Schools think outside box for learning

Hundreds of students across the South West will take to the great outdoors today for Outdoor Classroom Day, a global initiative getting children back outside.

Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School, Dardanup, Maidens Park, Carey Park, Bunbury, Cooinda, Picton, Eaton, Australind and Treendale primary schools, and Grace Christian School have all registered to take part.

According to event organisers, benefits of outdoor classes include enhanced social and problem solving skills along with boosted teamwork skills and extra fun.

Dardanup Primary School deputy principal Malena Cahill said her school registered to take part because its students loved being outside.

“We did it last year and the students loved it and the teachers thought it was great, too,” she said

“When you design a program that can incorporate the outdoors, whatever the learning intention, it works out well,” she said.

Year 3 students Belle Brockman and Kadin Hebestreit echoed Ms Cahill’s comments and said they were looking forward to today and promised they would not be too distracted.

“We’ll get to have the fresh air while we’re doing our work,” Belle said.

More than 300,000 students from more than 2500 schools took part in Outdoor Classroom Day last year, numbers which have rapidly increased since the event’s inception in 2012.