July 3rd, 2011 by Mr.Williams.
or Kinesthetic_Learning for the Classroom Bound Teacher.
The fourth wall is a drama term where the opening of the stage encases a whole other world. In this article I want to cover three aspects of bringing a class from within to outside the room. This article is written to encourage the teacher to take students into a new element of learning. Outside the classroom, beyond the fourth wall.
Step 1: Establishing the parameters of outdoor learning and earning trust and responsibility.
Step 2: Engaging students outside the classroom. I’ll cover a few examples of what I like to do.
Step 3: The short term and long term benefits of teaching beyond the confines of a classroom.
1) The Unwritten Oath in Black and White:
The thought of letting 30 students outside of the classroom scares the hell out of most teachers. The classroom is a safe place. It’s orderly, climate controlled and everything is in its place. Why change it? Well I’ll cover the main reasons in depth later but in short it allows well rounded learning, improves student behaviour and allows creativity as well as simple problem solving. It adds an extra element to either introduce new information or reinforces a unit covered in class. But the main question is just how do you maintain students, especially secondary students in a context what is usually reserved to Physical Education Teachers. It’s a matter of easing into it gradually. Often over weeks as the relationship grows and the weather becomes suitable.
Initially start by clearly stating what is possible beyond the classroom and what activities could be completed if a trust is established with students. Poster these and show slide shows of past groups. Recall the fun they had with you. With new classes I like to take them down to the quad, our assembly area for the last 5, then 10 and later 15 minutes of the lesson. Initially just for reading, group discussions and even a social opportunity as a reward for working well in the classroom. If (and when) students misbehave speak with them one to one and form a verbal contract about what expectations are required when outside. Reinforce these by observing poor behaviour and rescind outside time if behaviour does not show improvement. If it’s one or two students holding the class back sit them in with another class while their classmate enjoy the outdoors without them. They’ll quickly show some maturity. This being said it is often surprising which students actually misbehave as it’s not always the same ones as in a classroom setting. Often it is two or three others and so I ease students into the context and watch from afar just who remains engaged and who starts to swing through the trees.
2) “Ok. I’m outside with 30 kids, now what?”
This next section is just to outline a few key activities I like to do with my students. Feel free to modify these to suit your subject and learning context. You don’t need to be teaching Geography or Phys Ed. to get kids outside. I will elaborate on each of these in future posts but I just want to outline a few enjoyable activities that have the kids moving around and collecting key pieces of information. Like a game none of these are set in stone but as trust builds (See 1 above) the students can venture further afield. As I am a Drama and Geography teacher these usually have multiple outcomes being addressed however I believe the most important aspect is to keep kids in close at first, within sight at first and then use half the school and finally towards the end of the year the entire school area. Students who cannot do the right thing get a teacher chaperone for each activity. Kinda cramps their style and they soon tow the line.
A) Find the Waypoint: (Basic & Modified)
Place 10 or 12 laminated cards around the quad and a neighbouring area. Hide these out of reach under skylights, drain pipes, ceilings and behind windows. Some are hard and some easy. Hand out a sheet with the rules in black and white, verbally reinforced before starting and then a series of questions and opportunity to write the answers. This sheet is handed in to show productivity and participation. Each waypoint has a letter or number (or symbol/element to draw say for maths or science) to prove their attendance. These can spell a key word as a jumbled word to spell “Patience” or “Resilience” or my favourite “Cooperation”. A modified version could have spelling words written nearby in chalk to deliver a new word list or extended vocabulary. Other modification include working with anges between points, distance between points and even direction or bearings from one to another. Finally you could have students map each location on a map for spatial awareness or chart the shortest route for someone who is frail or in a wheel chair and cannot use steps. My last activity on Friday had student assigning points labelling each based on which quadrant (quarter) they were in.
B) A Kodak Moment: (with a twist)
Replace the waypoints with photographs. Close up images of hydrants, signs, plants, steps and pavement. All unique in their own way. These are then reproduced on a sheet and the student can then do a number of activities while seeking out the various locations the images were taken. Use the modifications above for the way-point activity. Such as mark each point on the map and which direction was the photographer facing. List changes in the image from when it was taken to what can be seen today. Weeds have grown, crack in pavement larger or a new bike rack installed.
C) Greatest Race: (Increased Difficulty)
Finding a package a number of paces and bearing from the spot or drawing the most direct path from one point to another (as above). This requires an understanding of bearings, not just direction but also a high level of co-operation and communication between members. Tags can be hole punched and hung on string nearby. Each group takes their colour or number as they find the way point. An opportunity of tampering exists but tampered games means that future opportunities won’t happen with that particular class. As soon as you follow through with this rule word soon travels.
D) Snap Your Own Adventure:
Create a photo story of an event in history or in the news by having students storyboard a number of images and then recreate each in various locations around the school. Students can recreate their own story or that from a historical event. Recently my class did “The Petrov Affair”. An event in Australia where a soviet spy defected and his wife was almost kidnapped. This may require some scaffolding with an example or two. I’ve found the best way to do this is with a few staff getting involved before hand and recreating an event and demonstrating to the students what the opportunity is provided for. Students will take and retake images to get them just right from historical images. If you use the photostory software to present the images give the options of making it a silent film as some students are reluctant to record their voices over the top of the presentation.
E) Piece by Piece Puzzle:
Overlay a grid reference system over the school (like a street directory) and then have the students use that to locate clues towards a mystery they need to unravel. Limit the clues and have groups go out and uncover more information each lesson. Piece by piece they gather small clues from around the school. This could be from staff telling stories to actual items (like a Galileo Thermometer) or artefacts, such as a map where they have to uncover the saboteur or double agent teacher on staff. The end of the saga they could uncover loot such as pizza, ice-blocks or sandwiches. Regardless once the precedent has been established students the second time around will research clues in their own time just for the thrill of the chase.
F) Data Collection with Purpose.
Create a simple survey such as number of lights running in the school, cars that travel to and from each day, water usage, paper wastage, square meters of paint to repaint the school to estimate costs and environmental impacts. Step these up by having student write the survey, audio record the survey and later ultimately video, edit and present as a group. This can be to the Principal, the Mayor or even sent to a state member. Either way there need to be a goal orientated task and if the task is set by that person in authority it has much more meaning and the expectations and effort are higher. The teacher becomes a facilitator aiding in making them look good and being inside and outside the classroom becomes par of course to achieve the outcome.
G) Video Killed the Text Book Star:
Finally, students love to use video to interview others. Often they are usually too shy to speak themselves but are happy to audio/video record students and/or members of staff about opinions and experiences. This retelling of information is very, very valuable and far more meaningful than when done in the confines of the classroom. The sheer involvement of the process of editing and watching the finished product then ingrains that information into the recipients long term memory. You may be a subject specific teacher but the learning, even though it seems secondary to the technology and activity is happening in the background. The students often don’t realise they are learning by proxy. This brings me to my conclusion. The benefits.
3) – The Benefits of being beyond the Whiteboard:
“Well that’s just great but I’m doing fine inside the classroom? Sounds like a lot of extra organisation.”
I’m not advocating that all lessons happen in the garden and we’ll happily skip through the meadow carpeted in flourishing tulips. The classroom is a great setting but there is a whole world out there and provided students understand that with good behaviours opportunities can happen that are fun, challenging and interesting. When the right climate has been reached thet time you would normally use addressing individual behaviours can be better used to support the entire class. Below is a list quite possible when teaching this way. It’s true that not all classes are like this but the two biggest elements are that the students clearly retain information longer with and in general become better behaved.
- Significantly improved retention of concepts, skills and information for all students but particulary kinesthetic learners who are more often the disruptive students in a conventional classroom.
- Enhanced co-operative learning opportunities as student can start off in social groups and merge into larger or smaller unfamiliar groups.
- Increased competition. Although I’m not a fan of competitive learning this does motivate many sport orientated students that can occasionally shun academic subject areas.
- Improved student / teacher relationships with increased opportunity for informal discussion to individual students and small group instruction.
- Opportunity for students to engage in situation based problem solving and creativity. Two areas often overlooked in the classroom context.
- Activities can be reused over and over provided waypoints are carefully placed and improvements are made to task year to year.
- Rewards for completing tasks need not be sugar coated and chocolate wrapt. Simply put the opportunity to move beyond the classroom is enough reward.
Duration:
Initially activities may only start as a 10 or 15 minute task at the conclusion of a lesson to reward good behaviour. Being outside the classroom is a trust exercise and needs to be earned over time. As our school has 55 minute lessons I set my activities for 40 minutes. This allows time for interruptions (assemblies, checking homework, guests etc) and plenty of time to go over expectations, outcomes and provide the support needed. Students who finish early are quite capable of sitting and chatting with their friends while others finish up the task.
You must ensure you have completed a risk assessment and are aware of first-aid points within your school. This is an important facet of bringing a class outside and must be mentioned.
One final note:
I should point out some con’s as it’s not all good. Students beyond the classroom will have to contend with the weather, slack class members and even simple mistakes. Don’t fret these. Yes they happen and it is always wise to have a plan B just-in-case but students are thankful and appreciate the effort and overall experience. Always allow more time than you need and be flexible to the conditions. I plan my outdoor lessons for every three weeks and use them to either introduce a new concept (creating excitement and inherent interest) and making the learning meaningful. As a introductory exercise it brings concrete skills to the fore and instils self-esteem and “can do” confidence into the learners. As a result it is important to build upon the difficulty but make each task achievable to all students within your class. It’s not meant to be hard. It’s meant to be achievable and rewarding. Not deflating and insurmountable. Be sure to heap considerable praise on all groups on how well they are going. Positive reinforcement goes a long way to establishing a good relationship with a class.
Lastly. Remember, reinforcing learnt knowledge is the other key use of outdoor learning. Using learnt knowledge to navigate around the course can ensure students listen in class and use clues and skills from the class to achieve the task at hand. Those who have listened can show the others in their group the skill / knowledge needed. Alternatively they can approach the teacher who is nearby and happy to help.
In future posts I will be sure to elaborate on the above activities. I have example worksheets and proformas that I will host in future articles.
Thank you for your interest and hope you consider catering for those students with ant’s in their pants.
Warmest regards,
Steve Williams.
Image Credits: leewardlaw.com - sptimes.com – Kasiisiproject - 6thgradesciencenews - Forestry Awareness – Artist: Empalu & Hosted at Fantasy Art
Interesting Link to follow up outdoor learning - http://www.geocaching.com/
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