed, percentage of time in regular education, and progress reports

from teachers and therapists" (Mauro, 2003). Involved in its design and construction are

all professionals, teachers and counselors who interact with the target along with

individual parents and the individual too. Educational assessment should precede the IEP,

feeds its provisions and may be ongoing (Department of Education ( DfE) SEN Code of

Practice, 2000).

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In Western countries learning support programs are provided by law, which bodes well

for pupils with Special Needs (Marsh 2005). In a similar vein, it is also possible to find

programs with provisions for pupils suffering from psychological problems stemming

from a variety of causes. A tradition of psychological testing, necessary for the design of

effective Individual Education Plans (IEP's), has become standard and is controlled by

legislation in many countries, in order to protect the child and his/her right to

confidentiality, impartial assessment and adequate intervention. In the United States of

America, the bill falls under the auspices of U.S. Department of Education (Part B, IDEA,

1975); in the United Kingdom a government authority, NASEN, advises local education

authorities on the implementation of DfE provisions. There are similar regulations in the

European Union whose broad outlines are set out for individual countries in order to

circumvent the problem of labeling which has prevented the adoption of a unified policy

whilst still reinforcing the need for IEP's and learning support which is extensively

documented (Marsh,D. et alia 2005).

This extensive documentation of remedial tuition/learning support and Special

Educational Needs provides international schools with norms of good practice which

allow all schoolchildren to learn in accordance with their abilities.(Hollington, 1994).

However, learning support and Special Needs come under strain when pupils are faced

with the task of sitting for external examinations. “Teachers are under relentless pressure

to prepare students for high-stakes tests and for advanced placement or International

Baccalaureate exams" (Tomlinson & Doubet, 2005) and deal head on with

underachievement; learning support and Special Needs programs are no exception to that

pressure(ibid). The incremental pressure is not usually part of any IEP which is devised

before any high stakes tests are convened yet can shape its design. The IEP may become a

part of the overall pressure at school to achieve certain benchmarks or may be

accompanied by other emotional factors which evolve during a period of time at school.

This may compromise effectiveness of IEP's and has consequences for underachievers

whose need may not be adequately met (Jonietz, P.L. 1997).

Psychological testing, such as Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Conner's

Rating scales for Attention Deficit or Anxiety, Bangor test for Dyslexia and batteries

which aim at identifying any learning or psychological difficulty ensure that accurate

diagnosis can be made of learning strengths and weaknesses (DfE "Special Needs" 2007).

Gardner's work on Multiple Intelligences has impacted both diagnosis and remedial

intervention. This results in the construction of a comprehensive IEP which is a

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"document that is designed to meet [each] child's unique educational needs. It is not a

contract, but it does guarantee the necessary supports and services that are agreed upon

and written." (www.schwablearning.org). This leaves an area still unaccounted for and

which impacts the learning and life patterns of the young people it affects, namely, post

traumatic stress syndrome which may present itself prior or posterior to the construction

of any IEP and whose symptoms may often undetected by educational assessment testing

( Perry, 1997). Nevertheless, diagnosis needs to be comprehensive because "effective

implementation of intervention and prevention strategies, therefore, requires effective

assessment of the emotional, behavioral, cognitive, social and physiological functioning

of the individual child" (Perry 1997) citing Vachss et al., 1979). There is no guarantee

that the use of an IEP will assist underachieving pupils or that it can be part of the

solution to the underachievers’ problems (Spevak 2000) who cites the need to empower

underachievers rather than document them, in order to overcome motivational and

attitudinal issues as school life is short. “Fastforward to when the underachiever is an

adult," is Spevak's pedagogy for remedial intervention.

In situations of conflict or the uprooting of a young learner, these new environments

may become new sources of pressure, stress, emotion or obstacles to learning whose

impacts are still evolving; the definition of the American Psychiatric Association (1994)

of traumatic stress syndrome is "after someone is exposed to an extremely traumatic

event and after they have reacted to the event with intense fear, horror or helplessness."

This would cover the situation of young learners who have been uprooted either because

of war or personal circumstances such as a relocation because of parents' receiving

employment overseas. Symptoms of such stress may be misinterpreted or overlooked

when they present themselves in the form of certain types of physical ailments such as

"chronic fatigue,…. diffuse and severe musculoskeletal pain, impaired and non-

restorative sleep with ……stiffness, headaches, anxiety, hypervigilance, cognitive

impairment" (Scaer, 2001).

This reiterates the need for collaborative IEP procedures so that the individual

student is discussed in a holistic manner and not merely on the basis of behaviour patterns

in one academic, social or family setting (Gardner 1995). A vigilant IEP team should not

ignore this new element when embarking on the procedures for IEP design, decisions

about placement and intervention and yet this weakness persists and compromises the

effectiveness of an IEP prompting a call for a return to the "504" program (Department

17

of Education, Texas Office for Civil Rights Department of Education, Part 104) . The use

of IEP's and their collaborative design, involving all carers, therapists, teachers, parents

and the pupils themselves, allows educational assessment to extend beyond traditional

evaluation, often numerical, of cognitive functions such as verbal and mathematical skills

(DfE Code of Practrice for Educational Assessment).

Consensus underlies the essence of the IEP and concerns services, those supplying

the services, quality control and the institution where the IEP will be implemented (Pratt

and Dubie 2003). Jurisprudence has defended the right to collaboration in IEP design and

to the need for informed decisions. In Amanda J. vs Clark County Education Department

and State of Nevada (2001), the Ninth Circuit Court ruled that:

Procedural violations that interfere with parental participation in

the IEP formulation process undermine the very essence of ……..

the IEP which addresses the unique needs of the child cannot be

developed if those people who are most familiar with the child's

needs are not involved or fully informed.

Parents are part of IEP design but when language barriers exist, this participation

becomes passive and IEP effectiveness is compromised (Massachusetts Department of

Education 2001). In addition, emotional factors influencing the underachievers may also

not receive full documentation. In the context of educational assessment, Goleman

(1995) brings emotional intelligence factors into the equation and focuses on emotional

needs, balances or imbalances and self-awareness as factors which are integral to learning

environments, styles and achievement levels. His advocacy of the need for training in

"emotional intelligences" (ibid. p.34) is reflected in the inclusion of psychological support

services within IEP support provisions. Experience with low achieving students in his

high school led Davies (2002) to conclude that "the overwhelming emotional needs of the

students were getting in the way not only of their academic learning, but their day-to-day

survival." The IEP may therefore be conceived as a document which aims at the provision

of educational and psychological services within an institution and involving

collaborative IEP design.(Mager 1997). Projected IEP goals are not restricted to the

academic but should impact social and emotional behaviour patterns.

Certain schools of thought regard the IEP as a document which deals less with

outcomes than with processes (Reif 1993). This has even led some educators to refute the

effectiveness of IEP's and some parents have resorted to court action to challenge their

children's IEP's (Supreme Court, Washington D.C. decision, 2007). The projected aims

18

and outcomes outlined in the IEP are revisited annually or semesterally and long term

aims, where the latter are appraised by "the ultimate success of a child’s educational

program ……….[if] it enables him or her to leave school prepared for life in the

community" Pratt and Dubie (2003, p. 3). The State of Massachussetts IDEA-97

guidelines for writing IEP's takes the long term goals of an IEP a step further by linking

them to economic and social projections for the community, so that "improving the

educational results for children with disabilities is essential to ensuring equal opportunity,

full participation, independent living and economic self sufficiency" (Education Reform

Act 1993).

The scope of these provisions provides a sound basis for the placement and

intervention where the term "disabilities" is used to cover not only physical,

developmental and intellectual difficulties but emotional challenges too (Miller and

Hoffman 2002). It is clear that state or national legislation provides supervision of all

concerned in the education of a student studying with an IEP as well as the resources and

personnel. International schools do not have the possibility of drawing on these resources

(Hayden 2006) nor is state or national supervision applicable. The implication is that the

design and implementation of IEP's in international schools depends on procedures

developed by the schools which are shaped by the background of the SEN professionals it

employs (ibid).

Broad outlines established by the International Baccalaureate organization for

International Schools are recommended but not mandatory (IBO 2007). The resources

and support services offered by international schools are a function of their annual

budgets and profit margins which is a considerably reduced amount when compared to

national education department budgets. At this point, the process of IEP design in

international schools reflects the ethos of these schools which are characterized by

transient populations of pupils, teachers, administrators and parents which may impact its

quality (Pratt and Dubie 2003). The consistency of support services may be compromised

when staff rotations take place frequently or when staffing numbers may fluctuate which

happens in international schools (Haldimann and Hollington, 2007). In addition, there

may be reduced scope of diagnostic assessment in international schools where local

educational and psychological assessment may be limited, placing great responsibility on

individual support teachers (Mitchell, 2007). Internal appraisal procedures within each

school are the only evaluation mechanisms for IEP's in international schools and these are

confidential so access to and research on them has not been possible. However,

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accreditation documents produced by the international Baccalaureate Organisation

contain provision for self-study on IEP's in use at candidate or authorized schools

(www.ibo.org) but do not show records of the process and participation in their

construction. In the Asia-Pacific area a cluster group organization, named SENIC

(Special Education Needs Network in China) was founded by the researcher in 2003 and

it has expanded to include other parts of Asia and is now known as SENIA (Special

Education Needs Network in Asia). This independent organization generates professional

development aimed at ensuring the quality of IEP's and their implementation in

international schools in the area in its annual conferences but has no right to publish the

discussed IEP's (SENIC 2005). There is, however, some evidence that IEP's do not

always guarantee effective support and may sometimes lack in the consistency needed to

ensure rigourous support for SEN pupils (Attfield 2007). The lack of extensive

researched documents relating to IEP's in international schools does not imply that their

use is less widespread than in national schools in countries with a highly legislated,

safeguarded and funded Special Needs authority, such as the LEA structure in the UK

(Mitchell 2007). A supply of statistics does not guarantee that IEP's are effectively

improving the learning outcomes of their target subjects since "…such statistics distract

or attention away from the ways in which attitudes, policies and institutions exclude or

marginalize groups of children and young people" (Booth & Ainscow, (1998 ) citing

Stubbs, 1995).

Despite all these difficulties, pupils who study within the scope of an IEP are afforded

access to the curriculum with the recognition of their individual difficulties (DfE

Organisation of Special Needs 1994a). The question arises about those pupils who

may not be part of the population supported by IEP's and yet who present behaviours

which indicate that they are not reaching their academic, personal or social goals or who

appear to be at risk in terms of personal or social adjustment difficulties (Levine 2002).

These deviances from anticipated behaviour patterns and learning outcomes occur in a

dynamic fashion and are not part of a diagnosis from psychological or educational

assessment (ibid). Consequently, IEP content and services may be assigned after a

delayed period or wen particular behaviour patterns have become established (Smilde,

van den Doel, D.A., Smit, C. & Wolleswinkel-van den Bosch, J.H. 2006). This

necessarily impacts learning outcomes and demonstrates the complexity of providing

effective intervention programs for underachieving pupils when there is no chronological

sequence between exposure to the traumatic incident or other life changing event which

20

has given rise to failing classroom performance. (Breslau, Lucia, and Alvarado 2006). By

implication, this may oblige education authorities to be willing to offer support services

without any time framework, or open ended IEP's which allow flexibility in design,

content and implementation.

Under-achievement, stress and NSTP:

Under-achievement has many causes and may emerge immediately after exposure to a

traumatic event or at a much delayed stage. Other under-achieving behaviour patterns

may be related to learning difficulties (Eide and Eide 2006). Where there is evidence of

dissociation, disrupted sleeping and/or eating patterns, radical changes in social, familial

and academic behaviour, fears, depression and emotional outbursts, the causes can be

attributed to the traumatic event (Herman, 1992). Each individual will display differing

symptoms and in similar fashion each one will create a particular self-image which drives

all behaviour patterns and actions both inside and outside the classroom. Malz (1960)

exposed the powerful nature and influence of self-image on the behaviour of the

individual and its impact on behaviour and learning patterns. Intervention involving

learning support which aims at improving learning outcomes must consequently deal with

the self-image which the pupil has formed, either consciously or unconsciously (ibid). In

the case of pupils in international schools who have been moved to new environments for

whatever reason, this new self-image may be the cause of under-achievement but may be

regarded by educators as ‘a lack of motivation’ and be communicated in this form to

parent (Eide and Eide, ibid). Equally, distress at having been uprooted from a familiar

environment may be overlooked which can cause a void which is accumulative

throughout the years a child spends at school (Levine 2002). If this process is left

unchecked, it can carry on into adulthood and then a wilderness may form within the

psyche (Goleman 1995). He stresses the role that childhood traumas can have in the

development of the individual which justifies the use of intervention aimed at providing a

means of facing the emotions related to self-image in order to face challenges and thus

achieve satisfactory academic achievement.

The Natural Systems Thinking Process is a form of therapy which places the

individual within a natural setting and trains him to use an extensive range of senses in

order to draw upon the wisdom and perfection of nature.(Cohen 1997) with the aim of

21

promoting healing. Levine and Frederick (1997) show how nature can be used as a

powerful healer by comparing physiological reactions to danger and traumatic situations

of humans and animals, claiming that

our human brains often second guess our ability to take life-preserving action. This

uncertainty has made us particularly vulnerable to the powerful effects of

trauma…our rational brains may become confused and override our instinctive

impulses ( p. 18 Levine and Frederick 1997).

Cohen (1994) proposes a web of sensory experience each like a strand in a web. The

model describes activities which aim at reconnecting the individual to all our senses and

building up trust in human impulses, perception and instinct within the natural world so

that healing can take place . The environments in which most people live today are

distanced from nature and that disassociation parallels emotional disassociation from

familiar environments (Gruenwald 1993). He reiterates the need for place-based

pedagogies as part of a pedagogy aimed at healing. In parallel fashion, Cohen explains

how 95% of the time people live in non-natural settings, using only the five traditionally

"taught" senses which restricts human experience and emotional well-being. A broader

sensory acquisition pedagogy based on 53 senses (Cohen 1997) teaches how to trust

perception and natural settings as a means to acquire knowledge. Humans generally favor

only 3 senses: sight, language, and reason. Cohen claims that the other 50 ways of

"knowing" will reconnect with nature, and "full knowledge" that has accumulated over

thousands of years of evolutionary change (Link 1996). Seewall (p. 204, 1995) explains

how "skillful perception necessarily involves emphasizing perceptual practices that help

to extend…narrow experience of self." whilst Snyder points to the need for being rooted

It is not enough just to just 'love nature' or to want to be in harmony with Gaia

Our relation ship to nature takes place in a place, and it must be grounded in

information and experience. (Snyder p. 18, 1990)

For students in uprooted international settings, the process of grounding may be

incomplete or interrupted, causing stress and leading to classroom underachievement

(Perry 1997).

Repression begins and accumulates; dissociation results and feelings of inadequacy

emerge. In the The Web of Life, Capra (1996) emphasizes the active role of individual

thoughts, connections and interconnections as the basis for the biology of cognition or the

science of Autopoiesis. Maturana (1970) demonstrates that "living systems are units of

interactions; they exist in an ambience" where "a living system is a unit of interactions"

22

which can be accessed through nature based sensory perceptions (Seewall, 1995).

Reconnecting with Nature activities redirect awareness to the range of senses at our

disposal and provide tools for reducing dissociation and increasing involvement in all

facets of life (Cohen, ibid).

Situations of transience or bellic conflict can make feelings of inner emptiness more

profound and affect the ability to verbalise such feeling (Galea,Boscarino et alia 2007) .

Based on findings in a prolonged study, Breslau et alia (2006) state that "high IQ

protected exposed persons from succumbing to post traumatic stress.” The implication for

children with average or below average IQ levels is that they are at risk of being affected

by stress and anxiety and very often these are the under-achieving pupils who are

working according to an IEP in an attempt to maintain positive achievement grades in

their age/grade levels (Murray 2002). After the Hurricane Katrina disaster in New

Orleans, USA, in a follow up study, Galea et alia (2007) discovered increased levels of

anxiety disorders even though a time interval had elapsed since exposure to those events.

By taking into consideration IQ levels, anxiety levels and adding in the element of being

uprooted from a familiar environment, the anticipation of less than optimal academic

performance amongst pupils who have been affected adversely by their move to another

setting is predictable (Mc Nally et alia, 2003). Furthermore, the self-image of these

pupils may be in itself a cause of dysfuncionality within the classroom so that learning

support which aims at enhancing learning outcomes will not be successful until the nature

of the self-image is understood and rationalized (Persaud 2007). For the pupils in this

experimental program, IEP's were revisited by SEN teams in respective schools but no

evidence of any ongoing psychological evaluations was discovered., although feedback

from involved teachers showed repeated reference to terms which, when strung together,

indicated a pathology of anxiety and stress. The underachievement recorded for the target

subject pupils was regarded as the focus of intervention, rather than as a symptom of an

underlying psychological disorder. Consequently, in the face of consistent academic

underachievement and social dysfunctionality despite the intervention documented in

IEP's, a supplementary remedial program, derived from the methods and activities which

comprise the Natural Systems Thinking Process (NSTP) which Cohen (1997) outlined,

was designed. This process is functionally based on Cohen's assertion of the principle of

natural attractions which individuals should follow as they allow their sensory awareness

to guide and motivate them, along with the search for ways to find balance, peace of mind

23

and improve personal relationships by the use of Ecotherapy (Roszak, 1995; Frumkin,

2001).

The activities outlined in his book Well Mind, Well Earth (Cohen, M. J. 1997) would

form the basis for an intervention project where the social and academic performance of

the participating pupils would be monitored. The emphasis placed on following natural

attractions and the choice not to follow those which are unattractive might provide a way

of encouraging a return to choice of action, thus dealing consciously with the vortex of

traumatic experiences which had left them in a situation of academic under-achievement

and social dysfunction (Cohen 2000).

As students learn to locate themselves within a natural system which functions in a

balanced, intelligent and regenerative fashion, they should be able to learn how to reach

their inner nature which may well be repressed by the trauma or the vicious circle of non-

productivity and diminished communication (Taylor et alia 2001). This self-awareness

permits release from distractions such as flashbacks of the traumatic events and increases

focus on self knowledge and choice in the creation of personally suitable study patterns

and classroom behaviours (Connell 2002). However, since these activities use and

integrate with natural systems, they must be carried out in the outdoors, in a natural

setting. Garner (2000) reminds that

If we hope to reach students who are struggling, it is essential that we take into

account the intangible factors that influence how they see us, themselves, and

the world.

This leads to the concept of learning in classrooms which may or may not have walls as

part of a more generalized process of reconnecting with nature in order to improve not

only attention span but also interpersonal skills and memory retrieval (Shapiro 1984).

The use of natural stimuli and nature connecting activities as a tool to facilitate learning

process and increase self awareness and personal responsibility for learning could only be

justified if learning outcomes over a prolonged period of time could be evaluated in order

to assess the success or failure of these nature connecting activities or NSTP intervention.

Davies (2002) has found that reconnecting with nature activities help us reduce our stress

and reorient our values and life-styles." Such a reduction in stress could impact the goal

of reducing the students' sense of inadequacy, inability to cope with the tasks set by

educators and parents and generally dissociative behaviour patterns. Research over a

period of time could evaluate the hypothesis that the NSTP could provide a means of

stimulating neuro functions which would in turn increase the ability of the student to

24

concentrate and focus on personal studies or classroom activities (ibid). In order to

design an effective intervention program which would not include medication of any sort,

a different kind of support mechanism was conceived: the suggested activities would be

conducted beyond the walls of the classroom and without recourse to pen and paper. The

rationale behind this decision was simple – the goal was not to focus on correcting skills

in a particular subject or imparting knowledge items from a certain syllabus, but rather to

provoke responses from the pupils which would lead them on a path of self-discovery

and, hopefully, self-help. This latter goal would only be achieved if the conditions were

provided to “empower individuals to create moments that let Earth teach” (Cohen 2000).

The intervention classroom could become the outdoors, the whiteboard could be nature’s

elements and creatures and folders or notebooks could be replaced by interactions

between pupil, nature and the webstrings which could be discovered by learning to accept

the outdoors with its systems and order so as to promote cognition and learning which

"lies in the cognitive domain of the observer as a description of his ordered experiences"

(Maturana, ibid).

Attention or concentration deficiencies, which often occur along with evidence of

underachievement prevent learners from enjoying a process of growth which will be

consistent, sequential and generate promising chances of achieving success (Delpit, L.

1988). Consequently, these deficiencies have to be dealt with. The tendency in many

Western societies is to use medication which activates certain neuro functions, for

example, the use of Ritalin or methylphenidate HCI (Teicher 2000). Treatment aimed at

neuro- functionality with this drug was not relevant to the present project as the target

pupils had either not had any educational assessment or, in one case, refused to accept

any kind of intervention. Connell (2002) in research into neuro-functionality and learning

studied alternatives to chemical drugs claims:

It is fascinating to watch students gravitate towards their

neurological strengths when given a choice of assignments….

researchers tell us that our brains are always searching for new

meanings and adding new neural circuits to make connections.

This would justify the use of intervention based only natural stimuli in order to

investigate whether new meanings could be discovered by the participants and whether

this would impact their classroom performance over a prolonged period of time. Personal

issues would be faced, not in the classroom, but in an environment which could provide

new connections and resuscitate any previous ones which had become repressed. The

25

proposed Reconnecting with Nature activities would hopefully lead the participants on

the road to self knowledge by facing and not disassociating themselves from their past

and present. “The Truth of Experience,” which is fundamental to Cohen's Natural

Systems Thinking Process (Cohen 2000), teaches people to trust the truth of their

experiences in nature and accept that the senses provide valid, true experiences that come

from nature which, as the ultimate source of wisdom and perfection, impacts everyday

behaviour, like a "functioning psyche in full-bodied participation with a healthy, wholly

functioning Earth"(Glendinning, 1994). Reconnecting with Nature activities might prove

to be a valid tool for intervention as a way of dealing with self-doubt, anxiety, feelings of

inadequacy and other emotions which negatively impact academic achievement. Five

activities were chosen to be conducted outdoors in natural surroundings, far from the

academic demands of the classroom in order to evaluate the effectiveness of Cohen's

model and to assess whether his model of experiencing the perfection of nature would

impact behaviour and achievement levels in the classroom. Given the age of the

participants, it was felt that they needed to be provided with "warming up" activities in

order to make the transition from their classroom scenarios to the natural scenario.

Natural Systems Thinking Process , Learning goals and inclusion in IEP's:

International schools enjoy freedom in the field of curriculum and intervention design

which national systems often restrict; consequently this provides the opportunity to

conduct action research and develop a unique model for IEP’s which may include

innovative or alternative forms of intervention (Jonietz 1991). This flexibility in IEP

design permits the inclusion of a wide range of tools. Cohen (Well Mind, Well Earth

1994) has devised a model of Reconnecting with Nature activities which were adapted to

the specific demands of underachieving pupils whose learning was taking place in an

environment which was new, either because of forcible relocation or because it was

taking place simultaneous to armed conflict in the immediate vicinity. A remedial

programme based on activities connected to and directed by natural stimuli could parallel

the model provided by Cohen in his books and course materials. (see also Taylor et alia

2002). He proposes that nature be used as a therapeutic tool so that nature can be the

healer for distress, anxiety and other psychological disorders which have been caused by

26

a modern way of life which disconnects people from their natural environments. Cohen

(1997) also suggests the need to rid ourselves of the restrictions of a "five sense" range of

human perception and open ourselves to perception of the world by a wide range of

sensory tools which would allow us to overcome feelings of alienation and discord with

the world around and within us. Cohen’s model of NSTP places the individual in his

original setting, the natural world, where primordial needs and desires drive human

behaviour and are perceived as webstrings or attractions which each individual follows as

an act of choice and free will. Modern life in non-natural settings has repressed them

causing dissociation which impacts personal and social behaviour (Logan 1995). The

value of nature-connected activities or attractions emerges as the effect of feeling, sensing

and expressing these experiences in either verbal, pictorial or kinesthetic ways. (Taylor

ibid). Feedback is recorded in Cohen (ibid) and in website material

(www.ecopsych.com), providing evidence that webstring attractions, when followed, can

promote a sense of wholeness.

The ‘blind walk’ (Cohen, 1997) involves two people in a situation of trustful

dependence as one leads the other, blindfolded, on a walk and both follow nature as their

shared guide. The implementation of such a model for remedial use with under-achieving

pupils in mainstream classes appeared viable, as each one of the target pupils was

suffering in varying degrees from a lack of wholeness and the inabillity to “fit in.” By

exploring webstrings through all the senses they possess as members of the natural world,

the pupils could internalize the aim of such activities and simultaneously learn how to use

their natural surroundings in order to find the resources to face, deal with and hopefully

overcome their difficulties( Roszak 1984). He warns of the danger of going against

natural feelings, attractions and impulses which traditional education and intervention

may promote. Focus on social difficulties can be maintained as interaction with nature

develops; as language may feature centrally as an obstacle to integration in peer groups,

following webstrings using all senses can promote learning about the world and self in a

way that language may impede when material uses a language not understood (Cohen

ibid). Pupils without a common language cannot be part of the community of learners in

the classroom; in nature sensory knowledge and experience need not be verbalised and

the community of learners is open to all as nature nurtures and is accessible to all (Mann

2005). Sensory attractions flow back and forth between the sensed and sensor so that

these webstrings tie the sensor to the sensed, tie the person to his environment. Simply

holding one's breath allows the individual to regain a conception of primordial

27

connectedness to the natural world (Cohen ibid). This experience of being connected to

the surrounding world might improve social skills and reduce the tendency of

underachievers to withdraw and cut themselves off from their peer or classroom group

(Burls 2007). She records that as they take part nature connecting activities, they

"generally feel better for being 'connected' with nature and spending time outdoors,

developing self-esteem and social inclusion through targeted activities". A sense of

community might be established as long as attractions are followed. This

"filling of voids” or finding a place in a natural setting might further enable them to

become aware of “changes that occur in [their] psyche through the cohesiveness of

webstring attraction” (Cohen 2000). The pedagogical aim of enhanced academic

performance requires engagement and attention on the part of any learner and webstring

activities could provide self-motivating tools (Taylor et alia, 2002) within an environment

characterized by trust, attractions and a sense of belonging. The use of simple activities

in natural settings would provide interactions between self and nature in order to create

established patterns of behaviour or satisfy basic needs for social and academic survival

(Link 1996). Maslow's pyramid of needs conveys the importance of developing a safe

and trusting community in order to satisfy social needs. With physiological needs of

housing, food and clothing being met, there is a need to satisfy more profound needs in

order to achieve safety, stability, safety and freedom from fear until the zenith is reached

of self-realisation once social and self esteem has been achieved ( Maslow pp. 35-47). For

the target pupils, only basic physiological needs had been met so that NSTP inclusion in

their IEP's might provide tools for satisfying other needs and promoting the conditions for

improved academic achievement.

28

Project Procedures

Use of Natural Systems Thinking Process(NSTP) in an experimental intervention

dealing with stress related underachievement.

“You are betrayed by wilderness within,

That spreads upward and outward like a stain”

( 'A Thought from Nietzsche' R.S. Thomas, 1969).

Background to Current Project: When NSTP meets SEN

The current study will not focus on the identification procedures for pupils suffering

from traumatic related stress and anxiety in national and international schools but rather

focuses on alternative intervention for target subject pupils whose schoolroom, home and

other social behaviour and performance were cause for concern, both in terms of

academics and social absorption into their new setting: namely, or extreme suspicion of

certain events, objects or situations, sudden change in achievement levels, disturbed sleep

patterns, apathy, anger, tears, dissociation, aggression, changed patterns of

communication, play, eating and socialization. (The American Academy of Child and

Adolescent Psychiatry) The target subject pupils who participated in the study were

identified by teachers in their schools where support services had been made available but

which all involved considered less successful than anticipated. As a result, participation

in the current study was regarded as a complement to support already being provided and

annotated in one case in an IEP. It was conducted as parallel to and not as a substitute for

all other tuition and therapy provided to the target subject pupils. As with all IEP

construction, parents were involved as much as possible in the program being followed

by their children whilst not themselves forming a target population for the pilot program.

Given the individual nature of the research and intervention, participation in this

study was voluntary and no preconditions had to be filled other than a desire to participate

and a willingness to attend sessions on a regular basis. No state or government funding

was involved which released pupils, their teachers and the researcher from the need to

justify, explain or even submit findings and performance updates to any state or

29

government bodies. Findings would be made available to all participants who could, at

their volition, make them available to state or government bodies.

The project was implemented in three different geographical and existential scenarios:

in an international school in Southern China, at an elementary school with a self-

contained class for children of asylum seekers in Norway and at an elementary school in

Northern Israel. The school in China along with the pupils in Norway had been uprooted

from their home countries,. The school in Israel was also suitable as pupils there had

experienced a war in July 2006. In each scenario, the researcher maintained a close

relationship, not only with the target subject pupils but with their teachers and parents. It

was felt that close contact would ensure optimal levels of participation which outweighed

the possible disadvantages of a compromise of objectivity when close relationships for

between researchers and their target research population.

Ongoing feedback from teachers and pupils was requested but not demanded; the latter

was not self-evident as communication was one of the areas negatively impacted by the

PTSD from which each pupil was suffering. No opposition was voiced and the researcher

was given permission by all involved to make use of all the information from these

feedback reports and discussions. All parties agreed to keep all identities anonymous for

the purposes of this study but in some cases, pupils participating in the study felt the need

to share their experiences with peers and family members which in no way compromised

the implementation of the project and may well have enhanced its outcomes. However,

this was not studied or evaluated.

Target subjects and their identification:

In addition to the anticipated impact of each pupil's emotional state on learning

outcomes, a common element linked the target subject pupils who were dispersed

geographically – namely, overt communication problems. In all cases, irrespective of

age, gender, background or environment, each individual appeared withdrawn, reserved

or moody and did not communicate well, if at all, with teachers, parents or health carers.

This information was obtained by means of interviews with each of the adults interacting

with each pupil (see appendices 1, 1a & 1b.). The willingness to participate in an

alternative program of intervention for learning seemed to convey an implicit desire to

30

see improved communication outcomes although at no stage was the program of nature

based activities presented as, or purport to be, intervention for enhanced channels of

communication with those adults.

Structure of intervention for use on this project:

By following a programme of nature based activities to be carried out with pupils on

a weekly basis, at least twice a week, it was hypothesized that concentration levels would

improve and emotional instability and/or outbursts be reduced . The programme of

activities was basically the same for pupils of all ages but where there is a large difference

in age and grade levels, as well as their ability to express themselves in English, the

discussion before and after each activity and the reflection would be different in content

and structure, although the objective remains the same – to increase self awareness in

order to permit each pupil to assess his/her potential to carry out tasks and to predict

feasible outcomes for said tasks. There was also a secondary goal. Taking into account

situations of military alertness and even conflict in some areas, each individual needs to

find the inner strength to speak about suspected violence suffered in earlier school

experiences and during past experiences of war or violence or anticipated/imagined

experiences if this nature. This explains the inclusion of warm up activities which were

aimed at breaking down obstacles of eroded levels of self expression, imposed silence

mechanisms, inhibition and post traumatic stress syndrome phenomena. Depending on

age, activities would be allocated (see Appendix 2) and carried out in an outdoor setting,

in the school grounds or at a designated meeting place. Parents and teachers would be

encouraged to join in or at least observe unless the pupils expressed their opposition to

such a presence. Records of each session would be kept (see Appendix 2) and shared

with all involved at monthly meetings; said records would be kept in locked files in order

to safeguard the confidentiality of their contents. At these meetings, classroom

performance, social behaviours and other issues would be analysed in order to determine

whether the intervention program was having any impact and if so whether this was

positive or negative. There was no use of medication or psychotherapy during and after

the project, making the sessions the only form of intervention, other than tutoring at

school for some of the participants.

31

List of activities used in each intervention session

Warm up activities:

I am, I feel

Enter a natural area, sit and feel yourself being rooted into the ground.

Gently ask the following questions:

a. Do you feel safe?

b. Do you feel that you belong here?

c. What tree, plant or creature are you?

d. Say, "I am a __________." Repeat this a few times.

e. How do you feel?

Touch, see and tell

Sit, lie or kneel or squat on the ground. Feel comfortable. Touch the ground. Close your

eyes and touch it then open your eyes and touch it again.

How do you feel?

Repeat, "I feel__________."

Lie back, close your eyes, listen and smell.

Repeat, "I can hear_________, I can smell __________."

Activity 1 : Consent, sensory perceptions, feelings and self reflection - (Based on “The

Global Wellness and Unity Activity “ in Well Mind, Well Earth, Cohen)

1. Go to a natural area and find a place to sit that feels attractive to you.

2. Ask this natural area for its consent – try to voice your thanks aloud.

3. Sense the area for 10 seconds in silence.

4. Look around and focus on things you find attractive or interesting. Repeat: I feel

attracted to this _______. It is part of me, of my world.

5. Compare how you feel now as opposed to when you first got there.

6. Discuss if you have seen or discovered things you new saw there before.

7. Write down/say what you were focusing on.

32

8. Write down/say how you feel from doing this activity.

9. Compare how you feel now to how you feel in class when you are asked to write

down your feelings.

10. When the activity is over, do you feel glad it is finished or do you wish it could

last a bit longer?

Activity 2: Breath-holding activity – Awareness of tension, pressure, fear and not

belonging. Based on “Sustaining Equlibrium” in Well Mind, Well Earth (ibid).

1. Choose a place outside to sit in, ask consent to be there. Vocalise your consent

and feel that you have permission to be there.

2. Breathe normally and feel comfortable in the place you have chosen.

3. Hold your breath and feel that you are now disconnected from the previous feeling

of comfort.

4. Take note of your feelings as you begin to feel a sensation of suffocating.

5. Reconnect to your previous situation of comfort by breathing and restoring a

sensation of normal and unstressed breathing patterns.

6. Repeat this activity, thinking of a subject you find really difficult at school.

7. Vocalise now when you are relaxed what exactly it is that makes the subject

difficult and what things can be less stressful in that subject.

8. Write down your feelings when you are out of breath. Write down your feelings

about your difficulty in that subject.

9. Write down how you feel when you are breathing normally.

10. Write down how you feel when you are able to do something in the lesson you

normally find difficult.

Alternative simplified Activity 2

1. Go the a natural area and ask consent to be there for this activity.

2. Sit there or walk around and relax and "feel" the place.

3. Sit down. Breathe deeply.

4. Close your eyes and hold your breath for as long as you can.

5. Open your eyes and take in deep breaths.

6. How do you feel now? How did you feel when you were holding your breath?

33

7. What does this tell you? Can you cut yourself off from the world around you?

8. Write down or draw what you have done and felt.

Activity 3: Sensory perceptions, memory, information processing. Based on “Activity 5”

from Reconnecting with Nature (Cohen)

1. Go to a natural area and ask consent to be there for this activity.

2. Look for six sticks of the same size and place them before you.

3. Close your eyes and then pick up one stick.

4. Keeping your eyes closes, mark that stick with the marker you have brought with

you.

5. Mix up the sticks, lay them out again and try to feel and find the stick you chose

and marked before.

6. Open your eyes and see if you chose the right stick.

7. Repeat this activity. Did you find the right stick? How can you explain this?

8. Discuss with your partner how you feel about touching natural objects.

9. Discuss how you try to remember things and whether this works for you in class.

10. When the activity is over, do you feel glad it is finished or do you wish it could

last a bit longer? Write down your reasons.

Activity 4 - Sensory perceptions, self realization and self reflection. Based on “Secret

Life” activity in Well Mind, Well Earth)

1. Go to a natural area and ask consent to be there for this activity.

2. Spend 30 minutes looking around, sensing the place and gathering information

about it.

3. List each item/object/creature that you focused on. Write them down or draw

them.

4. Relate to each item/object/creature that you focused on from your point of view

and try to locate yourself in relation to them.

5. Write short sentences to describe what you have seen and focused on and how you

feel, react and act.

6. Share these sentences with your partner. Note if there are big differences or

similarities.

34

7. Think about the items/objects/creatures. If you both chose the same one, has this

happened before? Do you think it could happen again?

8. When the activity is over, do you feel glad it is finished or do you wish it could

last a bit longer? Write down your reasons.

Activity 5 – Using sensory perceptions to make comparisons, evaluating urban and

natural landscapes, relating to self and its place in the universe, behaviour patterns and

restrictions. Based on “Making peace with the War Within” in Well Mind, Well Earth

(ibid).

1. Walk down to the nearby compound and observe the new skyscraper which has

recently been finished.

2. Think what the area would have been like many years ago when it was still a

natural area. Draw you idea of what it looked like.

3. Walk to the garden area in the grounds near the school and ask consent to be there

for this activity.

4. The garden area is also a product of man’s creation. Which

creation is more attractive to you?

Write down your reasons or discuss these with your partner.

5. Discuss the question of change in nature and change in human society.

6. Discuss the question of progress in nature and progress in human society.

7. Discuss the question of progress in school. How do you progress?

8. Discuss the question of change in school and how you relate to change at school

and in your personal life.

9. Think of the area which was more attractive to you. Is your school attractive to

you? Is your home attractive? Can you find common elements between the two places

you visited and your home and school. List them.

10. When the activity is over, do you feel glad it is finished or do you wish it could

last a bit longer?

35

Wrap-up Activity: Giving thanks

After each activity, after discussion and reflection, sit in the natural area. Close your

eyes, breathe deeply, and give thanks for what you have felt, smelt, touched, experienced.

Thank nature and then thank yourself!

This is your joined moment with your inner self and the world of nature.

Project Results

Hypothesis:

That NSTP (Natural Systems Thinking Process) could provide a means of stimulating

neuro functions and stimulate engagement in self while doing activities in a natural

settings which would in turn increase the ability of the student to concentrate and focus

on personal issues or classroom based tasks.

Aims:

1. To improve academic achievement within the mainstream classroom.

2. To improve social skills within the peer group and in the family nucleus.

3. To stimulate awareness of self and promote a channel for communication of

feelings.

Identification of target pupils

The project was carried out in three different schools, in China, Norway and

Israel respectively, in order to achieve triangularity of results. This was essential, given

the very reduced size of the participation group. In her capacity as the Special Needs

Coordinator/teacher in China and Israel, it was decided to approach the parents of parents

of pupils with low academic or social performance records who were working according

to an IEP although this was not based on educational assessment recommendations. In

Norway, the researcher worked in conjunction with a volunteer group and local teachers.

In the international school in China, three pupils were identified of whom two agreed to

36

participate in the project; in the elementary school in Norway four pupils were identified

with two finally participating and in the school in Israel, three elementary school pupils

were included in the project. The identified pupils were all underachieving in their

mainstream classes and had overt social problems, such as difficulty in adaptation to the

new school, inability to make friends, difficulty in remembering class content, a tendency

to be withdrawn or over-boisterous and other behaviours indicating difficulties in

socialisation , which justified their selection. (See appendix 1). This was documented in

their IEP's and once permission was obtained for their participation in this project, this

was recorded in the IEP's, along with the findings supplied by the researcher.

The pupils in China, Tim and Peter, had parents who were very cooperative and

active in their children's education. Questionnaire feedback was an important soured of

information (see Appendix 1a) prior to personal interviews being held. In the case of

Norway, Marie and Bivani had parents who were willing for them to participate but could

offer no support as they were themselves experiencing major difficulties with their own

absorption into the Norwegian way of life and one of the mothers spoke little or no

English. In Israel, there were no language barriers between the parents of the

participating pupils and the researcher; full cooperation was achieved and parents'

participation even included participating in some of their children's scheduled sessions.

The identification process in Israel included a request from two of the pupils' parents for

them to be included in the project; furthermore, full background information was obtained

from parents about children's exposure to situations of armed conflict (see Appendix 1b).

Interviews were conducted with the parents or mothers of identified pupils and the

project explained, sometimes with the use of an amateur translator. Consent was obtained

in exchange for absolute confidentiality so that even actual names would not be used in

any written or oral presentation of findings. However, it was understood by all parties

that the findings would be written up in order to document the intervention and progress

reports would be generated in collaboration with each pupil's school teachers. In

addition, the importance of including the pupil's themselves in the evaluation of progress

and the generation of progress reports was accepted by all parties.

Pupils were supplied with a journal in which to write down their feelings after each

meeting if they so desired. The researcher made notes and shared these with the pupils.

In the case of the pupils in Norway, a local supply teacher undertook to continue this

practice on replacing the researcher. After two weekly periods, the pupil's current

situation was compared with reports about his/her behaviour and performance before

37

these meetings began. A comparison was be made, in conjunction with his/her parents

and teachers, of social and academic performance up to the initiation of these nature-

connected activities and after this intervention has begun. His/her reflection after each

activity was recorded in a journal and revisited at this time and at consecutive monthly

meetings to which parents and the school counselor were invited. Together, progress,

improvements and setbacks were recorded. The time allotted to the project was six weeks

in all three venues with the understanding that if progress was made, sessions would

continue but would be conducted by teachers at each pupil's school.

Content and outline of intervention:

In each case, meetings were scheduled with pupils individually on a twice weekly

basis, held during school hours in the China and Norway schools and after school hours

for the Israeli participants. The advantages of scheduling meetings during the school day

were dual – firstly, to convey the message that this intervention was part of the whole

school experience and also to engage teachers and keep them abreast of the development

of the program. In Israel, since the mothers wished to participate and or/observe, this was

respected and the sessions scheduled at times convenient for them.

The focus of these activities was to explore possible benefits from doing RWN

activities for under-achieving pupils and to receive some informal feedback from teachers

about their attention levels in lessons directly after doing these activities. It was hoped

that these activities would also prove to be of use in the assistance of pupils suffering

from traumatic reactions after involvement in situations of violence or even armed

conflict (as was the case in Israel after the war in the summer of 2006) or those who had

been forcibly uprooting from a familiar environment, as was the case with the children on

the asylum seekers in Norway. The evaluation of individual communication skills would

provide ongoing feedback about the effectiveness of this form of intervention which

needs to take place over an extended period of time. The decision to use a programme

based on activities connected to and directed by natural stimuli was made by the

researcher after studying the model provided by Cohen in his books and course materials.

He proposes that nature be used as a therapeutic tool so that nature can be the

healer for distress, anxiety and other psychological disorders which have been caused by

a modern way of life which disconnects people from their natural environments. Cohen's

books [ Connecting with Nature (1989), Reconnecting with Nature (1997) and Well

38

Mind, Well Earth (1994) ] expound the need to rid ourselves of the restrictions of a "five

sense" range of human perception and open ourselves to perception of the world by a

wide range of sensory tools which would allow us to overcome feelings of alienation and

discord with the world around and within us. The activities outlined below, which

provided the content for each session, are derived from activities designed by Cohen for

individuals of any age group. Nevertheless, it was thought that by using these activities

with young learners who are open to new challenges, given their innocence and stage of

development, their effectiveness could be accurately evaluated.

Scheduling and documentation of individual intervention sessions:

Sessions were schedules in collaboration with homeroom teachers and in order to be

as non-disruptive as possible. In the Chinese setting, the idea of a session before and after

morning break facilitated observation of social behaviour at break time after an

intervention session; lamentably this was not possible at the other two schools. Five

activities were selected and within the six week timeframe allotted to the project, this

allowed for activities to be repeated at least twice. Goals were set for individual pupils

and two threads were common, namely to improve achievement levels in class and to

improve social skills at school in general.

Sessions were arranged as follows:

China

Tim: Monday and Thursday, 1 lesson before and 1 after morning break.

Peter: Tuesday and Friday, 1 lesson before and 1 after morning break.

Norway

Marie: Tuesday and Thursday, 1 lesson at 9am, 1 lesson at 2pm

Deevani: Tuesday and Thursday, 1 lesson at 9am, 1 lesson at 2pm

Israel

Sarah: Sunday at 4pm and Tuesday at 3.30 pm

Julia: Monday at 4pm and Wednesday at 3pm

Benny: Monday at 5.15pm and Wednesday at 4.15p

39

Log of intervention sessions:

The following is am example of a log kept of all sessions in the Israeli setting,

similar logs were kept for the other two venues with data for each of the two participants

in each.

Activities have been outlined in Chapter Three and in Appendix 3.

Name Date Grade Activity Time allocation

(+ age ) 1 40 mins

2 60 mins

4 80 mins

3 60 mins

Giving thanks 5 mins

(+ age ) 1 40 mins

2 40 mins

3 40 mins

4 30 mins

5 60 mins

Giving thanks 5 mins

(+ age ) 1 35mins

2 35 mins

3 35 mins

4 35 mins

5 60 mins

Giving thanks 5 mins

In addition, the researcher kept narrative records of each session and as the project

developed, the participants were happy to keep their own journals of their experiences.

40

Description of Findings

Given the dynamic nature of any learning process, the need to maintain contact with

target pupils and their teachers after the intervention sessions had been completed was

acknowledged by all involved and progress at school was observed over a period of

fourteen months, which meant three semesters at school and the summer vacation when

each pupil participated in a summer school program in their respective places of

residence. This has allowed feedback to be obtained on the longer term effects of the

NSTP activities on each child and provides a basis for the prediction of future educational

development. The findings cover progress mapped out in three stages: before, during and

after intervention, followed by a look to the future to complete the cycle.

The reduced size of the research sample cannot be overlooked; however, it is

significant that despite the huge geographical, social and cultural differences between the

pupils in each venue, commonalities emerge which provide encouragement for enlarging

the number of participants in future projects in order to determine whether said

commonalities persist and whether they can be categorized as distinct trends in

developing learning cycles.

Tim's story:

Before project initiation

Tim was aged 9 when identified as a possible participant in the project. He had

arrived in China with his parents and an older sibling from Korea, because of his father’s

business commitments. His behaviour at school was disruptive and dysfunctional and not

conducive to his successful absorption into his social peer group. His limited English

skills and his obvious distress whenever he entered his classroom led to his referral to the

researcher who was the SEN coordinator. His mother provided information about his

erratic sleeping patterns at home, nightmares, violent outbursts and refusal to play with

his sibling or neighbours.

During the project

Tim was ready to begin the program after three weeks' of 'getting to know' the

researcher who provided in class support for him and slowly gained his confidence.

Because of Tim's elementary language skills in English, he was not asked to complete

41

activity number 5. Tim showed great willingness to participate and appeared at the

researcher's office every morning before school began to ask if they would be "working

outside." Tim's behaviour within his mainstream class showed dramatic improvement

and by week 3 he was made class monitor for a week. By week 6 he was able to work in

a group on days when he had done his Reconnecting with Nature activities and it was

decided that he should do an activity every day at the start of the school day. Academic

performance was recorded as follows, where achievement scores are calculated as the

averages for a three month period before and after a six month period after the project:

Subject Level before

project

Achievement level Level after Project Achievement

Level

Mandarin- beginners Refused to

participate

n/a Below grade level 60% and motivated

Korean- L1 Below grade level 54% At grade level 65%

Mathematics At grade level 70% At grade level 80%

Language Arts/ESL Below grade level 50% Slightly below grade

level

66%

Art & Crafts Too disruptive to

join in

n/a At grade level Satisfactory

production

P.E. Not assessed n/a At grade level 70%

It must be mentioned that Tim was allowed time-out periods on request when he was

permitted to be outside for up to 10 minutes in order to water his plants in the class

vegetable garden. The results may be attributed to these periods of release from class or

to the RWN activities he had learnt; nevertheless, as they are both activities rooted in

nature, their contribution is complementary. After two months, he was able to play with

his peers and was showing less frequent outbursts of anger and violence. After three

months, his mother reported that he was hardly experiencing any nightmares and was able

to sleep for up to six hours at a stretch. At school he was able to achieve satisfactory

grades in all subjects and was less disruptive. For P.E. where he had been

"uncontrollable" according to his teacher, he was able to follow directives

42

and participate in team sports. His personal journal showed longer, better written

observations and he was able to express positive feelings about his school and home life

in China.

Peter's story:

Before project initiation

Peter was aged 11 when identified as a possible participant in the project. He had

arrived in China with his parents and another sibling from Japan because of his father’s

business commitments. His behaviour at school was troubling as he was withdrawn,

sullen and refused to go outside at break times. There were no concerns academically as

his English skills were at grade level and in mathematics he was above grade level but his

self-isolating behaviour caused grave concern to his parents and teachers alike.

During the project

Peter was ready to begin the program after a discussion with the researcher. He was

shy but willing to take part because he said he would enjoy the one-on-one sessions.

Peter's behaviour within his mainstream class showed steady improvement and by week 4

he was willing to work with a partner and was even "naughty" on occasion. This kind of

behaviour was evidence of his feeling more confident and ultimately happier. By week 6

he was also able to work in groups and went out at break times without any need for

persuasion. Academic performance was recorded as follows, where achievement scores

are calculated as the averages for a three month period before and after a six month period

after the project. However, as there were few concerns about his academic achievement,

the improvement in his social skills was regarded as more significant:

Subject Level before

project

Achievement level Level after Project Achievement

Level

Mandarin- beginners Apathetic. Below

grade level

n/a Almost at grade

level

80% and motivated

Japanese- L1

Home-study

At grade level 84% At grade level 86%

Mathematics Above grade level 90% Above grade level 90%

Subject Level before

project

Achievement level Level after Project Achievement

Level

Language Arts/ESL At grade level 80% Slightly above grade 86%

43

level

Art & Crafts At grade level Creative but works

alone

At grade level Willing to work in

groups

P.E. Refused to

participate

n/a At grade level 90% well

coordinated

Since academically, Peter had not given much cause for concern, his grades do not

reflect dramatic improvement. However, his withdrawn, self-isolating behaviour at the

start of the project was a major concern to all, especially his parents. As the project

progressed, improvement became evident when he was willing to work at a group table in

the art room and was willing to participate in his P.E. class where his teacher was

surprised to discover that he had great talent for a number of sports. These achievements

were encouraging because all adults involved with him and Peter himself wanted him to

simply be happier at school. As his talent for ball sports became evident, his social status

within his peer group improved and by he third month after the initiation of the project,

he was able to go out at break times and play football or soft ball with his peers. His

grades showed no substantial improvement but the fact that they were maintained and no

drops were recorded was regarded by all as an achievement. His personal journal showed

well expressed, reflective written observations about his school and home life in China

which was initially described as unhappy but later a satisfactory level of personal well

being emerged.

Marie's story:

Before project initiation

Marie, aged 11, an Eritrean national and member of a family of asylum seekers who

had been in Norway for over twelve months, awaiting approval of their petition to be

granted official refugee status. She appeared to have four other siblings of whom only

two were in Norway. Her father had not accompanied the family and there appeared to

be no contact with him so the mother was the effective head of the family who had had no

formal education or training of any sort. Volunteers were assisting her with applications

for the purposes of achieving a legalised status in the country. She and her children

received a government stipend and lived in an asylum seekers’ centre. Because of

language problems, communication with her was limited but she was willing for Marie to

participate in order to enhance her chances of getting a good education. There were no

44

previous academic records for her and she probably did not attend any school. She was 9

years old, in grade 3 at the local elementary school where she was picking up oral skills in

Norwegian but shunned play activities and never went out at break times.

During the project

Marie was always very cooperative but appeared afraid of her peers. As the project

progressed she was gradually able to begin expressing herself in very simple Norwegian

and was willing to go out and play on the swings and slide at break time. Her teachers

reported that it was now possible to make eye contact with her and she was sometimes

seen to smile. This was regarded by all as significant and her teachers were more

encouraged by this than by the improvement in her grades, reflected below:

Subject Level before

project

Achievement level Level after Project Achievement

Level

Norwegian-

beginners oral

Very basic skills n/a Below age/grade

level

Improving

Norwegian - reading Very basic skills n/a Below grade level Improving

Norwegian –

writing

Very basic skills n/a Below grade level Very improved

Mathematics

Subject

Basic skills

Level before

project

n/a

Achievement level

Emerging skills

Level after Project

Very improved

Achievement

Level

ESL Below grade level 50% Slightly below grade

level

70%

Art & Crafts Very keen n/a At grade level Very creative

production

P.E. Not assessed n/a At grade level 70%

After two months, Marie's classroom performance was more favourable. She had

always been hardworking but had not made as much progress as was desired of her. She

showed great enthusiasm for the activities and it was clear that being outdoors was the

ideal learning environment for her, Norway's short summer was not a factor as she was

happy to go outside in any weather, showing great disappointment when this was not

possible. Great progress was made in basic literacy skills in Norwegian and English

which has been the key to her continued progress at school. Mathematics remained an

45

area of weakness but her teacher was no longer in despair of Marie's performance. Arts

and crafts emerged as an area of strength and this was also incorporated into her journal

which at the outset was pictorial; later simple captions were added and finally she was

able to write short sentences about each activity. Within six weeks, she was willing to go

outside at break times and once her fear of social contact was overcome, her emotional

well- being was no longer a grave concern and in her home environment she began to

organize other children into groups and the RWN activities would be repeated and others

suggested to her or invented by her. No feedback about other behaviours at home were

obtained because of a lack of real communication with her mother who merely expressed

gratitude whenever she was asked for her comments and observations.

Deevani's story:

Before project initiation

Deevani was living with her aunt and uncle in an asylum seekers’ centre in Norway.

They were Nepali nationals who had managed to leave Nepal via India and made their

way to Norway. Her parents were unable to take care of her and from infancy she had

lived with her uncle and aunt. Her English skills were well developed but her academic

performance at school was poor because of problems speaking Norwegian and fitting in

with the local children. Her previous academic record in Nepal had been impeccable.

She was 10 years old, in grade 4 at the local elementary school.

During the project

Deevani was very cooperative from the outset and expressed her desire to have

sessions everyday of the week. Her developed English skills made it possible for her to

keep a journal which she took great pride in. Her Norwegian literacy improved and this

impacted her self confidence so that she became more outgoing and did not shy away

from contact with her peers in the playground. Academic performance was recorded as

follows, where achievement scores are calculated as the averages for a three month period

before and after a six month period after the project.

Subject Level before

project

Achievement level Level after Project Achievement

Level

Norwegian- Very basic skills n/a Below grade level Improving

46

beginners oral

Norwegian - reading Very basic skills n/a Almost

age/ grade level

Very improved

Norwegian –

writing

Very basic skills n/a Below grade level Very improved

Mathematics At grade level 70% At grade level 88%

ESL Above grade level 90% At grade level 92%

Art & Crafts Very keen n/a At grade level Very creative

production

Subject Level before

project

Achievement level Level after Project Achievement

Level

P.E. At grade level Very good At grade level Very good

There was no significant improvement in her grades, except for those lessons

connected to Norwegian literacy where the improvement was very satisfactory. The rise

in grade for maths appeared related to motivation, rather than an improvement in her

ability which had been exemplary in her home country. After the first few weeks,

Deevani showed greater interest in school, was able to get up for school and get ready

without coercion. At home she was happy to sit and read simple Norwegian books and

practice her writing. Significantly, she was able to make a friend, a Norwegian national,

and this was cause for optimism about her social absorption into her class and her

continued progress in the acquisition of Norwegian language skills. Her journal became a

sort of scrapbook of all her daily school experiences and she was eve willing to share it at

a "show and tell" activity towards the end of the school year.

Sarah's story:

Before project initiation

Sarah was 11 years old, daughter of Israeli born parents who were both non-skilled

workers. She had a younger brother and an older sister. Her father had been brought up

on a farm on the volatile Israeli/Lebanese border and his settlement had endured

incursions from terrorists in the eighties and nineties. They lived in the border town of

Kiryat Shemona which was involved in the 2nd War of Lebanon in July 2006 when their

home received a direct hit from a missile. Sarah’s physical injuries were slight but

psychological scars were affecting her school life and from being a brilliant pupil she had

47

become an under-achieving, troublesome pupil. Psychological counseling was ongoing;

however, her parents were willing for her to join the project and also to participate

themselves, along with their daughter.

During the project

Sarah was very cooperative from the outset and was happy to have her mother and

younger brother participate in some of the sessions. She had been receiving counseling

since the war and was able to sleep more comfortably; however, she was still

underachieving at school. Her journal was kept in her mother tongue, which the

researcher is fluent in. She took great pride in it and it "grew" and became her personal

diary and as such she was not asked to share it with anyone. Academic performance was

recorded as follows, where achievement scores are calculated as the averages for a three

month period before and after a six month period after the project.

Subject Level before

project

Achievement level Level after Project Achievement

Level

Hebrew Language At grade level 62% At grade level 70%

Bible studies At grade level 66% At grade level 75%

Mathematics At grade level 75% At grade level 78%

ESL At grade level 58% Slightly above grade

level

75%

Art & Crafts At grade level Very engaged At grade level Impressive

Subject Level before

project

Achievement level Level after Project Achievement

Level

P.E. At grade level Satisfactory At grade level Good

There are no significant differences in grades before and after the project, except for

ESL which may be related to the researcher's being Anglo-Saxon and Sarah may have put

more effort into her English studies for that reason. The improvement in her Arts and

Crafts performance was considered significant, given that lessons took place in a

48

converted air raid shelter which may indicate that she was slowly overcoming the stress

of the previous war. In other subjects, her grades rose albeit by only a few points in the

case of mathematics but her teachers were able to replace their previous descriptor of

"under-achieving" with "much improved." They also reported that she appeared less

anxious when faced with tests, difficulties or fire and air raid shelter drills. At home, she

was more helpful and less argumentative with family members.

Julia's story:

Before project initiation

Julia was 9 years old, only daughter of Ukrainian born parents who were both academics,

employed at the local college. Since her experience during the 2nd War of Lebanon in July

2006, Julia’s behaviour at home had changed. Her extrovert, happy disposition had

changed and she was withdrawn, nervous, refused to be left alone or with sitters, would

not sleep in her own room and had become underweight. She was receiving ongoing

counseling which did not deter her parents from providing maximum support for Julia’s

participation in this project. Concerns were purely social and psychological as she was an

excellent student at school.

During the project

Julia was shyly cooperative from the outset and was happy to have her mother and

father participate in some of the sessions. She had been receiving counseling since the

war but had not been able to overcome her fear of being left alone although she was able

to enter the school on her own after being dropped off by her father. She was still

underweight and had difficulty visiting friends or going to birthday parties. Her journal

was kept in her mother tongue, which the researcher is fluent in. She enjoyed writing in it

and it also became her personal diary and as such she was not asked to share it with

anyone. Academic performance was recorded as follows but as this was not the prime

concern, these results were not the primary focus which was the achievement of other

social goals. Achievement scores are calculated as the averages for a three month period

before and after a six month period after the project.

49

Subject Level before

project

Achievement level Level after Project Achievement

Level

Hebrew Language At grade level 92% At grade level 94%

Bible studies At grade level 80% At grade level 80%

Mathematics Above grade level 95% Above grade level 95%

ESL Above grade level 88% Above grade level 92%

Art & Crafts At grade level Very creative At grade level Impressive

Subject Level before

project

Achievement level Level after Project Achievement

Level

P.E. At grade level Satisfactory At grade level Good

There are no significant differences in grades before and after the project, as Julia had

always been an excellent student at school. The goals set at the beginning of the project

were for Julia to be able to take the school bus to school at least once a week and to be

willing to play at her friend's house which was just down the road. After the sixth

session, Julia was willing to go to play with her friend at her friend's house and after five

months of activities (she continued doing them with her mother) she was willing to try to

take the bus to school which she managed with pride. Each session was followed by

going out for something to eat and the use of edible rewards was adopted with a degree of

success, according to her parents. No progress was recorded on being able to leave her

with a babysitter.

Benny's story:

Before project initiation

50

Benny had always been a problematic pupil, going back to his days at a local

kindergarden. He was 10 years old, an underachiever, known for potentially aggressive

outbursts when angry or frustrated and his behaviour also indicated his suffering from

ADHD (Attention Deficit with Hyperactivity Disorder). Since the war, his teachers had

documented an acute decline in progress in language arts and mathematics. In social

situations, he was still popular despite his sometimes hitting his peers. At home he

appeared obsessed with playing certain computer games, was uncooperative and cheeky

and yet showed genuine distress when his father expressed anger or disappointment with

him. His father has been called up for reserve duty during the war, as were three of his

uncles. He had recently refused to go to scheduled counseling sessions but agreed to join

the project when reassured that sessions would be held outdoors.

During the project

Benny’s hyperactivity had seriously affected learning outcomes throughout his life and

his severe behaviour problems could not be attributed to his experiences during the war.

However, his refusal to continue with counseling was regarded by all involved with him

as a major obstacle to his progress at school and with behaviour management. It was

encouraging that he was willing to participate in the project and although his academic

performance was recorded by his teachers, the primary concern was to focus on his social

skills and try to increase his ability to reflect and evaluate his behavior. He appeared to

regard the activities as a kind of game; the routine of giving thanks was usually

accompanied by giggles but as time passed, he was able to take a more serious approach.

His homeroom teacher reported that he was more polite at school and more responsible

with school property. He was still unwilling to attend counseling sessions. Achievement

scores are calculated as the averages for a three month period before and after a six month

period after the project.

Subject Level before

project

Achievement level Level after Project Achievement

Level

Hebrew Language At grade level 60% At grade level 64%

Subject Level before

project

Achievement level Level after Project Achievement

Level

51

Bible studies At grade level 62% At grade level 60%

Subject Level before

project

Achievement level Level after Project Achievement

Level

Mathematics Below grade level 45% Below grade level 50%

ESL Below grade level 40% At grade level 62%

Art & Crafts At grade level Creative At grade level Creative

P.E. At grade level Good At grade level Good

Summary

These findings indicate that the aims outlined above were achieved, with varying degrees

on success depending on the target pupils involved. Academic achievement levels were

maintained or improved in all cases. Social skills at school showed marked improvement

and in some cases, behaviour within the family circle had improved. The willingness to

keep a journal and the importance that journal keeping had for all the participants

indicated that self-awareness through self-reflective reporting was opening up a new

channel of communication with self and with those in the circle of interaction. The

hypothesis was therefore proved as accurate and justified the choice of intervention tool

adopted for the project, namely the use of nature based activities as a tool for intervention

with under-achieving pupils. However, the reduced size of the participant group seriously

compromises the validity of the findings unless future projects with larger target

populations produce results to confirm those presented above.

52

Project Conclusions

IMPLICATIONS FOR LEARNING

The project findings indicate that the choice of intervention was effective and the tool

used, activities based on the NSTP model outlined by Cohen, contributed in a positive

way to classroom academic and social performance. This implies that there is certainly a

legitimate place for nature connecting activities in intervention programmes with pupils

who display ADHD symptoms or general under-achievement in the mainstream

classroom. Geographical factors do not appear relevant and in these limited findings did

not impact the observed and later reported outcomes. Past experiences when traumatic in

essence impact the individual's memory, resulting in impaired classroom performance.

Memory is the tool for the acquisition of new knowledge items, in the case of all the

target pupils in this study, their inability to retain information was negatively impacting

their classroom performance; no amount of hard work could make up for the fact that

short and long term memory were not operating in a complementary manner. Levine

(2002) describes this phenomenon:

"A child may be able to understand a fact, process or concept

as it is being explained or demonstrated; but without memory,

none if it can be retrieved and applied. Without the colla-

boration of the proper memory functions, learning fails." (p 91)

Where NSTP has been able to assist the children in dealing with their long term

memories, short term memory functions showed improvement. By providing a channel

for pupils to release anxiety, tension and other nervous energy in the outdoors, far from

the often threatening environment of the school classroom, intervention in a natural

setting can have positive effects on children who may not be receiving psychological

counseling. The researcher's contention is that if these activities bring about a positive

change in classroom performance directly after completion of the activities, then there is

arguably a place for these activities in intervention programmes or IEP's on a regular

basis. It would also seem logical to deduce that all pupils could reap the benefits of these

activities and not only under-achieving pupils. This could open the way to increasing

environmental awareness amongst the pupils of today who will take the decisions in the

53

future regarding environmental issues. NSTP in conjunction with other tools, such as

Brain Gym, Dream Circles, traditional counseling and adventure based therapies can

allow for the release of those hidden memories so difficult to recall and expose and yet

without this catharsis, psychological, social and even sexual well being may never be

achieved. Researchers have choices when observing and evaluating the relationships

between individuals and their environment: one image “portrays them as responding

mechanically to their environment; the other, as initiators of their own actions.” (Cohen,

Manion , Lawrence & Morrison, 2000). The objective of making pupils the initiators of

their actions in and outside the classroom is a goal shared by educators in mainstream and

remedial education.. Where psychological well being is not optimal, this goal is

impossible to achieve. If Reconnecting with Nature activities can provide a stimulus for

self-driven actions, reflection and learning, the educational outcomes for under-achieving

pupils may be improved. In the case of pupils suffering the effects of traumatic events in

their lives, empowerment through activities based in a natural setting can offer a safe yet

effective form of intervention whose fundamental drawback is its slow pace. The need for

prolonged and consistent intervention must be accepted and cannot compete in speed with

results which medication may offer, in the form of Ritalin, juvenile Prozac and others.

However, there are no side effects from nature connecting activities and no substance

dependencies form. In addition, there is the element of enjoyment which was sadly

lacking in the day to day school experiences of all the pupils who took part in the project.

The activities were enjoyed by the target pupils which, in itself, was regarded as a

positive outcome by the researcher although enjoyment levels are not part of the data

collected. This remains an area for exploration by the counselors and psychologists who

deal with them and hypotheses about the impact of enjoyment on their learning would be

mere surmise. However, there is no doubt that a smile on a previously unhappy face can

be regarded as a positive achievement.

Looking to the future:

Updates on pupils, both from their teachers and from themselves have been received

and there have been no apparent relapses. In the case of the pupils in Israel, they have all

joined outdoor programmes which may well account for their continued progress at

school. It appears necessary to ensure that opportunities continue to be created to ensure

that the patterns of behaviour which have been learnt continue to be developed and

54

renewed. Workshops given to SEN teachers at schools would permit the expansion of

NSTP intervention into existing support systems with minimal cost and bureaucracy.

Online courses as offered at www.ecopsych.com can provide effective professional

development for all carers, parents and older students. Action research should be

accompanied by an active teaching/coaching element which would permit consistency

and promote wellbeing for all concerned. Future intervention using NSTP could be

further refined by including pupils who have undergone formal education and

psychological assessment by coordinating with counselors and psychologists in the design

of activities which would be appropriate on an individual basis to each participant, Once

such activities were included in formal IEP's, the impact of NSTP activities in

conjunction with other therapies could be investigated.

Epilogue:

This programme was also implemented at the “Tree of Knowledge” Learning Centre

which was opened in March, 2007 in a converted air raid shelter in Kiryat Shemona, a

town which has been involved with bellic conflict in the Israeli/Lebanese border for fifty

years. Children with emotional and learning problems received tuition in basic literacy

and were also exposed to this experimental programme. Feedback was obtained from

their school teachers and parents over a fourteen month period. The results have

confirmed the positive role that NSTP can play in re-establishing emotional stability

when external and internal factors have negatively impacted the inner balance we are all

imbued with by nature. Ongoing action research should provide data which will constitute

a basis for the inclusion of nature connecting activities in intervention programmes for

children suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome in areas of conflict.

55

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QUESTIONNAIRE FOR TEACHERS, AND COUNSELLORS Please answer all questions as frankly as possible. All answers will be used to provide background information only. These forms will be shredded after being read. Do NOT put your name on the form, only role or relationship with the pupil. Thank you for your cooperation! Name of pupil: _____________ Your capacity: ____________ Contact details:________________________ 1. Are you satisfied with the way xxxxxx behaves? Explain briefly___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Are you able to hold a conversation with xxxxxx? Does xxxxxx confide in you or ask you for advice or assistance? If yes, explain briefly___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. How would you describe xxxxxx's academic performance? Explain briefly___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Has xxxxxx participate in after-school activities? If so, which? ____

____________________________________________________________________ 5. How does xxxxxx get on with classmates/peers? Explain briefly___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. Have you observed any changes in behaviour/eating habits/dress in the last 12 months/since xxxxxxx joined the class? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. How often has xxxxxx missed school during the last 12 months?____ How many of these absences were unexcused? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. Does xxxxxx complete? homework____________________ classwork ________________ classroom duties ______________ 9. How do achievement levels for xxxxxx compare with those in the past? Better or worse or unchanged?

1 APPENDIX

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________________________________________________________________ 10. Has xxxxxx been working according to an I.E.P.? If so, for how long? If not, would you recommend this? Yes/No Additional comments/concerns: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Many thanks for filling out this form!              

                                           

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APPENDIX  1a QUESTIONNAIRE FOR PARENTS (China ) Please answer all questions as frankly as possible. All answers will be used to provide background information only. These forms will be shredded after being read. Do NOT put your name on the form, only role or relationship with the pupil. Thank you for your cooperation! Name of pupil: _____________ Your capacity: ____________ Contact details: ____________________ 1. Are you satisfied with the way xxxxxx behaves at home? Describe briefly___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Are you able to hold a conversation with xxxxxx? Does xxxxxx confide in you or ask you for advice or assistance? If yes, explain briefly___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ 3. How would you describe xxxxxx's academic performance? Explain briefly___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Has xxxxxx participate in after-school activities? If so, which? ______________ ____________________________________________________________________ 5. How does xxxxxx get on with brothers and/or sisters? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. Have you observed any changes in behaviour/eating habits/dress in the last 12 months? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________ 7, Have you noticed any changes in sleeping patterns in the last 12 months? e.g.(length, nightmares, fear of the dark) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. Does xxxxxx socialize with friends from school/the neighbourhood? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. What has xxxxxx's health been like in the last 12 months? What ailments, please list both serious and less serious. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 10. What medical/psychological treatment has xxxxxx had during the last 12 months? Details need not be given, just broad descriptions.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Extra comments/concerns you would like to add: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Many thanks for filling out this form!

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APPENDIX 1b

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR PARENTS (Israel) Please answer all questions as frankly as possible. All answers will be used to provide background information only. These forms will be shredded after being read. Do NOT put your name on the form, only role or relationship with the pupil. Thank you for your cooperation! Name of pupil: _____________ Your capacity: ____________ Contact details: __________________ 1. Are you satisfied with the way xxxxxx behaves at home? Describe briefly___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Are you able to hold a conversation with xxxxxx? Does xxxxxx confide in you or ask you for advice or assistance? If yes, explain briefly___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ 3. How would you describe xxxxxx's academic performance? Explain briefly___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Has xxxxxx participate in after-school activities> If so, which? ______________ ____________________________________________________________________ 5. How does xxxxxx get on with brothers and/or sisters? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. Have you observed any changes in behaviour/eating habits/dress in the last 12 months? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ 7. Have you noticed any changes in sleeping patterns in the last 12 months? e.g.(length, nightmares, fear of the dark) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. Does xxxxxx socialize with friends from school/the neighbourhood? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. What has xxxxxx's health been like in the last 12 months? What ailments, please list both serious and less serious. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 10. What medical/psychological treatment has xxxxxx had during the last 12 months? Details need not be given, just broad descriptions. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 11. How does xxxxxx react to the sound of aircraft, helicopters or sirens? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Extra comments/concerns you would like to add: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Many thanks for filling out this form!

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APPENDIX 2

Activity 1 : Consent, sensory perceptions, feelings and self reflection - (Based on “The

Global Wellness and Unity Activity “ in Well Mind, Well Earth)

1 Go to a natural area and find a place to sit that feels attractive to you.

2 Ask this natural area for its consent – try to voice your thanks aloud.

3 Sense the area for 10 seconds in silence.

4 Look around and focus on things you find attractive or interesting.

5 Compare how you feel now as opposed to when you first got there. Feel that you

belong there, as much as the things that attracted your attention.

6 Discuss if you have seen or discovered things you never saw there before. Talk about

belonging.

7 Write down what you were focusing on.

8 Write down how you feel from doing this activity.

9 Compare how you feel now to how you feel in class when you are asked to write down

your feelings.

10 When the activity is over, do you feel glad it is finished or do you wish it could last a

bit longer?

Activity 2: Breath-holding activity – Awareness of tension, pressure, fear and not

belonging. Based on “Sustaining Equlibrium” in Well Mind, Well Earth)

1 Choose a place outside to sit in, ask consent to be there. Vocalise your consent and

feel that you have permission to be there.

2 Breathe normally and feel comfortable in the place you have chosen.

3 Hold your breath and feel that you are now disconnected from the previous feeling of

comfort.

4 Take note of your feelings as you begin to feel a sensation of suffocating.

5 Reconnect to your previous situation of comfort by breathing and restoring a

sensation of normal and unstressed breathing patterns.

6 Repeat this activity, thinking of a subject you find really difficult at school.

7 Vocalise now when you are relaxed what exactly it is that makes the subject difficult

and what things can be less stressful in that subject.

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8 Write down your feelings when you are out of breath. Write down your feelings about

your difficulty in that subject.

9 Write down how you feel when you are breathing normally.

10 Write down how you feel when you are able to do something in the lesson you

normally find difficult.

Activity 3: Sensory perceptions, memory, information processing. Based on “Activity 5”

from Reconnecting with Nature.

1 Go to a natural area and ask consent to be there for this activity.

2 Look for six sticks of the same size and place them before you.

3 Close your eyes and then pick up one stick.

4 Keeping your eyes closes, mark that stick with the marker you have brought with you.

5 Mix up the sticks, lay them out again and try to feel and find the stick you chose and

marked before.

6 Open your eyes and see if you chose the right stick.

7 Repeat this activity. Did you find the right stick? How can you explain this?

8 Discuss with your partner how you feel about touching natural objects.

9 Discuss how you try to remember things and whether this works for you in class.

10 When the activity is over, do you feel glad it is finished or do you wish it could last a

bit longer? Write down your reasons.

Activity 4 - Sensory perceptions, self realization and self reflection. Based on “Secret

Life” activity in Well Mind, Well Earth)

1 Go to a natural area and ask consent to be there for this activity.

2 Spend 30 minutes looking around, sensing the place and gathering information about

it.

3 List each item/object/creature that you focused on.

4 Relate to each item/object/creature that you focused on from your point of view and

try to locate yourself in relation to them.

5 Write short sentences to describe what you have seen and focused on and how you

feel, react and act.

6 Share these sentences with your partner. Note if there are big differences or

similarities.

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7 When the activity is over, do you feel glad it is finished or do you wish it could last a

bit longer? Write down your reasons.

Activity 5 – Using sensory perceptions to make comparisons, evaluating urban and

natural landscapes, relating to self and its place in the universe, behaviour patterns and

restrictions. Based on “Making peace with the War Within” in Well Mind, Well Earth.

1 Walk down to the nearby compound and observe the new skyscraper which has

recently been finished.

2 Think what the area would have been like many years ago when it was still a natural

area. Draw you idea of what it looked like.

3 Walk to the garden area in the grounds near the school and ask consent to be there for

this activity.

4. The garden area is also a product of man’s creation. Which creation is more

attractive to you? Write down your reasons or discuss these with your partner.

5. Discuss the question of change in nature and change in human society.

6. Discuss the question of progress in nature and progress in human society.

7. Discuss the question of progress in school. How do you progress?

8. Discuss the question of change in school and how you relate to change at school

and in your personal life.

9. Think of the area which was more attractive to you. Is your school attractive to

you? Is your home attractive? Can you find common elements between the two places

you visited and your home and school. List them.

10. When the activity is over, do you feel glad it is finished or do you wish it could

last a bit longer?

Wrap-up Activity: Giving thanks

After each activity, after discussion and reflection, sit in the natural area. Close your

eyes, breathe deeply, and give thanks for what you have felt, smelt, touched, experienced.

Thank nature and then thank yourself!

This is your joined moment with your inner self and the world of nature.

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