A photographer photographer is bringing nature into classrooms
Some of the classrooms at Taft Elementary in Santa Clara, California, have one flaw in common: They don't have windows. That's true for Logan Earnest's fifth grade classroom, and he felt it was affecting his students.
Former school psychologist Ernesto Rodriguez said the lack of windows does affect kids, because research shows being in and around nature eases anxiety and has benefits for students.
Rodriguez is no longer a practicing psychologist — but perhaps he knows now more than ever the impact nature has on mental health. He became a park ranger on Southern California's Catalina Island and began focusing on his passion, landscape photography.
It was during his training to become a park ranger that he learned a fact that stuck with him. “Kids who have views of trees out of windows do better academically, emotionally and creatively,” he said. “I thought, why isn't this being used?”
He had an idea to bring nature into rooms that were lacking and developed hospital curtains that he could print landscapes onto as a way to brighten dull rooms. Then, he had an aha moment to bring landscapes into classrooms — via the ceilings.
Rodriguez uses his photography skills to take 360-degree shots of tree canopies, then he prints them and fits them to ceilings, so when you look up, it feels like you're sitting under a tree. “And it has all those elements of the science that helps calm you down, helps you focus and communicate,” he said.
He created a nonprofit called Nature in the Classroom and he has fitted the tree canopies in 10 school districts so far. He takes all the photos himself and the canopies are often donated to teachers.
Rodriguez revealed the canopy to Earnest's fifth grade students. “Beautiful,” one student said as she entered the room and saw the new addition. Another student named Octavio said trees bring him peace. Earnest said he thought there would be many positive effects on his students.
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