Nature is a classroom. For most of our evolution, our human ancestors spent their entire lives immersed in Nature -- observing and interacting with the plants, animals, and natural resources around them to figure out how to survive and thrive. Over millennia of trial and error, humans expanded our consciousness to the point where we can now understand complex systems -- from economies, to galaxies, to societies -- and the common patterns that these complex systems share. This uniquely human skill of systems-thinking stems from our evolutionary history of interacting with the ecosystems around us. We can teach children to become systems-thinkers from a young age while covering core curriculum by bringing ecosystems into the classroom and students out into nature.
Jamie Byron is a Farmer and Founder of Grove, a Somerville based company building indoor gardening products that give people a connection to food and nature year-round in their homes. In addition to building Grove and spreading the idea of a democratized food future, Jamie enjoys teaching people about ecosystems, hanging out in nature with his dog Hank, and growing as much food as he possibly can.
Jamie is excited to share his experiences bringing living ecosystems into classrooms. When kids interact with and observe nature, they learn to think beyond simple linear systems and become full systems thinkers, better able to interact with the complex world around them. How can we integrate Nature based learning into our educational systems? Will doing so make future generations smarter and better stewards of this planet? Jamie will attempt to answer these questions, bringing up more questions in the process.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx