In a previous article, I discussed my school’s outdoor classroom. An outdoor classroom can be a great addition to any school campus. However, just having the building and area does not enhance student learning. Teachers must take an active role in making an outdoor classroom meaningful for students.
The ideal situation is to have a member of the faculty assigned to the outdoor classroom. However, most districts do not have the extra teachers or staff members to cover such a position. Therefore, it may work best for qualified teachers to take turns taking students to experience the outdoor classroom.
The teacher’s role at the outdoor classroom is to facilitate learning. The best person for this job should have a love for nature and science. The outdoor classroom facilitator should be a person that can encourage children to think and inquire about their surroundings. This person should be able to ‘get dirty’ and explore with the children. Facilitators will often be asked about bugs and spiders and all types of crawly creatures. While it is not extremely important that the facilitator know all of the answers, it is important that the facilitator be able to pose questions and spark interest with the children. A teacher that fears the outdoors should not instruct the outdoor classroom. If children sense that the teacher is not enjoying the exploration, they too may begin to deter from it.
Another very important job of the outdoor classroom facilitator is the set-up of learning centers. Outdoor learning centers should be prepared in order to give students direction in learning. One should not expect students to go outdoors and begin learning and exploring on their own. Children need guidance. Outdoor learning centers give students ideas and props to begin their investigations.
Outdoor classroom can be wonderful learning experiences for children. However, do not assume that once the building is built, the effort is complete.
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