21 July

Get Outdoors with Flex ED: Announcing Our Outdoor Education Program

Get Outdoors with Flex ED: Announcing Our Outdoor Education Program

Flex ED is excited to announce our Outdoor Education program started May 2021.

We’ve spent our time inside as needed to maintain health and safety precautions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that the temperatures are dropping, it’s time for us and our students to head outdoors for outside learning and a much needed change of pace.

Get to know the details and the many benefits of the Flex ED Outdoor Education Program:

Flex ED’s Outdoor Education Program

When:

May 2021

What:

FlexED’s Outdoor Education Program draws on learning outcomes across subject areas to provide students with a holistic, outdoor-oriented approach to learning. As part of the program, our certified teachers will help students make real life connections between the Saskatchewan curriculum and the outdoors.

Who:

Our Outdoor Education program sessions are led by two certified teachers experienced in outdoor education.

How:

We aim to inspire a love of learning, curiosity, and foster independence and personal growth through the following:

  • HANDS-ON learning and DISCOVERY
  • VIRTUAL and IN-PERSON programming
  • RELATIONSHIP building with classmates
  • CONNECTIONS to nature
  • FUN and ENGAGING experiences

Why

If you love the outdoors and are looking to add some fun and adventure to your day, this would be the perfect opportunity for you!

The Benefits of Outdoor Learning

At a time when outdoor activity has been limited, it’s easy to identify some of the major benefits of outdoor education. Consider how your student can benefit from getting outside and learning in a new, fresh setting.

Making Connections

By bringing the classroom outdoors, teachers are able to help students make better connections between the curriculum and the environment. Connections are crucial for students’ learning and these tangible connections are especially helpful for nature-based subjects like sciences. This type of learning helps students to get a more visual and in-person understanding of concepts like environment, habitat, plant-life, climate and more.

A Change of Scenery

Whether students are learning in class or at home, a change of scenery can make a world of a difference for their engagement, incentive, attention span and overall energy levels. Learning in a new setting comes with a change of pace that can be invigorating for students and give them the energy boost they need to get more excited about source material.

Increased Comfort & Calm

When stagnant, students can begin to feel frustrated, antsy and irritable. Studies have actually shown that getting outside and experiencing some fresh air in a different environment has shown to be helpful for a child’s temperament. The results of a 2015 study done by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) actually revealed that, of the students assessed, 75-93% reported that being outdoors calmed them down when they were angry.

Improved Social Interaction

Outdoor education has been shown to help encourage calmness in students, which directly impacts how they interact with one another. When calm and even-tempered, students are more likely to interact and engage with one another better.

It Encourages Community

When students learn together in a collaborative setting that is new, exciting, and also calming and inviting, they are more likely to form a supportive community. This helps them to create a space where they can collaborate with one another and make lasting connections. They can make new friendships, identify new interests and common ground, and establish an even playing field.

Understanding of Nature & Environmental Awareness

Last, but not least, outdoor learning ultimately helps students build a better understanding of nature. They are able to see physical habitats, animals, environments and more, and their understanding of these concepts are only enhanced by being able to see them firsthand. The idea of protecting and enjoying the environment is an essential concept for students to learn. Allowing them to experience what nature has to offer is a great way to instill some good values about protecting and maintaining the environment.


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