Schools and teachers have a crucial role in educating and preparing children for a changing world. Climate change and sustainability education is part of our responsibility to make sure young people are equipped with knowledge, understanding and are motivated to act to meet their greatest challenge. Engaging and connecting with nature is an essential part of that understanding and knowledge. By actively engaging with their environment – activities which give practical opportunities to contribute to enhance biodiversity, taking positive steps to improve local communities and schools, as well as just appreciating what the outside has to offer – this has the added value of giving both mental and physical health benefits.
Outside learning brings young people closer to nature. In that vein, the University of Reading online courses team is building a FutureLearn open online course: Teaching climate and sustainability in early years and primary schools – promoting an outside learning approach. As part of the discussion of how to best implement outside learning as part of your sustainability and climate education or sharing current best practice, thereby contributing to the conversation between policymakers and schools – we will be sending out a questionnaire on outside learning to all schools in the partnership to get your ideas, feedback, success stories, challenges.
We are really looking forward to receiving your input and will be sending out a link soon.
In the meantime take a look at the University’s Partnering for the planet website