Tuesday, 12 March 2019

Why is it important to incorporate outdoor learning into primary school education?

In an Areas of Learning and Experience seminar we worked in groups to create a 'Fairy house' which we then created a story based on this to tell to the other groups. We then each gave a pitch as to why ours was bets to live in. It is important to incorporate outdoor learning into children’s education because children are given the opportunities to build shelters, learn about cooking on and lighting fires, learning some tool skills, and be taught basic outdoor health and safety skills. Children can get involved with collecting wood and resources and therefore do things more hands on which makes it more fun and interactive. Forest school within school links with nature play which is children exploring and enjoying the natural environment through their freely chosen play. (Brown, & Patte, 2013) This gives children the chance to build on their personal skills as well as their intellectual skills and develop both their self-confidence and self-esteem, understanding and respect of nature Rigg Farm, (2011). Children have the opportunity to play in environments that aren’t as common now as they were years ago, due to safety and technology children are now restricted to stay indoors and not be as adventurous and unstructured as play is now. The natural world will be seen and experienced from season to season given the children a true Brown, F & Patte, M (2013) Rethinking Children’s Play. Bloomsbury Publishing.
When teaching numeracy, it is important to remember that maths needs to be fun, use a variety of teaching styles, be exciting and rewarding, you need to make it memorable, you need to challenge the children and keep the tasks active. Teaching in the outdoors will meet all these objectives and be effective for all students. It is essential that the outside learning area is an extension of the classroom, therefore there must be opportunities for the children to develop and extend their mathematical thinking and understanding. By creating stimulating mathematical resources, pupils will have the opportunity to consolidate their learning and see maths as part of their everyday life and not something that happens for an hour a day in a classroom. When outside children are less restricted and have the freedom to sing, talk and shout, making it possible to engage in lively play, conversation and debate. Sargent, M.

References:

Rigg Farm (2011) Rigg farm Montessori nursery. Online at: www.riggfarmmontessori.com/index2.html. [Accessed: 02/12/18]

Sargent, M. Developing Early Maths Skills Outdoors. Online at: https://learn.cardiffmet.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/941644/mod_resource/content/1/Developing%20Early%20Maths%20Skills%20Outdoors.pdf 

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