Teaching Outdoor Education On-Call
Teaching Outdoor Education (OE) as an on-call teacher allows both educator and students to experience and learn alongside the the natural world, co-creating learning that benefits both humans and non humans.
Shifting Indoor Lessons to the Outdoors
When shifting a planned lesson from inside to outside, a TOC can consider the following acronym PLANTS:
Plans - What safety measures (boundaries, class rules, school contacts) are in place?
Lesson - How is the given lesson connected to the outdoors? Is the given lesson related to any other-than-human or natural phenomena in the natural environment?
Ability - Are there any considerations (e.g. behaviour support, physical challenges, notifying admin) necessary before moving outside?
Noteworthy - Are students familiar with outdoor learning or show a desire to go outside? How can we work within and stretch their comfort zones? Will the OE lesson keep students engaged and on task?
Takeaway - What is the main goal of the lesson? Would shifting the lesson achieve the same goal?
Stuff - What materials are needed for the lesson? Can natural materials be used as manipulatives?
​​