Nowadays, more people are appreciating the benefits of outdoor schooling. It helps in the overall development of students and gives them a learning experience that the four corners of the classroom can never teach.
The Guardian hosted a live discussion that spurred views and opinions on outdoor schooling. Generally, the said discussion can be summarized into reasons why outdoor schooling should be prioritized by schools and how teachers can utilize it when teaching their students. Here are the five benefits that outdoor schooling can provide students:
1. Outdoor Schooling Lets Students Experience Nature And Live Actively
In teaching outside the classroom, the students would have firsthand encounters on living organisms they learn from class. They are also opened to an active environment wherein they learn the value of exercise. They understand their bodies before and after exercise and release endorphins that help improve their self-esteem.
2. Outdoor Schooling Provides Space For Calmness And Focus
The Guardian writes that natural outdoor spaces make for good "sit" or "magic" spots for mindfulness practice some schools teach their students. According to MiCBT Institute, mindfulness is a practice to let the body and mind focus on the present moment. It lets the person experience events more impersonally and detachably.
For schools, this lessens the stress of students and helps them focus on their school work. The live discussion of The Guardian notes that an outdoor spot helps a student focus on the present more and get rid of stress and anxiety.
3. Outdoor Schooling Helps Students Appreciate The Value Of Community
According to The Guardian, outdoor schooling helps students find themselves, boost their self-esteem and build their character. They are more aware that they are not an isolated island and they are part of a community. They are comfortable in interacting with others and helping one another for the community's best interests.
4. Outdoor Schooling Provides An Opportunity For Students To Apply Theories In Real Life
When a student is exposed to outdoor schooling, he/she is given the opportunity to apply the theories and lessons learned from class, The Guardian notes. The students could readily realize the importance of their lessons. They would know why they study what they study as they see the application of theories in real life themselves.
5. Outdoor Schooling Makes Lessons More Unforgettable
According to The Guardian, research shows that outdoor learning is more engaging and leaves more impact on students than lessons they read from books and discuss in the classroom. Learning math, language, science, geography, history, etc. in the outdoors is more memorable than learning it in closed quarters.
The Guardian's live discussion also resulted to the sharing of some outdoor schooling examples. For instance, the students can be seated around a tree in a park and be asked to do the following: draw the tree, write a poem about a seed falling, study food chains that the tree is a part of, observe the leaves and fruits of the tree, etc.
In another The Guardian article, specific schools are listed on how they practice outdoor teaching to their students. For instance, Park Primary School built an outdoor classroom in the center of its campus where its students can learn about nature and experience camping while star-gazing. Meanwhile, Lewes New School plans to build waterproof eco pods or huts in the school's playground where the students can read, write and tell stories. Lastly, Wroughton Junior School would build a treetop classroom where students with learning difficulties can relax to think and reflect.
As per UNESCO, outdoor schooling helps the education sector for sustainable development. It provides opportunities for students to practice inquiry, values analysis and clarification and problem solving in their everyday lives. Nonetheless, UNESCO warns schools to be extra cautious as outdoor settings are far more dangerous than indoor classrooms.
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