Not long ago on a sunny Saturday my husband and I made our familiar fall trek from our parked car down residential streets and through the woods behind an elementary school yard to the university football stadium. Football is not one of my favorite activities, but my husband loves college football a great deal and we always get season-tickets and sit in the company of good friends. So, I make the best of it, easier to do on pretty days that are not too hot, rainy, or cold! It’s just one of those things you do in a marriage sometimes…
But on this lovely afternoon as we walked the path through the woods behind the elementary school we stumbled across a rather interesting find. First there was the wood sign, hand-carved, that said “Classroom 23.” Then was a circular clearing with pine needles covering the ground. In a semi-circle were seven or eight split-pine log benches facing a podium, also made from a tree trunk. It was a delightful setting, very ingenious and certainly tranquil! What a clever idea! My husband and I, in unison, said “Wish our elementary school had such a classroom!” How great it would have been to hold class outside on a nice day — get some fresh air and sunshine and explore nature! But we grew up in the snow belt, so maybe that outdoor classroom wouldn’t have been so fun for us, but still…
Only a few days later I got an article in my inbox that talked about how we must rethink our school environments and integrate more open, natural spaces. The reasons are many, and some of the ideas and strategies that other communities and regions are adopting are certainly inspiring. Creating school/study environments that facilitate health and quality hands-on learning could go a long way in making the school experience more productive and meaningful.
Read this article and tell us what you think. What other innovative classrooms have you noted in your communities? Tell us what ideas you have or how you might help to facilitate some changes in your school system.
The classroom in the woods that my husband and I discovered was not expensive. It took an idea, collaborative effort, likely some sharing of resources, and some workers willing to cut that wood, but what a benefit to many in our community!