Written by Nethra Singhi
Conventionally, education happens within the four walls of a classroom. In the same room, day in and day out, children and teachers tackle multiple essential concepts that would benefit from being observed in real life rather than from a textbook. It becomes a tedious process to go through every day and can suck the joy out of learning.
A change in scenery is a good solution to this problem. In fact, taking classes in natural scenery is excellent for multiple reasons. Called outdoor education, this concept is being adopted by many non-conventional educational systems and is a cornerstone of Montessori education.
What are the types of outdoor education?
Outdoor education can happen in many forms. One way is taking students out during class to study or observe — especially when talking about plants or animals that they can watch outdoors. Another is a field trip or outdoor excursion. Yet another form of outdoor education is taking classes outdoors. It can also take the form of camp or weekend trips.
In whatever form outdoor teaching happens, it has many benefits for children, especially those in kindergarten and primary schools. However, according to multiple studies, even adult education has improved with outdoor learning. Here are nine main reasons why:
Benefits of outdoor education
Supports child development: Studies have shown that students who learn outdoors develop: a sense of self, independence, confidence, creativity, decision-making and problem-solving skills, empathy towards others, motor skills, self-discipline and initiative.
Fosters active, hands-on, inquiry-based learning: When children observe a phenomenon in real life, they are automatically curious about why it happens. This curiosity leads to greater interest. Moreover, learning outdoors provides ample opportunities to be hands-on — this way, they take charge of their own learning.
Reduces stress levels: Being in a natural environment is good for mental health. It calms the mind and is a good stress-reliever. Thus it provides a beneficial backdrop for learning.
Greater motivation and engagement: Physical activity outdoors stimulates children and relaxes them enough to be calm when back indoors. They are happier and more eager to learn once the excess energy is shaken off. This leads to greater engagement in class because they’re focused on the task at hand.
Improves performance: Many studies have linked outdoor education to better performance in standardised tests and exams. Because of the above reason, children are more likely to understand the subjects taught and take a more active role in their learning. This leads to retaining concepts, analysing them correctly, and better answering questions in the exam paper.
Builds a sense of community: When parents and townspeople are involved in the school’s outdoor activities, maybe in a camp or fair, it fosters the sense of community in children. They see the roles people play in a society and try to emulate the same.
Enhances social skills: When working in groups, while playing a game, or doing an outdoor activity, children learn teamwork and cooperation. Their communication skills also improve, and they come to know how to connect with people from different walks of life.
Makes children environmentally conscious: Being in nature and seeing how human activities affect the environment make children more motivated to live sustainably. When they know how the ecosystem works, they’ll do their best to preserve it.
Makes room for interdisciplinary studies: Learning outdoors gives many segues into different subjects to which the concept is related. For instance, children learn about photosynthesis and plant reproduction while also learning how their practices can potentially harm the process. When star-gazing, they can learn about astronomy and aviation. There are multiple angles from which a world problem needs to be looked at, and this interdisciplinary approach will equip them with the ability to do so.
How you can incorporate outdoor education into your curriculum
There are multiple ways to incorporate outdoor learning into the syllabus. From taking class outdoors to making children observe plants and insects in the school’s backyard, there is not much investment schools need to make outdoor learning possible. Starting with a game that children can play outdoors is a fun way to introduce a concept and gain their attention and interest.
Outdoor excursions or field trips to nearby farms, gardens etc., also help foster hands-on learning. If children learn how to plant a seed or take care of an animal, they’ll intuitively pay attention to how these things work and the science behind them.
Organising a star-gazing night is another low-cost way an Agastya centre recently adopted, making children observe stars and constellations in groups.
These are just a few of the many opportunities that make outdoor education possible. All that is needed is a little bit of creativity and devising activities that get the children to pay attention. This will help reap the benefits of outdoor learning and make school a memorable time for children.
