ABSTRACT
This chapter will examine how the human brain interacts with and is part of the body and environment we work in. We will look at the structure of the brain, how it interacts with our nervous system and heart, and how Forest School and natural world connection can support prosocial and pro-ecological pathways and learning. We will briefly look at how the brain cell operates, our instinctual and deep slower thought processes and how all the parts of the brain work together. In particular we will explore the emotional brain interactions and how important a nature pedagogy is for soothing in our stressful 21st century. One of the key aspects of how we behave and interact with the world is the nature of mind; the chapter will briefly explore the interaction between mind and brain. We will examine the four CARE neural pathways. Finally, we relate the latest neuroscience to some of the noted pedagogical schools of thought outlined in Chapter 2 and what this means for our understandings of learning in and through nature.
