Be The Good: Sharon Cortez on forest schools, getting kids to go outdoors

MANILA, Philippines – In a world dominated by screens and information technology, is there still room for a childhood spent outdoors?

Rappler community lead Pia Ranada interviews Sharon Cortez, founder of Forest School Philippines, about how outdoor play and learning for kids of all ages affects their development and well-being.

Catch the interview on February 16, Friday, at 7 pm, on this page and on Rappler’s YouTube and Facebook pages.

Forest schools started in Denmark in the 1950s, and has since spread throughout Europe and different parts of the world, according to this study on the International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education. Forest schools provide learning experiences in a natural setting and has a focus on teaching children how to deal with risk, be independent and resilient.

Are forest schools for everyone? What are its pros and cons for children and parents? How different is it from the more traditional learning setting?

We also ask Sharon about what families can learn from forest schools if their goal is to instill a love for nature in their kids.

Have questions for Sharon? Send them to the climate-change chat room in the Rappler Communities app and tag @piaranada. IOS users can download the app here, Android users can download the app here. To find the chat room, just tap the Communities tab at the bottom of the screen after opening the app.

“Be The Good” is Rappler’s bi-monthly show about causes, campaigns, and advocacies. We help you get smarter about causes you want to support. – Rappler.com

Watch other “Be The Good” episodes:

• Be The Good: Nanie Guanlao and Carmela Bunyi on spreading community reading centers
• Be The Good: Robie Siy on creating streets for people
• Be The Good: Sabrina Gacad on helping victims of gender-based violence
• Be The Good: Cielo Magno on her call to abolish confidential funds