First trainee day at the kindergarten: animals, team spirit and real experiences
How do you bring the importance of nature and animal-based education to life for future teachers? By leaving theory behind and going straight into practice – which is exactly what our kindergarten trainees did.
The idea for the trainee day came about in a team meeting in which educational content is regularly discussed.
This time, the topic was: What does a kindergarten need to implement animal-assisted education in a meaningful way?
It quickly became clear that theory is exciting – but the desire to experience animals up close was great. This led to the first trainee day under the motto of forest education and animal-assisted therapy – organised and run by one of the kindergarten’s managers, Nicole Praima, who invited her trainees to her new home in the countryside.
And this home had a lot to offer: 6 miniature dwarf goats, 9 horses and ponies, 8 cats, 6 dogs, 7 dwarf rabbits and 6 guinea pigs live on the small farm. Although only four trainees were able to take part due to illness, the atmosphere was excellent – as the feedback shows.
“Nicole’s home is like a small farm with horses, small animals, cats and dogs. The atmosphere was really pleasant and we immediately felt at home.” – Feli
The day got off to a cosy start: with freshly baked waffles and a breakfast together, there was time to settle in. Then we went to see the horses – the focus was on their attitude, behaviour and needs. A hay bale was rolled, guinea pigs and rabbits were visited, goats were spotted (or rather, not spotted) and dogs and a horse were taken for a walk through the forest.
“Nicole’s farm was fantastic – so many animals, nature and a large estate. I’d love for us to have a day like this at the end of every half term to strengthen the team.” – Selena
In addition to the many impressions and learning moments, one thing in particular took centre stage: team spirit. The trainees had the opportunity to get to know each other better outside of their day-to-day work and gain shared experiences.
“It was a lovely, relaxed day. Thank you for the invitation, Nicole!” – Harriet
The aim of the day was not just to discuss forest education and animal-assisted approaches in theory, but to bring them to life: What do animals need to feel comfortable? How much time do they need to be cared for and kept busy? What characteristics should animals have in order to be used in educational contexts?
By experiencing the animals with all the senses, the impressions are lasting – and learning becomes an experience. The day was a successful end to the semester before the summer break and a complete success.
To be continued – for sure.
