in Belle-Île-en-Mer, a teacher teaches in the forest

It is an island whose beauty invites you to spend your days outside, whether you are a tourist on vacation or a schoolchild in kindergarten. In a few minutes, the 25 children of the school kindergarten Stanislas-Poumet, at Belle-Île-en-Mer (Morbihan), are going to explore nature. “Every Friday morning, we go to the forest“, announces the mistress, Marie-Aude Thomas. Even in rainy weather, everyone is outside. To stay dry, the combination is therefore required.

For these students, being at school is the promise of living great adventures. The Bois du Génie, a stone’s throw from the establishment, was their new classroom. These hectares of nature are conducive to learning. “It’s super interesting, because from week to week, there are remarkable changes. We see plants that have grown that weren’t there last week“, welcomes Marie-Aude Thomas.

After 15 minutes of walking, the troop finally reached the clearing. Two trunks serve as benches, and a stump becomes the teacher’s chair. This method is inspired by “forest schools”, these schools in the middle of nature, very popular in Scandinavian schools. Marie-Aude Thomas has already seen the progress of these students. “They are much more curious, there is a class climate that is established, benevolence, cooperation…“, says the teacher.