Sunday was a busy day on the course, despite only a few bookings, TreeZone benefited from lots of people retreating from the windy ski-slopes. I met two more of TreeZone's instructors, Joe and Kirsty. Both are freelance and do lots of other instructing work in various outdoor pursuits. I already knew Joe as he was a relatively frequent customer in an outdoor shop I use to work in. Kirsty told me she was also considering doing a primary teaching course as she felt it would help her with her progression into more senior roles within outdoor education. Joe and Kirsty talked a lot about the various qualifications required for instructing, guiding and leading in outdoor pursuits. It was interesting to hear their opinions as I had considered getting some outdoor qualifications and doing a bit of instructing work before I decided to apply for the primary education course.
I think there is a lot of confusion about what constitutes outdoor learning. Outdoor education is a term more often associated with a local authority project with a specific budget, remit, staff and resources. This could be adult education or dealing with behavioural problems in deprived areas. Such projects tend to focus on outdoor pursuits and the benefits they can bring to a group's or individual's confidence and character. Outdoor learning should be an ongoing process that reconnects children with the world they live in. Not just in terms of environment, ecology and wildlife but also by bringing to life the often dry, academic, subject bound lessons. Lessons that we hope, a lot of the time in vain, will provide children with the skills and strategies they will need to become happy, useful and successful adults.
I think there is a lot of confusion about what constitutes outdoor learning. Outdoor education is a term more often associated with a local authority project with a specific budget, remit, staff and resources. This could be adult education or dealing with behavioural problems in deprived areas. Such projects tend to focus on outdoor pursuits and the benefits they can bring to a group's or individual's confidence and character. Outdoor learning should be an ongoing process that reconnects children with the world they live in. Not just in terms of environment, ecology and wildlife but also by bringing to life the often dry, academic, subject bound lessons. Lessons that we hope, a lot of the time in vain, will provide children with the skills and strategies they will need to become happy, useful and successful adults.