Prioritizing Outdoor Learning: Bring Nature Into Your School Day

Outdoor learning has so many amazing benefits for students. However, as the school year starts to ramp up, and other priorities start to sneak into your day, it’s easy for outdoor learning to get pushed aside. Prioritizing outdoor learning in your schedule and planning can help you to keep outdoor learning at the forefront. Additionally, setting up some accountability measures can help keep you on track for a year of outdoor learning and adventure.

Prioritizing Outdoor Learning This School Year

Start With Your Why

Prioritizing outdoor learning time throughout the school year begins with your “why” for outdoor learning. As the school year begins to build momentum and your days become more hectic and filled with requirements, assemblies, testing, and all of the things that come with a new school year, outdoor learning can easily become something that you push aside. However, coming back to your “why” can help to keep outdoor learning time in the forefront of your planning.

If you have a strong reasoning and basis for your outdoor learning time, as well as a firm belief in the benefits you are providing your students, it becomes easier to make time for taking your students outdoors. Some of the things to think about when finding your “Why” could be:

• Your own past experiences spending time outdoors
• What are the experiences of your students with spending time outdoors
• What are your beliefs regarding spending time outside
• What are your beliefs regarding how students learn best
• The benefits of outdoor learning for your particular group of students

Worksheets to help you work through your “Why” for outdoor learning can be found in our free “Get Outside Tool Kit.”

Prioritize Outdoor Time in the Schedule

By making a specific time in your schedule for outdoor learning, you signal to yourself and to your students that outdoor education is something that is important and will continue throughout the year. Once you have that set outdoor learning time on your schedule, you can begin to make plans for that time and communicate to others that you will be outside during this time. This becomes especially important when things like “pull-out time” start to get scheduled.

How you schedule your outdoor learning time is up to you. I have heard of some schools that have a full or half day once a week dedicated to outdoor learning. Other schools or teachers might plan for a daily period of time outdoors. If transitions are tricky for your students, you may want to start your day outdoors or stay outside after recess.

Additionally, once outdoor learning time is in your schedule, your students begin to anticipate and expect that time. This gives you a greater chance that students will come prepared to be outside.

Share Your Outdoor Learning Plans With Your Administrators

Once you have set a time for outdoor learning in your schedule, communicate this plan with your administrators and other teachers. This will give you a measure of accountability and help you stick with your plans. Make plans with your administration to have them check in on your outdoor learning time so that you can showcase the awesome learning your students are doing.

Share Your Plans With Families and Caregivers

Informing families of your plans to take learning outside adds another layer of accountability. If both students and families are expecting to get outside, you should make sure you follow through with those plans.

When families are aware of your plans to take learning outside, they are better able to ensure that their students come prepared for being outdoors. They are also better able to become advocates for outdoor learning and spending time outdoors.

Communication is key when working with hesitant families. Begin early in the school year by sharing your plans to cover the curriculum as well as the benefits of being outdoors for their students. Give families plenty of time to find proper outdoor clothing for each season. You can’t assume that all families know how to or are able to provide proper clothing for their students. You can find templates and posters for communicating with families in our “Get Outside Tool Kit.”

Communicate With Pull-Outs and Specials Teachers

There is nothing more frustrating than having to navigate student pull-outs during outdoor learning time. Students miss out on valuable outdoor time and it is sometimes a challenge to find flow with kids leaving and joining in the middle of your class.

I like to communicate when our outdoor learning time is with the teachers/specialists in advance. This allows them to plan around our outdoor learning time and accommodate pull-outs or special classes at other times. You may need to be flexible with what other times of the day are available for pullouts.

Prioritize Outdoor Learning By Integrating Your Curriculum

Integrating your curriculum into outdoor learning time allows you to keep it as a priority as you don’t have to set aside extra time for outdoor learning, instead, it is a fundamental part of your day. You might choose to do a themed outdoor time that incorporates multiple curriculums. Or perhaps you want to do a single subject outdoors (I always like to take math outside…the environment becomes your manipulatives.) Check out this post for tips on how to take your curriculum outside. Additionally, planning tools and templates can be found in our “Get Outside Tool Kit.”

Partner Up

Having an accountability partner within your school can help both teachers on track. Better yet, teaming up to do some outdoor activities is a great way to help share the workload and spread the benefits to more students.

Build Momentum

For many students, easing into outdoor learning is necessary for success. As you start to spend more time outdoors, you will be able to build momentum with your students and start to expand your time outside. Not only will you begin to see growth in your students, but you will also be starting to see some of the amazing benefits of outdoor learning for both your students and yourself. Students will begin to connect with their space and want to spend more time outdoors.

Now It’s Time to Prioritize Outdoor Learning…

Don’t let outdoor learning fall victim to scheduling or pressure from competing priorities. Instead, make outdoor learning a way of life for your class. Prioritizing outdoor learning at the start of the year can help create the structure needed to build momentum for the rest of the year. Before you know it, you will be spending the afternoon outside, exploring your community and basking in the amazing benefits of spending time outdoors.

Know in your heart that taking your students outside will not only benefit them in the short term but will set them up to become life-long explorers who have a connection to the Earth. Although it may seem frustrating trying to compete with the other priorities in your school, making outdoor learning a priority can help you take steps to change the world.

Keep Reading…

• 5 Reasons Why You Should Try Outdoor Learning
• Professional Development for Outdoor Learning
• Preparing for a Year of Outdoor Learning