A Spin on Education: High School Classes Teach Outside
I read the article titled, "High School Teaches Thoreau in the Woods," by Larry Abramson. The article describes a very unique style of educating high school students; all classes are held outside in the extremities of nature. Despite the rain, cold, and snow, classes are held in what is described as "a rough-hewn tent that features donated sail material. It's just big enough to accommodate the class and a few visitors." Th e idea of this unique venue for teaching and learning is that it provides students with a very different oppportunity to learn. They are learning on Walden Pond, a place where their main man of interest, Henry David Thoreau, used to go to think. The students are " supposed to be exploring their relationship to self, their relationship to culture and their relationship to the natural world." This school sets itself apart from most traditional high schools. There is no interruptions and switching of classes, and the students that take part in the experience say they thoroughly enjoy it. They explain that there isn't the stereotypical cliques that hinder them from befriending and interacting with eachother.
In my opinion, this is an excellent alternative and fresh way of going about teaching students. Although I also believe that it only will work for certain kinds of students. As ideal as it sounds, I'm sure many learners, like myself, would prefer a nice clean atmosphere with boring surroundings to keep the focus on school work. Some students would maybe find the rawness of the situation to be a bit distracting. Nontheless, as far as writing and thinking goes, many authors and great thinkers would vouch for this type of educational experience. The opportunity to be right there in nature sometimes warrants the mind to roam as free as the creatures that inhabit those habitats-which has potential to yield positive outcomes.
3 comments:
I believe that this new form of a high school would benefit some students but not all! I think as long as students are learning it shouldn't matter what atmosphere they happen to be learning in. As long as the curriculm is covered and students walk away with a better understanding of topics that they were unfamiliar with and expanded their knowledge on it, then going to this school or any school for that matter is beneficial. No cliques is also plus when people can be place in an environment where everyone sees others for who they truely are before juding them and are able to get to know them,then they have also learned something that they can apply to life even after school is over for them.
Experiencing things first-hand can be an excellent way to help solidify what has been taught in the classroom; however, in my opinion, the classroom is exactly where that teaching should begin. Some students absorb knowledge much better from written text and formal lessons than they do from hands-on experiences. While this untraditional form of teaching could benefit some, if not many students, it would still seem unfair to me to take all learning outside of the classroom environment. I am intrigued, however, with the idea of taking what students have learned in their classes and actively applying them to their outside world. For instance, I think it would be very interesting to students if they were to learn about the Battle of Plattsburgh and then be given the opportunity to see the site first-hand, having the visuals laid out for them. This would, hopefully, ensure that all students would remember what they had learned, regardless of their learning processes and abilities. While I do think this idea is a bit flawed, in the fact that it has gone from one extreme to another, I am thrilled to see someone thinking outside the box and attempting to make education more exciting for students. It is refreshing to know that there are teachers out there who are willing to push the envelope, step out of their comfort zones, and try new ideas. Education should never be a stagnant process. We, as future teachers, will need to be willing, and eager, to adapt with the times, always searching for the best ways to help our students reach their necessary goals.
I definitely think the approach the article takes is bordering on the extreme. I think it is a great idea to bring students outside on a beautiful day when nature is a wonder to behold while reading a chapter from Walden in an attempt to have students connect with nature as did Thoreau. I have had several teachers use this approach for this same text, and I think it proves to be beneficial; however, speaking as an idividual who would be happy to never read Walden ever again, if I would have had to read sections from this text everyday in a small room while contending with the weather, I would have skipped school. I think that approach is a horrible idea. As a teacher, I would like to dabble with hands-on experiences of this nature (no pun intended) for my students, but I do not want to drown them in it.
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