And in the middle of the playground runs a river… Or rather a trickle of water in a channel dotted with small manual dams that the children can activate according to their experiments. This is one of the particularities of this green space which was created a little over a year ago in the Maryse Hilsz school, located in the middle of the large residential towers in this district of the 20th arrondissement of Paris. The principle ? Fight against the effects of global warming by giving back all its place to trees, plants and by equipping recreational spaces with games in wood or other natural materials. In this summer period, when a heat wave has just hit France, the results of this initiative are particularly scrutinized.
In total, 75 “oasis courtyards” have been created in the capital since 2017. Little by little, the project is spreading. “At the start of the school year in September, we will have around a hundred since other deliveries are expected by then”, specifies Raphaëlle Thiollier, head of the Oasis project at the city’s School Affairs Department. At the Maryse Hilsz school, pupils and teachers seem to appreciate this new landscape embellished with small wooded paths, small huts at the height of children, a book shed, an educational garden in which a few aromatic herbs and plants grow. of tomatoes. “One very hot day, a teacher taught under this big willow tree to the delight of her class, others improvised a lesson on biodiversity when a little boy unearthed an insect or organized a nesting workshop. ‘birds”, continues Raphaëlle Thiollier.
These Oasis courses are primarily intended to participate in the creation of islands of coolness that have become essential in large cities to cope with the multiplication of episodes of intense heat. The playgrounds, mostly concrete and devoid of shaded areas, deserved special attention from the public authorities. So is the Oasis mission really effective? “The installation of weather stations in some of these courtyards, the readings of which are compared with those of control stations installed a little further away, allows us to measure the impact of these developments on the temperature, humidity or speed of the wind,” explains Martin Hendel, research professor at ESIEE Paris, attached to the Interdisciplinary Laboratory for the Energies of Tomorrow. It has thus been demonstrated that replacing the tar with a grassy surface will have made it possible to lower the temperature by 3 or 4 degrees in an area exposed to the sun. The shade of a tree allows you to lose 10 degrees. “Be careful, these are not averages strictly speaking since, in a playground, children run in all directions and never stay in one place for long. But overall, we can say that the experience is positive”, says the physicist. Fortunately, because the development of these Oasis courtyards, initially financed by a European program and now fully paid for by the town hall, has a significant cost: 300 to 350 euros per square meter on average.
New habits that are sometimes difficult to integrate
“To make this investment profitable, many of these spaces are open to the general public on weekends or during strong heat waves like the one we have just experienced”, explains Guislaine Morvan-Dubois, president of the FCPE Paris. The local manager of this federation of parents of students claims to have received many very positive testimonies from its members. Even if this project often provokes heated debates upstream. “These Oasis courses overturn the codes, especially with regard to the layout of the space. For example, there are more nooks in which the children can hide or games on which they can climb. Which can cause some concerns at the start on the side of the families”, recognizes Guislaine Morvan-Dubois. “But the parents are quickly reassured and would not like to go back for anything in the world”, assures Raphaëlle Thiollier. Stéphane, father of an 8-year-old boy, does not share this enthusiasm. “The idea is of course laudable but, in practice, some effects are disastrous”, he attacks. “In my son’s school, several children came home with splinters, soaked clothes or pockets full of these little wood shavings that now cover the yard. Once, one of the wooden teepees that was loosely attached completely collapsed!” In this establishment in the center of Paris which seems to have wiped the plaster somewhat, brooms and shovels dedicated to picking up leaves have partly replaced balloons. Bad news for young budding footballers who see their field relegated to a corner of the yard.
“But a maid for the little girls who can finally reclaim the place!” exclaims Sophie Levrard, Doctor of Education and Training Sciences at the University of Caen Normandy. The idea of these Oasis courses was also to rethink the mix of spaces, to encourage boys and girls to interact and play more together. In this, studies show that it is a real success”. The young woman carried out a survey on how this project was received in Parisian schools, in particular in the Emeriau kindergarten located in the 15th arrondissement of Paris. “J I was able to observe the children playing with the chestnuts, the water, the sand, observe the small snails. This contact with living things and nature is quite exceptional for these little city dwellers”, she explains. According to the researcher, the experience also reinforced the learning of community life and cooperation: “During certain activities, such as cleaning the river, the children share the tasks: one picks up the leaves that have fallen into the water, the other puts them in the wheelbarrow, while a third carries them to the composter”. The experience also had an impact on the school climate: “Teachers told me they had a lot less conflict and fights to manage,” continues Sophie Levrard.
“Giving meaning to learning”
As for adults, the results are a little more mixed. In some establishments, school teachers, but also Atsem (specialized territorial agents of nursery schools) or cleaning staff have expressed certain concerns and reluctance in the face of the new tasks that these developments can generate. Having children put on boots, changing them when necessary, cleaning up traces of dirt in the hallways, reinforcing surveillance in the yard… these are all new habits to integrate. Which doesn’t always go smoothly. “There is no question of embarking on this adventure without the support of the teachers. The facilities were chosen in consultation with them upstream, during several dedicated workshops”, assures Magali Cappe, head of the local section of architecture of the 20th arrondissement which has around ten green courtyards.
For Thibaut Hebert, lecturer in education sciences at the University of Lille, the transplant can only take place if the teaching teams are actually fully involved in the project. “Surveys have often shown the extent to which decision-makers are disconnected from the realities experienced by school actors. My fear is that we are once again in a top-down approach too far from the field”, confides- he. The pedagogical aspect and educational interest should not be overlooked either.
“These Oasis courses are only interesting if they make it possible to give meaning to the learning, insists Thibaut Hebert again. Starting from the observation of plants to study the photosynthesis system or asking students to weigh 500 grams of soil before transporting it such and such a place can be beneficial initiatives”. This model, particularly developed in Scandinavian countries, is still little used in France. But these vegetated courtyard projects, which are gradually emerging in Paris and in the regions, will have made it possible to sow some seeds. To be seen if they will fully bear fruit in the years to come.