Evaluation of the training seminars on the development of
Teachers’ ability to resonate in and with nature
as part of the NQ project

After the participating teachers completed a series of training courses over several days on the topic of “Developing the ability to resonate and a mindful perception of one’s own experience of nature and sense of self”, the strengthening of their personal relationship with nature was confirmed. The focus was on developing or rediscovering their original lively sense of connection with nature. This was particularly based on developing her ability to feel resonance in and with nature based on a specific physical-bodily perception of natural phenomena.

The personal resonance capacity of the teachers, strengthened in and with nature, also results in a more socially relationship-oriented interaction during teaching. This significantly supports the teaching of nature intelligence (NQ) to children of primary school age by appropriately trained teachers. Together with the developed nature intelligence or connection to nature in the teachers, their increased personal well-being in nature and their more pronounced sense of responsibility for natural spaces, the objectives of the teacher training within the framework of the “Nature intelligence in schoolchildren” project are very satisfactory. These results must always be seen in direct connection with the way
and attitude of the teachers when teaching in and with nature and their pupils.

The subsequent written reflections of some participants on their self-awareness in nature provide a good insight into the respective effects of the training courses on them.

However, they can only be abridged and excerpted here:

“I notice through being mindful in nature, breathing exercises, meditation that I am more in harmony with myself and therefore other people around me also perceive this energy and it leads to positive effects there too. It’s like a flow that arises when I take and give myself space, which can then continue to flow and
inspire the people around me to open up space for themselves to see what it does to them. So far there have only been positive testimonials! And so I am not only well connected with myself, but somehow also with the people around me.“

“In my work with children, which doesn’t feel like work at all but more like a shared experience of “ups and downs”, I love cultivating mindfulness exercises together in nature […]”

“I think it’s really important that we humans, whether as adults or children, have a good relationship with ourselves. This is something that is learned and cultivated far too little and is so important in this world!”

“The seminar made me an even more mindful, reflective person and I became aware again of the high relevance of the self for my profession.”

“Since the seminar, I am much more attentive to my environment. I go out much more often and take a closer look at my surroundings. I see how and where plants and animals repeatedly show themselves, I’m happy like a child and draw others’ attention to them. “Look how beautiful!” “There!” “And there”.

“I was then able to perceive a much greater presence in myself, with the children and my colleagues. I was able to handle situations more confidently and get more involved than usual.”

“To summarize, I can say that I can be more authentic, more present and more carefree.”

“Experiencing myself in a self-effective, playful way […] was a forgotten experience.”

“All the experiences of the seminar days helped me to feel myself more again and to strengthen my relationship with my environment.”

Dr. phil. (des.) Vera Oostinga – educational scientist, lecturer for sustainability, self- and
health education in the learning and experience space of nature, lecturer at the Alice
Salomon University of Applied Sciences Berlin
GRÖNINGA – Partnership of lecturers