April 2022

"LET'S GO OUTSIDE!"

A statement children love to hear and teachers are learning to embrace and not fear!

BY: Daniel Novak, Regional Coordinator of Environmental Education

We all know the teacher(s) in the building known for taking students outside. We also have all heard the reasons given for not doing it, “We don’t have time (we have too much to cover),” “The kids are out of control when they come back in,” “I don’t want anyone getting hurt,” “It’s too much of a hassle.” Thankfully, more and more educators SEE & EXPERIENCE the value of getting their students outside and are taking the initiative to incorporate it, even to prioritize it, in their teaching.

Concerned about losing time and impacting academics performance?

· Academic performance increases when children learn outdoors[i]!

· Using the environment around the school can serve as a framework for closing the achievement gap[ii].

Worried about behavior and student control issues?

· Learning outdoors supports individual child development[iii], mood, and overall well-being[iv].

· Outdoor activities reduce ADHD symptoms significantly compared to indoor activities[v].

Is it safe for kids to learn outdoors? It’s not just safe, IT’S GREAT FOR THEM!

· Outdoor learning directly benefits physical, mental and emotional health[vi]

· And greater exposure to nature even reduces life stress[vii] (which we all need right now)

Turn the hassle into practical life experience for everyone.

Time for a quick personal anecdote. I spent many years of my career teaching 45 minute classes based out of a 4^th floor classroom in NYC. I say “based out of” because I quickly expanded my classroom to include a nearby park (4 floors down), and my students were invested in making that happen. When I often announced we were going outside for a “field experience” my students sprung to action. One student alerted the office that we would be outside, another student grabbed the first aid bag (which basically contained Band-Aids), two students grabbed road guard vests, another student called for the elevator (if we had a student with an elevator pass), and the remaining students all chipped in to gather and bring any needed materials and lined up at the door. After the first couple of times, we were outside in less than 5 minutes (complete with road guards, and me, safeguarding a road crossing to get into the park), had an authentic 30 to 35 minute learning experience in the park, and had enough time to get back upstairs, identify the major learning points for the day, and finish class.

What did this do for my students? A TON! They learned responsibility, efficiency, teamwork. They were moving, engaged, invigorated. When they walked home they passed by (and some even walked through) the park where we spent our time learning, reinforcing both their sense of place and connection to their surroundings as well as their learning. And, oh yeah, they usually had fun and created lasting memories at the same time.

Now, consider what it would take to get your students outside. Do you have a very energetic student who loves to help? Great – you’ve got a messenger or first aid carrier who will take pride in a meaningful job. Do you have a student who is very safety conscious? Great – there are your door holders, line leaders, or even road guards. Is moving quickly an issue? In my experience, when students see other students moving with urgency it becomes the best kind of contagious.

It would take all day to list the myriad benefits (and references) of getting outdoors. As we all know, experience is the best teacher. Therefore, why not get up from the computer and take a walk in the outdoors? It’s good for both the legs and the spirit, and it is GREAT for your students.

“The earth is what we all have in common,” (Wendell Berry) we should celebrate it!

[i] American Institutes for Research. (2005). Effects of outdoor education programs for children in California. Palo Alto, CA. Available on the Sierra Club web site. http://www.sierraclub.org/youth/california/outdoorschool_finalreport.pdf

[ii] Lieberman, G. A. & Hoody, L.L. (1998). Closing the achievement gap: Using the environment as an integrating context for learning. SEER: Poway, CA, 1998. http://www.seer.org/extras/execsum.pdf

[iii] Kellert, S.R. (2005). Nature and childhood development.” In Building for Life: Designing and Understanding the Human-Nature Connection. Washington, D.C.: Island Press.

Full book available via Amazon.com and other commercial sources. http://www.cnaturenet.org/02_rsrch_studies/PDFs/Kellert_BuildingforLife.pdf

[iv] Harvey, D. et al. (2020). Psychological benefits of a biodiversity-focused outdoor learning program for primary school children. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 64. This study is not available online without purchase. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272494419303536

[v] Kuo, F.E. & Faber Taylor, A. (2004). A potential natural treatment for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Evidence from a national study. American Journal of Public Health, 94(9). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1448497/

[vi] Lester, S., & Maudsley, M. (2006). Play, naturally: A review of children's natural play. Children's Play Council. This report is available online at: http://www.playday.org.uk/PDF/play-naturally-a-review-of-childrensnatural%20play.pdf

[vii] Wells, N.M., & Evans, G.W. Nearby nature: A buffer of life stress among rural children. Environment and Behavior, 35(3), 311-330. This study is not available online without purchase http://www.sagepub.co.uk/journals/details/j0163.html