Learning Outside: The Benefits of Place Based Education

Before taking this class I never really considered that outdoor education was possible, or, for that matter, beneficial. But, after reading some articles and finding out that some schools are exclusively outdoors, I realized that having school outdoors at every school is not entirely possible. Thus, I considered how some schools could incorporate outdoor learning into their curriculum. One school, the Robert E. Willett Elementary school, located in California, has an outdoor education page listed on its site. They plan to take their fifth grade class to the Sly Park Outdoor Education camp for five days. It requires some trust and financial commitment by the parents but I think that every school should try and do something like this to better educate their students.

The trip is well-planned and coordinated by the school's staff (making sure the kids have the proper medication if needed; chaperones are fingerprinted; having a pre-trip meeting). And, most importantly, the trip is truly beneficial to the kids. The children partake in group focused activities that promote teamwork and require cooperation to succeed. Social skills are essential as the children need to communicate in an unfamiliar environment. Some children are also able to demonstrate some skills that they would not be able to display inside the classroom: working as a leader, enduring physical activity, learning about nature. Essentially, it is a way to convey that while academic education is important, environmental education should not be ignored. The children should be given experiences outside of the classroom simply because it exposes them to nature. It teaches them about the environment and it teaches them to appreciate our world. Of course, doing something like this is difficult for an urban school far away from camps like this, but I think that outdoor education should always be in the discussion about reforming our schools. It's one thing to read about the environment, but to actually feel it and experience it is far more important. If we want our children to grow up educated, to strive towards making the world a better place, it is absolutely essential to incorporate outdoor education.