Just another day in Adventure School
The power of the outdoors
One cannot under estimate the power of the outdoors.
Picture this: a sunny Autumnal day, a bunch of students who prefer being outdoors doing practical things to being indoors sat still, a school therapy dog who also prefers being outdoors, staff who again also prefer being outside, and an outdoor space that is an exciting and stimulating natural learning space. Add to the mix an opportunity for students to get ‘hands on’ to further develop this learning space to make it even better (as part of their DofE work), plus the opportunity to show responsibility, trust and the chance to demonstrate their abilities to work with others to prepare for, light and manage a small fire; and you have the perfect educational scenario:
- students intrinsically motivated to work collaboratively
- a stimulating learning space
- enthusiastic learning facilitators
- and … well, a therapy dog that quite simply just needs a trim.
You could call it the ‘perfect storm’ for a successful timetabled option where students who need outdoor time get their fix and soak in the therapeutic benefits as much as the vitamin D they get from being outdoors.
Maybe not bums on seats (in the traditional sense), but certainly smiles on faces 🙂
