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10
SUMMER
2013
The two small boys stood together on a small rock and peered cau-
tiously down at the ground below them. It was a dirt floor.
“I don’t like sand to get in my shoes,” one boy declared disdainfully
to nobody in particular.
Seeing no reaction, the boys jumped down from their tiny perch and
ran after the other preschoolers making their way into the Baadba
forest.The sand was forgotten.
Today was not like any other day. Today’s classes for the KGII and
Grande Section children will be held in the forest.This means every
teacher from the preschool – from English, French, Arabic, music,
art and librarian – are holding their classes in the forest.
The aim is to familiarize city children with what they lack in most: nature.
“Our children are surrounded by concrete,” said KGII teacher, Doha
Berjawi. “Even playgrounds are concrete.They need to be in touch
with nature.”
The idea, which was first implemented last year, came about when
preschool art teacher, Joumana Boukhaled, returned from a teacher
exchange program in Qatar where they held a ‘school without walls’
day. Preschool director Ghada Maalouf loved the concept and cre-
ated a ’school in nature’ day for her own students.
“If we want our students to take care of nature, they have to have
a personal relationship with it.They have to hear and listen to its
sounds, touch it, explore its textures, feel it with their hands, feet and
whole body.They need to smell it and see its colors, shapes, beauty
and generosity,” she said. “Only then nature becomes a friend, a
A Day