The environmental problem of nature and man is currently relevant. In addition, the environmental impact of human society is becoming serious. Only the joint activity of people, which is carried out on the basis of full awareness of all the laws of nature, can save the planet. A person must understand that he is part of nature, and it is on him that the existence of other living beings depends. In order to realize the significance of human activity, environmental education must begin at preschool age.
The importance of environmental education of preschool children
Preschools have switched to new federal education standards, which imply the formation of ecological culture in children . The new generation should objectively look at human economic activity and take care of nature. Environmental education of preschoolers involves the formation of such skills.
Psychological and pedagogical characteristics of environmental development
Preschool childhood is important for the further development of the child. It is in the first seven years of life that the baby’s personality is formed, his mental and physical parameters are constantly improved, and a full-fledged personality is being formed. In the preschool period, the foundations of interaction with the living world are laid. Environmental education of preschool children implies the formation of the values of the living world, the kindergarten teacher solves this problem.
The history of environmental education
Teachers at all times have given an important place to nature as a means of development and education of preschool children. The Polish teacher Y. A. Kamensky considered the living world to be a real source of knowledge, a way to develop the children's mind, a means of influencing the senses. Russian teacher KD Ushinsky suggested “introducing children into the natural world”, communicating the useful and important properties of the living world, while forming the communicative skills of the kids.
Preschool environmental education has acquired special significance since the middle of the last century. It was at this time that methodologists and educators singled out as the main method - the formation of knowledge among preschoolers about the world around them. The development of environmental education in children in preschool institutions continued in the 70-80s of the 20th century. At the end of the 20th century, new teaching methods appeared, and the attention of methodologists and educators was again paid close attention to the environmental education of preschool children. The substantive part of pre-school education has become more complicated, new theoretical knowledge has been introduced into it. New education standards were thought out that would contribute to the effective mental development of preschoolers.
Psychologists A. Wenger, N. Poddyakov, A. Zaporozhets theoretically substantiated the importance of environmental education of children, the importance of accessibility of visual-figurative education.
The theory of environmental education received the maximum impetus at the end of the last century. A new educational space has become impossible without constant environmental education. In the Russian Federation, a special Concept for Continuing Environmental Education was developed, and the primary link in this system was the area of preschool education. This period is characterized by getting the emotional perception of nature by the kids, the accumulation of ideas about various types of life. It is up to 5-6 years that the formation of the primary basis of environmental thinking takes place, the laying of the initial elements of ecological culture.
The author’s programs, created by psychologists and educators, are aimed at creating in the kids an aesthetic attitude to the surrounding reality and nature.
Examples of programs for preschoolers
The program of S. G. and V. I. Ashikov “Semitsvetik” is aimed at the cultural and environmental education of preschool children, the formation of a rich, self-developing, spiritual personality in them. According to the authors of the methodology, it is environmental education and upbringing of children that teaches them to think, feel the world around them, and perceive the value of the living world. The program assumes the joint activities of preschool children and adults in kindergarten, family, and children's studios.
As they learn, preschoolers broaden their horizons; moral and aesthetic qualities are formed in them. It is the ability to perceive the beauty that exists in nature, successfully implements the environmental education of children. The program contains two main topics: "Man", "Nature". Section "Nature" introduces the four kingdoms that exist on Earth: plants, minerals, animals, man. In the framework of the theme "Man" kids are told about the ascetics of culture, national heroes who left a good mark on the Earth.
The program "Our home is nature"
Ecological education and upbringing of preschool children is also possible according to the program of E. Ryzhova “Our Home is Nature”. It is aimed at the formation of a creative, active, humane personality of a preschooler 5-6 years old, having a holistic view of the surrounding nature, understanding the place of an ordinary person in it. Such environmental education of preschool children helps kids to get a detailed idea of the relationship in nature, to acquire basic environmental knowledge. Educators teach their wards to be responsible for their health and the environment. The program assumes the development of initial skills in preschoolers of competent and safe behavior in everyday life and nature, the practical participation of children in the environmental work of their region.
The program assumes 10 blocks. Each has its own upbringing and training components, in which different skills develop: caring, caring, the ability to see beauty. More than half of the program is associated with inanimate nature: soil, air, water. Three blocks are completely devoted to wildlife: plants, ecosystems, animals. There are sections in the program regarding the interaction of nature and man. The methodology of environmental education also has support in the form of developments on the formation of a developing environment in the educational institution, there are also special recommendations for conducting classes.
The author focuses on the danger of waste produced by mankind. In order for kids to be interested in classes, a special place is given to environmental tales, unusual stories about wildlife.
Young Ecologist Program
This course was created at the end of the last century by S. Nikolaeva. The first theory and methodology of environmental education proposed by the author has two subprograms. One part is devoted to the environmental development of preschool children, and the second part involves continuing education for kindergarten teachers. The program has a full theoretical justification, the methods used for environmental education are indicated. Particular attention is paid to the practical part, introducing children to caring for plants and animals. Kids, doing a variety of experiments, find out what conditions are needed for the growth and development of plants. They learn about the structure of the solar system, the laws of nature. Environmental knowledge, as conceived by the author, should be a means of forming a love of nature, the inhabitants of our planet.
Environmental education of schoolchildren has become popular in many regions of the Russian Federation. Thanks to the joint work of ecologists and teachers, methods appear that take into account the social and natural local conditions that allow preserving folk traditions.
Methodists involved in pre-school education understand the importance of instilling an ecological culture from early childhood.
Observation in environmental education
Any education, including environmental education, involves the use of certain methods. The upbringing and comprehensive development of preschoolers is carried out by a variety of methods. The most effective is to introduce the children to nature. Kids are interested in all natural phenomena: snow, rain, rainbow. The teacher must develop the ability to observe natural phenomena. It is his responsibility to foster a love of observation, the formation of skills for caring for animals and plants. The teacher should explain to his students the importance of caring for living organisms, intolerance to damage to plants and animals. The essence of observation is the cognition of natural objects with the help of visual, tactile, olfactory, auditory smell. Through observation, the educator teaches children to distinguish different signs of natural objects, navigate in connection with animate and inanimate nature, and distinguish animals and plants.
Observation involves activities organized by the teacher aimed at a long and active study by children of natural phenomena.
The purpose of observation is the development of skills, additional education. The environmental direction in many preschool institutions is chosen as a priority, which is a direct confirmation of its importance and relevance.
Psychologist S. Rubinstein believes that observation is the result of comprehension of a natural phenomenon seen by a child. It is in the process of observation that education, the environmental perception of what has been seen. KD Ushinsky was convinced that it was the visualization that characterizes the observation process that gives him such efficiency and effectiveness. The various exercises offered to children of 4-6 years of age, based on observation, contribute to the development of logical thinking, observation, concentration. It is difficult to imagine without observation any pre-school education: environmental, moral, art.
The teacher E.I. Tikheeva believed that it was classes that imply observation that help shape the speech of the kids. In order for the teacher to achieve his goal, he uses special techniques that allow him to organize an active perception of the students. The teacher asks a question that implies research, comparison, the establishment of a relationship between different phenomena and vows of animate nature. Thanks to the inclusion in the work of all children's senses, observation allows you to fully absorb the necessary knowledge. This process implies a concentration of attention, and therefore, the educator must clearly control the volume, time, content of the study.
It is through observation that preschoolers learn nature, remember its objects. Concrete, vivid, catchy images, the child perceives faster. It is this knowledge that he will use in his subsequent life: in the lessons, during the campaigns.
What is the significance of observation for the environmental education of preschool children
This method demonstrates to kids the naturalness and diversity of the living world, the relationship between its objects. With the systematic application of observation, children learn how to look at the details, notice the slightest changes, and develop their own observation. A similar technique allows you to create an aesthetic taste in babies, to influence their emotional perception of the world. The teacher in work with children uses various types of supervision. Recognition observation is used to:
- to form an idea among children about the diversity of the world of animals and plants;
- teach to recognize objects of nature;
- acquaint with the signs, qualities of the object of nature;
- to form ideas about the development and growth of animals and plants;
- learn about seasonal changes in nature
In order for the method to be as effective as possible, the teacher prepares additional handouts. Creating applications from individual parts, sculpting animals, help to realize the knowledge that was obtained by a preschooler during observation.
Long-term observation is suitable for children 5-6 years old. The guys analyze the growth and development of the plant, highlight changes, identify similarities and differences between the initial and final species of the plant.
Long-term observations suggest a detailed study of the relationship between plants and their habitat, as well as an analysis of morphofunctional fitness. Without the constant supervision and assistance of the educator, this option of observing the results will not bring.
Modern preschool education: environmental, moral, artistic, the pre-school institution itself chooses. Some kindergartens allocate their own direction of development for each group, or use several directions in their work.
If the preschool institution focuses specifically on the ecological development of children, the program is selected. It involves setting clear goals and objectives. The goal is set specifically, taking into account the age characteristics and physical development of children.
The tasks should take into account the cognitive nature, focus on the mental activity of preschoolers, the need to look for answers to specific questions posed by the teacher during the classes.
Studies conducted by child psychologists have confirmed the importance of systematic environmental education. Kids who get acquainted with the living and inanimate world at 3-4 years old, quickly adapt to learning at school, do not experience difficulties in communicating with their peers, have good speech, memory, and attention. The knowledge gained in kindergarten, preschoolers deepen, supplement, systematize in the lessons in elementary school. GEF, introduced into preschool education, suggest the formation of elementary concepts about wildlife in children.
To achieve a similar result, various methods of ecological education of children are offered.
Observation Techniques for Preschoolers
A weekly course for introducing children to seasonal natural changes was created by S. N. Nikolaeva. The author suggests observing the weather every month for one week:
- Analyze the weather daily.
- Examine trees and shrubs, land cover.
- Watch the animals in the living corner of the kindergarten.
- Fill in nature calendars daily.
The methodology of S. N. Nikolaeva implies a shift of “weeks of observation” every month by one week. As a result, a weather map is compiled, according to which the guys analyze changes in the animal, plant world. While observing the weather, the kids highlight specific phenomena, determine their intensity. When studying the weather, they pay attention to three parameters: they determine the state of the sky and the type of precipitation, the degree of heat or cold, the presence or absence of wind.
Such a daily observation of changes in the weather, the teacher organizes variably, vividly, so that the interest of the kids does not decrease, but increases. Such an “environmental week” is a great chance to instill a love of nature, to form ideas about the seasons, their characteristics.
Conclusion
The environmental information that will be received by the kids during simple observations, inferences, and experiments will help children understand the diversity of the living and nonliving world. Ecological classes, taking into account the physiological, psychological characteristics of preschool age, will help kids get acquainted with natural phenomena, understand their importance, purpose. A child who, from early childhood, gets used to loving, appreciating nature, will never cut down trees and shrubs, torture animals, pick flowers. Environmental education is an important part of preschool education. A variety of techniques developed by child psychologists and ecologists help to cultivate love for trees, flowers, birds, animals, fish in future first graders. Many preschool institutions have created their own living corners for environmental education. Caring for their inhabitants contributes to the formation of an ecological culture.