Teachers and teaching assistants from all three BSN Junior Schools came together at Junior School Vlaskamp to expand on their outdoor skills and just how they can use them in the classroom. The focus of Forest Schools is a woodland-based outdoor learning philosophy where teachers and learners can enjoy the outdoor environment and whilst doing so, develop their practical and personal skills. The outdoor environment is an ideal setting for developing collaboration, self-esteem, problem-solving skills and confidence. The teachers have been learning about tool use, natural history, outdoor cooking, ecology and botany, with sound cross-curricular links to share with their students.
"As Lead Teacher for Outdoor Learning at JSL, I believe that outdoor learning offers all learners opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a natural environment. I have long been convinced of the benefits of playing and working outside and the positive attitude to the ‘outside’ that it instils. In JSL, we hold our outdoor learning projects not in a forest but in part of our playground that is completely devoid of trees! As you can tell, we are not discouraged. Over the last two years, we have been developing an outdoor learning area near the three keyhole gardens, at the top of our main car-park. We do not need to leave the school grounds or need to use trees, as we have the parts of trees that we require delivered!"
