While in Edwardes Lake Park, I participated in Jessica Kilby's The Parallaxis (2017), particularly at the Bee Hotel. The Bee Hotel is a standalone bee house that's fenced off, providing a safe space for bees to pollinate without threats. This house on stilts is adaptable and can shelter various creatures, such as birds or, in a parallel world, mythical beings like fairies or gnomes, which can climb the overgrown grass. Each walk offers many sights and sounds, sparking imagination and curiosity about the lake during every visit.

As a future ECE teacher, implementing Kilby’s The Parallaxis (2017), I can help students develop a personal connection to their local environment. Supporting creative spaces for students while incorporating an inquiry-based learning approach enables students to investigate, solve problems, and develop a deeper understanding of the world around them (Australian Government Department of Education, n.d.).

The raw beauty of nature at Edwardes Lake is unavoidable. It supports its own ecosystem where hundreds of living organisms coexist. Nature here is calm and untamed, offering space and accessibility for everyone to experience. Srijani Banerjee, a physiotherapist specialising in Dance Movement Therapy, argues, “nature-based interventions like Eco therapy, Tai-Chi and many more have now given enough evidence to show that when a person is brought back into nature, their rehabilitation process is faster and easier” (Banerjee, 2021). Furthermore, immersing ourselves in nature has healing effects, balancing our bodies and emotions, and can even serve as a form of medicine.

The influence of nature on my future teaching will focus on physical and emotional well-being. Student development is not just about intellectual growth but should be seen through a holistic and healing perspective. Create opportunities in a nature-based classroom that encourage students to appreciate nature for its wild beauty and endless fascination.

See if students pause to look. Ask them what they feel, see, smell or think of these endless number of nature's windows.

Examples:

Walking and Talking- Trail Walkers

Cloth-Birds

Bicycle Wheel-Bicycle Riders

Exhaust Pipe-Wind

Pool Noodle and Sticks-Fire Pit

Streamers-Fauna and Flora

Ukulele- Waterfall

Piano-Fish Jumping out of Water

See comments for an audio description of activity and instructions

Incorporate Inquiry-Based Learning to gauge students' ideas, thoughts and curiosity. This can lead to further lessons on their local flora and fauna.

On the dreary, still, and cold day, I could smell the stagnant water of the lake; it was quieter, and the birds weren’t active unless they were looking for their meals, and I could hear and see them calling their mates when they did. The wind felt cold and uninviting as I entered an open area.

Whether one day was more preferred than the other, both held value. Each day brought different senses, feelings, and sights, offering unique learning opportunities. Ultimately, these spaces serve as an extension of the classroom, and it is understood that each day can provide a special learning experience while helping explore the city (Edwards et al., 2012, p. 334). Furthermore, I know that when I go on an excursion with students to a familiar place, I should not expect complete certainty. The students’ curiosity and imagination will surpass expectations, creating a joyful experience. It is our role to adapt and lead.

My body relaxes, my breathing slows down, and I feel like I can reset as my muscles loosen, and my mood improves. These sensations of physical relaxation and emotional regulation can be linked to David Robson’s concept of introception (2021). I start to feel my body unwind, and my mind clears of what’s urgent and what can wait; these shifts have positive effects on my mental well-being, highlighting introception (2021).

Understanding this concept and using it as a helpful sense can support classroom strategies to help students regulate by recognising their sensory needs. Taking students outside to relax can be a good opportunity to encourage them to pause and notice their senses. This can improve their body and spatial awareness, as well as literacy development, by giving students the chance to describe how they feel.

Ultimately, “the natural environment is the ideal place for children to engage in creative play” (Wilson, 2018). From my pedagogical perspective, this assignment has really enabled me to prioritise nature’s presence in development for students. I was always quite firm on the importance of nature and art, but visiting Edwardes Lake Park a few times in one week allowed me to revisit my past, which helped me realise how important it was to me when I was younger and the impact it could have on students. As a future ECE teacher, I envision nature serving as a healing ground, a playground, a classroom, and an observation site, all culminating in development, understanding, happiness, and respect.