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WHY EDUCATION: OUTDOORS 

There is much debate and research on what exactly is Outdoor Education.  It has the connotation of being only in nature and doing athletic activities, many of them extreme. However, I have learned outdoor education is a wide range of opportunities for those who want to teach outdoors so I named this site Education: Outdoors.  I will use the term Outdoor Education throughout the website to keep this more popular term in your thoughts.  This website is for the educators who would like to try teaching outdoors.  They might have learned about the academic, social, physical and mental health benefits of being outdoors (please visit the Benefits tab to learn of these benefits), but are unsure how to take their students outdoors.  Hopefully this site will inspire and help you begin your journey to being an outdoor educator! I consider this site a welcome mat for those that want to open the door to outdoor learning.  

 

Feedback from fellow teachers helped shaped this website.  I discovered although teachers understood the benefits of being outside their top concerns with teaching outdoors were:

1. They did not have the knowledge/skills to teach outdoors.  So I have included many academic lessons and tips that should help ease teachers into this exciting pedagogy.  Remember you could just try one idea once a week and then add on when you feel more secure. Research shows just 5 minutes outside can garner benefit for your students and you! 

2. Safety was a big concern for teachers.  So I have included a Risk & Gear tab and on each page at the top left I have included a link to the Canadian Paediatric Society's position statement on the benefits for risky play.  As well on the Resources tab I have included articles so you can learn more about risky play.  Hopefully through this knowledge teachers might be a bit more secure in letting students learn outside and if available play amongst the trees! 

(Tip: if your school does not have access to nature or you're a bit unsure, start with the NS ASK program and click here for a lesson.)

 

And what about being dirty? Some students (and teachers!) hesitate to go into nature due to there is dirt and they will get dirty. 

Dirt don't Hurt! as my students say.  The David Suzuki Foundation provides research into the benefits of being in dirt.  

 

The Outdoor Learning Store offers an Outdoor Education certificate which I highly recommend.  Please remember education outdoors does not have to be athletic or extreme or even taught in nature.  It can be as simple as reading a book outdoors to your students or teaching a protractor using lines on a concrete court or a tree branch's angle.

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