Teaching and learning in the U.S. have long been confined to the indoor classroom; it has become comfortable, the norm and the expected. Madison Audubon is joining the call to push for more time spent outside of the classroom, outside of the school building, in the great outdoors. There are a wide-range of benefits to teaching outside, and we are here to help you prepare your students and yourself for the learning that awaits in your natural environment.
The biological realities of living with COVID-19 is pushing our society to rethink and redesign the spaces we inhabit. Practicing outdoor learning can be one resource to draw upon as we change our education system to rely on safe social practices.
Here are some ideas for everyone, in all areas of the education system, to think about before you venture outside with your students.
There’s so much to explore outside! Madison Audubon photo
1. What is Your Why?
There are many reasons why taking students outside is beneficial—it can help students engage with learning, increase their focus, and reduce their stress—but you need to figure out why it is important to you as a teacher. Think about your purpose so that you are able to articulate to students why you are taking them outside to learn. For me, teaching outside is an opportunity for students to connect with where they live, to spark curiosity, and to uncover different ways to learn. When I am grounded in my purpose, I can establish clear expectations and routines for my students.
2. Look at Your Existing Lessons and Modify Them
In the educational world of standards and core curriculum, it can feel overwhelming to deviate from the script or to drift off into unknown territory. Plus, as teachers, we just don’t have the time and resources to make large curriculum changes. That is ok! Bringing students outside to learn does not mean starting fresh or scrapping the existing resources at our fingertips.
Take a look at your lessons and think about what would limit your ability to teach outdoors. Sometimes, there might not be anything holding you back. Other lessons may need modifications. Before you modify a lesson, think about your outdoor space. Pick the location you are going to use and figure out how you will demarcate the boundaries. You could use cones, landmarks, or existing infrastructure. Take inventory of your classroom supplies. Do you have a clipboard for each student, or for pairs? Are there other hard surfaces for writing that you could utilize? Once you are aware of the physical space and the supplies you have, you can modify the lesson to meet your needs and the needs of your students.
Life is good outside. Madison Audubon photo
3. Set Expectations With Your Students
At most schools, the majority of the students’ days are spent indoors. Often, recess is the only time that students are outside. There are expectations for students to uphold during recess that may differ from your own classroom expectations, even when you move your classroom outside. It is important for you, the teacher, to evaluate your classroom and school expectations to determine how they apply to teaching outdoors.
Some expectations may need modifications based on your new classroom location; these need to be communicated to students prior to your first time outside. It is important to include expectations that guide students how to treat our natural world. This includes not only living things like plants, animals, and fungi, but the whole environment (rocks, water, human-made structures, etc.). Students may need to be explicitly taught how to interact with a plant or insects, and you may need to plan your first couple of outdoor lessons around teaching students these skills.
Time to explore! Clear expectations help make for happier kids (and teachers). Madison Audubon photo
4. Create Exit, Entry, and Outdoor Routines
You will also want to establish and practice “exit” and “entry” routines for your class. Think about how you want students to leave the classroom with everything they need and what they should do when they first get outside. Will they be working in groups or partners? Are they meeting in one location or starting an activity in different spots? Creating routines leaves more time outdoors to be focused on your lessons.
Similarly, students will need clear rules and routines as they use classroom tools outside. Think about the tools students will be using, and make sure that students are taught how to use them outside. This may be the same as how they are used indoors, but, remember, it may feel like a different experience for students who have not been taught outdoors. For example, students may have used a nature journal before, but now that they are outside, they will need to think about keeping their journals clean and dry and what to do with their pencils. Some tools may need to be explicitly taught (tree identification keys, water tools, etc.) as they are not commonly used inside a classroom. Make sure that you allow time for teaching and exploration as you bring your classrooms outside.
Finally, you will need to think about how you want students to return to indoor spaces and what that might look like with outdoor gear and classroom materials. You will want a clear and loud way of getting your students’ attention when you are outdoors. You will also want to ensure that students know the physical boundaries of your outdoor classroom. Like any routine, these will take practice!
Big roots are easy to work with even when wearing big coats and gloves. Madison Audubon photo
5. Prepare for the weather
The weather can seem like a big obstacle because it is often out of our control. As educators, we can prepare ourselves and our students as best as possible to alleviate some of the worries the weather may bring. A couple of tips: dress in layers and think about your hands and feet.
Dressing in layers allows for flexibility: students can always take off a layer of clothing, but they can’t put on a layer they don’t have.
Planning your outdoor learning around what you want students to be able to do with their hands and feet can help guide your outdoor lessons. For example, don’t have a lesson that involves a lot of writing if most students are wearing mittens and gloves. Don’t plan a walk that could result in feet and shoes getting soaked if it is too cold or students don’t have the right footwear.
There are so many ways to get outside, we don’t have to make the experiences stressful for ourselves or our students. If your school has gear available to students, take advantage of it! If not, go out in weather you and all of your students are prepared for in order for everyone to have the opportunity to feel successful. Remember, as the teacher, you set the tone for the experience. Rain or shine, having lessons outside can be full of exciting adventures and help create a positive classroom culture for all students.
We will be back with two more articles that will help you prepare for maximizing fun and minimizing stress when teaching outside. Stay tuned!
Written by Rachel Lee, Madison Audubon summer educator
Cover photo by Madison Audubon
