Frequently Asked Questions On Outdoor Education
Q. How do I get school administrators/parents/other teachers on board?
A. The best way to get school administrators on board is to show them the research supporting the benefits of educating children in nature. You’ll also want to make sure you have a well-developed plan for your program, including a year-long scope & sequence (with ties to your school’s standards or benchmarks), plans for adequate adult supervision, emergency protocols, and a completed benefit-risk analysis [LINK]. Try to anticipate all the questions and potential objections you’ll receive and have an answer for as many of them as you can. If they are still skeptical, invite them to come join you in the forest! It only takes a few minutes of watching children play in nature to realize its many benefits.
Q. How do I manage risk?
A. Although you will never be able to eliminate risk altogether, there is a lot you can do to proactively reduce risks in your outdoor education program. I also recommend completing a thorough benefit-risk analysis (see example template you can use) to present to your school’s administration (and possibly insurance company). Exact requirements will vary by school.
Q. What if I don’t have a forest near my school or home?
A. Time to get creative! If you don’t have a full-fledged forest nearby, consider going to a nearby city park, empty field, or even your school’s yard or garden. Any sort of natural setting will do, even if it’s not very big. Read this guide for more information.
Q. How can I fit outdoor education into my schedule?
A. Get your kids outside as consistently and frequently as you can, but don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good– any time is better than no time! If a whole day every week feels like too much, try just an afternoon, or even one hour. Go less often if you have to—once a month, bi-weekly, etc. Remember: the most important thing is to GET OUTSIDE!
Q. Is outdoor education the same thing as a field trip?
A. No. There are several important differences between outdoor education and a field trip:
1. Outdoor education lessons ideally occur regularly, at a consistent time and place.
2. There are established core routines which provide predictable structure to the lessons.
3. The curriculum follows a very specific progression throughout the year, much in the way that, say, a phonics curriculum progresses.
Q. I teach at a public/private/charter/religious/homeschool. Can I do an outdoor education program?
A. YES, YES, YES! The curriculum and resources I provide are intentionally designed to be adaptable for a variety of settings. Consider this your official permission to adapt and modify in any way you need to so that the program works for you. Remember, the most important thing is to GET OUTSIDE on a regular basis!
Q. My students are very energetic/young/old/scared/academic/sedentary/difficult/special needs/disabled. Can I do an outdoor education program with them?
A. YES! Outdoor education is for everyone. I repeat, everyone. In fact, teacher after teacher has reported that the students who struggle the most in the traditional classroom setting are the ones who thrive the most and reap the greatest benefits from their time in nature. You might need to modify or adjust activities to fit the needs of your particular kids, and that is totally okay!
Q: I teach somewhere cold/snowy/rainy. Can I do an outdoor education program?
A. Absolutely YES! The key is to have the right gear, as well as the right mindset. Yes, the kids will get wet and dirty. No, they will not melt. Just make sure to tell parents ahead of time that the show will go on regardless of weather conditions (maybe consider canceling in the case of extreme weather conditions such as thunderstorms, tornadoes, etc.) and to dress their kids appropriately. And be sure to keep a complete set of extra clothes and shoes for each kid in your classroom!