As part of an ongoing campus revitalization effort, Elizabeth Haddon Elementary School unveiled its new outdoor classroom. Thanks to funding by the PTA and the Fifth Grade Remembrance Committee, teachers will have the opportunity to engage students through outdoor learning, giving them the opportunity to connect and learn from nature.
Andy Williams, father of an Elizabeth Haddon student, did all of the construction, which included stadium seating and the fabrication of workstation tables. The project was commissioned and completed in three weeks, and two classes were taught in the outdoor space the first day it was made available. According to incoming principal Gerry Bissinger, “The outdoor classroom adds to our strong educational program through taking learning beyond the classroom walls. It provides a place where our students can gather, learn together, innovate and be inspired in new ways. This space provides an accessible area where students can gather as a class on the stadium seating as well as work in small groups at the picnic tables. The faculty is very appreciative of the work the PTA and Andy have done to revitalize this space.”
Studies have shown that children are more motivated to learn when given the opportunity to participate in an outdoor classroom environment. The outdoor experience engages young students, fostering imagination and creativity, while emphasizing the interconnectedness of all things. Reports also show that teachers experienced a renewed sense of excitement about teaching. In an age when technology reigns, an outdoor environment is a refreshing change of pace.
Initiatives like the new outdoor classroom and a school garden that was established and incorporated into the curriculum three years ago blur traditional academic learning boundaries and show that innovation is alive and well in public education.
