My narrations on Anna Botsford Comstock's "Handbook of nature study". It has been a long time since I have really narrated, or tried to remember most of what I am reading. But, if I am expecting my children to do it, I should be doing it also. I am also going to be patient with myself, as I am with them, in starting out. More details and information will be remembered the more frequently I do this, and hopefully the quality in my narrations will increase. I am looking up the quotes that I really liked so that they will be word for word:

Nature study as a help to health:

 Fresh air and exercise are good for physical health. Mental health is also benifited, "love of nature counts much for sanity in later life". This has been my experience also, being out in nature is so soothing and grounding. Tensions and depression melts away as healing air is inhaled.

What nature study should do for the teacher:

Ms. Comstock next talks about the benifits to the teacher. And although she is talking of teachers in a school setting, the same applies to mothers. Many of the teachers said that they just didn't have time to add in nature study. They were already stessed to the max. "Their nerves were at such a tension that with one more thing to do they must fall apart" I know that I could definately claim to be in such a state. Which is why we need to get outside and revel in nature. It will calm us as it calms our children, increase our health, and bring us closer together. We will be renewed to be able to return and face with energy all of our other responsibilities.

When and Why the teacher should say "I do not know:

It is very important that "I don't know" is replyed to questions that we don't know the answers to. But we need to be cafeful that we are not squelching  interest , that we let them know that we may not know, but that dosen't mean there isn't an answer. We teach the children that there is much to know. Tell them let's see if we can figure it out, ask them what they think. They will see that nature is not all known, there is more to be discovered. This makes it exciting and worth while. I think it is very true what she says about teachers who don't say I don't know, but try to give an answer even if it not correct. These or less educated and less sure of themselves.  People who are really educated have learned enough to know that they don't know anything.