No More Excuses

Even before I was fortunate enough to have the nature kindergarten program I started featured on the local news, I've had other teachers and parents inquire about how to take the classroom outside. In case, you haven't seen it, check it out. Local Teacher Takes School Outside Sometimes, the idea of taking students outside can be overwhelming and intimidating. Many times, people feel they need a wide open natural space to accomplish this.

Now, I am the first to say how lucky I am to have such an amazing natural space to work with, but just because I have doesn't mean I need. In other words, outdoor learning opportunities don't require space like the land I have access to. They do require creativity, innovation, and an open mind. 

In just a few weeks, I will be heading back to school for my fifteenth year (Man I'm old). in the current conditions, I anticipate being outside as much as possible. I also am hopeful other classes will take more advantage of our outdoor space. So, to assist with this, our outdoor learning saved have evolved. Over the post few weeks, with community and colleague support, our school has acquired nearly two hundred stumps that have expanded and created outdoor learning spaces. Any school can acquire logs and stumps and set up this type of setting on a patch a grass, slab of concrete, or near a tree.

Grass Class

Fallen Tree Forest

Oak Tree

Natural Play Area

Library North

Library South

But once you have a space, you still need a plan. This can be the part where the concept of outdoor education stalls. The risks (imagined or not) can drive teachers away. Time constraints. Distracted students. Behavior issues. Nature nervousness. Any and all of these factors can play a role in a teacher or school's struggle with embracing the outdoors.

Have no fear, Nature's Dozen is here. As part of my upcoming book (shameless plug alert : Teaching Off Trail, to be released by Redleaf Press in October 2021), I have devised a dozen manageable ways to integrate the outdoors into your school, in no particular order of importance.

Start small    “The journey of a thousand miles starts with one small step.”

The idea of taking a classroom of children into the great outdoors can be daunting. Not every teacher is overly excited about the prospects nature has to offer. Whether it is fear, inexperience, anxiety, or some other factor, there is always an excuse for staying in one’s comfort zone and remaining within the “safe” classroom walls. Growth, however, does not come from standing pat. Risk creates opportunity and with every opportunity, comes potential. Therefore, risk creates growth. 

Taking the classroom outside can start with a single step: going outside. Maybe a walk. Maybe a read aloud. Maybe a science observation. Increased experience in the outdoors goes hand in hand with an increased appreciation of the outdoors and an increased appreciation of using the outdoors.

Change locations    “You don’t have to recreate the wheel. Just alter the direction it takes you.”

Once the mind is open to taking the classroom outdoors, it might be easy to start slow and stick with what you know. Both student and teacher can benefit from easing into the outdoor experience. Stick to the already familiar lesson plan and let nature be there to support the learning. As one gets more familiar with the initial distractions, (excitement and/or apprehension) going outside brings, they can better prepare for the crucial planning and preparing necessary for sustainable outdoor experiences.

Make it a routine   

School and routines are often synonymous. While spontaneity and surprises are elements of an outdoor program, there is much value in knowing what to expect and less in “expecting what to know.” In other words, making outdoor experiences a routine can help prepare the students for the adventures of outdoor opportunity while still allowing for the spontaneity Mother Nature brings. While reaching the standards is important, doing so in a developmentally appropriate way focusing on the whole child is even more important. Whether it is hiking out to recess or setting an outdoor “special,” consistency and flexibility are necessary.

Roll with Mother Nature’s punches   “Obstacles are opportunities in hiding.”

Inclement weather should not stifle learning. Inclement weather should not force students to be inside. Weather and/or the results of weather can and should be used. Spending time in all sorts of weather allows for unique learning opportunities. If it’s wet, write or draw with mud. If it’s snowy, use the snow. Dirt doesn’t hurt, water will dry, and the only bad weather is the weather you aren’t prepared for. Severe weather can be unsafe. Less than perfect weather can be ideal for learning. There is a huge difference between hazardous and risk. Hazards should be avoided and/or eliminated. Risk is to be assessed, both by adults and children. Children cannot grow unless they have the opportunity and ability take chances. These opportunities increase resiliency and set students up for success in and out of the classroom.

Be a proactive problem-solver.    “Turn a problem into a possibility.”

Knowing the outdoors can be unpredictable, it is wise to know that some challenges are expected and can therefore be prepared for in a proactive manner. For example, knowing the idea of ticks can be scary and nerve-wracking for both children and especially adults, preparing the class for them agreed of time minimized the fear and increased the level of comfort.  By introducing the concept well ahead of time, incorporating it into the classroom and providing real-world information and strategies, ticks were not feared. In fact, finding a tick became a “badge of honor.” Because the students were informed and their fear and anxiety was lessened, so too was the potential anxiety from the families. While you can’t prepare for everything Mother Nature throws your way, one can and should take the steps necessary to at least try. Turn a problem into a possibility. Your biggest worry could become your biggest asset.

Expect and embrace the unexpected.

 Flexibility is key. Let nature be the teacher. Intentionally allow for play and exploration. Releasing the grip on teacher control and letting students use nature to take the lead will facilitate a personalized and engaged earning environment where true 21^st century skills can thrive.

Bring nature inside.

 Connecting nature to the inside is important. Bringing nature inside can be both literal and figurative. Natural items for hands on exploration and lesson implementations are certainly acceptable, especially when weather and/or other factors may inhibit true outdoor exploration. Incorporating natural items in place of the usual classroom tools can be as easy as using sticks and leaves to make a pattern instead of counters or pattern blocks. Similarly, teachers can easily incorporate nature into their own instruction. Use a book on trees to review text features. Determine the area and perimeters needed to create a garden. Debate the importance of pollinators versus the risks of bees. Nature can easily be connected to the curriculum.

Give power to the little people.

 Student interests are varied. Engaging all at once can be tricky. However, nature offers a multitude of opportunities. Children are naturally inclined to connect to the outdoors, especially if they have opportunities at a young age. If students are given the opportunity to play and experience nature, they will undoubtedly display their interests in a way that might have been hidden before. That interested and engagement can then be a focus of how teachers use their own instructional skills and resources to reach every child. Personalizing the educational experience of a child and allowing their interests to lead instruction will lead to a deeper connection to the standards and a higher level of engagement in the learning process.

Look to “double up.”    “Work smarter, not harder.”

Time is an issue that teachers struggle with every day. Many feel they have no time to plan. No time to grade. No time to breathe. However, taking time to go outdoors is a known stress-reducer. In fact, taking the classroom outside can actually improve time-management. Nature offers cross-curricular opportunities. For example, while studying life cycles, kindergarten students can explore plants in a hands on way throughout the school year. In this process, they can encounter different types of plants. This can lead to a of invasive plants. This can lead to students engaged in a service-learning opportunity to remove the invasives, combining the need to understand how to eliminate plants thoroughly, connecting specifically to plant parts, life cycles, and the concept of service learning. Other curricular areas that can easily connect are using math to measure the affected area and use literacy by reading and writing about the topics involved. At Woodside, this was done. The learning  (and invasive plant removal) spread throughout the community as parents shared how their student was coming home, identifying invasives, and actively participating in the removal of these plants.

 Don’t be afraid to be silly and have fun. “Show your vulnerabilities so they show theirs.”

 Students look up to the adults in their life. We all teach them so much more than the standards in the curriculum. Sometimes, taking the time to breathe and relax is essential to a safe and comfortable learning environment. Teachers need to step out of their comfort zone to show their students that they can do the same. “Relaxing” the responsibility does not mean lowering expectations.

“Relaxing” means taking the time to focus on relationships. The relationships between teacher and students. The relationships between student and student. The relationship between school and home. The relationship between students and nature. Relationship-building and strengthening with the help of nature provides opportunities that just don’t exist if we rely on the curriculum.

Work hard. Play harder! “Children cannot bounce off the walls if we remove the walls.”

Play does not have a simple definition. Play is the ultimate differentiated instruction. Play means different things to different people. There is one thing all researchers can agree on when it comes to play. Play is essential to development. Play is work. We all need play. Children deserve play, and lots of it. Combine key elements of play and nature and you have a perfect marriage. Nature and play offer up so much more than academics (though academics are heavily strengthened through play). We are built to play and built through play.

Let kids be kids.

Through it all, we can’t forget that we are not here to move kids through the educational system. We are here to better the future. While that may sound “soapbox-ish,” it is true and more important than anything else in this document. It is our responsibility to provide every opportunity for each child to be the best they can be. We must allow children the opportunity to be children. Play is the way.

So now that you have some space and plan ideas, no more excuses. Get outside. It will be worth it. Now more than ever!