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How can outdoor learning be used as a tool for building engaging, humanizing, and equitable classrooms, particularly with students who are marginalized by traditional schooling or the outdoor education industry?
Revision Education’s Get Outside training provides high school teachers with training, mentorship and resources to explore this question. Teachers will have the opportunity to rethink their classes and classrooms to include rigorous, engaging, and equitable outdoor learning. |
FAQ
Why outdoor learning is important? Why should teachers want to do it more?
Why Is Outdoor Learning Important? Why Should Teachers Do It More?
Research has proven that simply bringing students outdoors consistently has undeniable universal benefits. It can decrease student discipline issues and absenteeism, reduce depression and symptoms of ADD, build students’ resilience, and increase academic performance, memory, and creativity. If facilitated intentionally, school-based outdoor experiences can also increase students’ engagement with curriculum and sense of belonging in classroom and school communities, particularly for students who don’t normally find success in school. The pandemic has led to significant learning loss in California and exacerbated the state’s youth mental health crisis. Experts agree that the key to addressing both crises is ensuring that schools provide community to students, build their ability to cope with adversity, and reduce stress. Taking students outdoors is one essential tool in addressing these issues.
Visit our Research Page for more information about the research on outdoor learning’s benefits.
Research has proven that simply bringing students outdoors consistently has undeniable universal benefits. It can decrease student discipline issues and absenteeism, reduce depression and symptoms of ADD, build students’ resilience, and increase academic performance, memory, and creativity. If facilitated intentionally, school-based outdoor experiences can also increase students’ engagement with curriculum and sense of belonging in classroom and school communities, particularly for students who don’t normally find success in school. The pandemic has led to significant learning loss in California and exacerbated the state’s youth mental health crisis. Experts agree that the key to addressing both crises is ensuring that schools provide community to students, build their ability to cope with adversity, and reduce stress. Taking students outdoors is one essential tool in addressing these issues.
Visit our Research Page for more information about the research on outdoor learning’s benefits.
What will the training include?
To facilitate a change in mindset and promote the equitable implementation of outdoor learning, our program provides a database and training called Get Outside. It includes an intensive in person training, resources, and monthly follow ups for teachers to consistently move their academic classes outdoors. The initial intensive will build a cohort who supports and acts as sounding boards for one another; show them resources on classroom management, setup, and curriculum outdoors; and discuss culturally-responsive outdoor teaching and dismantling white, male, elitist notions of outdoor learning. In the three follow up meetings, teachers will present and discuss progress on action plans for moving their classrooms outdoors.
If I’m a teacher who doesn’t live in Oakland, can I apply?
All teachers are invited to apply! At this time, we are offering reduced fees and paid scholarships to those who are high school teachers at a Title I public or charter school in the Oakland area.
IF I AM A TEACHER BUT NOT AT A TITLE I SCHOOL, CAN I APPLY?
Absolutely! All students benefit from learning outside
IF I AM A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR, CAN I APPLY?
Absolutely! We think you would be able to pass the learnings along.
IF I DON’T TEACH HIGH SCHOOL, CAN I APPLY?
At this time, we are giving priority to those who are high school teachers. However, if any of the questions above apply to you, we still encourage you to go ahead and fill out the application to the fellowship, and we will keep you informed about available space!
IF I AM WORKING AT A HIGH SCHOOL BUT AM NOT PRESENTLY A CLASSROOM TEACHER, CAN I APPLY?
Absolutely! You can definitely benefit from the training.