Dirty feet: here’s what our students learn in the bush

If you’ve read our blog about education models, you get it: our children learn Western Australian Curriculum in a fresh, research-supported way. And thanks to our beautiful campus, we find connections between nature and just about every learning area. Here’s how we integrate weekly bush walks into our Science, Maths, Humanities, and Health programs.

Yoorn (Blue-Tongue Lizards) make tracks

Every Thursday (rain or shine) our Pre-Primary students spend the day exploring Torbay Hill. It’s an opportunity to develop organisational skills, look out for one another, and connect with our environment.

Learning in nature boosts curiosity

Each week, we base our bush walk investigations on a theme that the children are interested in. As a team, we develop inquiry questions, make observations, and practise research skills — all while we learn more about the world around us.

Take clouds for example. When we started discussing them, we quickly realised Isla had the skinny.

She said: I know lots of facts about clouds. When it’s raining, when it’s finished the raindrops come back up and they go back into the clouds.

Cassy: I wonder how the raindrops go back up to the clouds.

Isla: Hmm.. I don’t know how.

Cassy: Could we do some research, Isla?

Isla: Oh yeah!

After reading books about weather and planet Earth, looking at photos on the internet, and interviewing some older students, the Blue-Tongue Lizards were full bottles on the water cycle.

Learning in nature boosts confidence

Balancing on a log or scrambling over boulders helps develop muscles, coordination, and proprioceptive awareness. That last one is important, because it makes kids more aware of their bodies and where they are in space. And when kids feel strong, coordinated, and grounded, they feel something else, too: confident.

During our latest bush walk, there were lots of opportunities to collaborate, communicate, and navigate tricky experiences. While the Pre-Primaries worked to create a free-flowing creek, Banjo maintained morale in the best possible way. His encouragement helped Banjo’s classmates troubleshoot their project (and it was super adorable, too).

“Well done, Riley. And Ayla, too!”

“Go go go — good job everyone!”

“Going good there, Isaac!”

Learning in nature builds solidarity

Everyone was thrilled when the creek started flowing.

“Finally! Yes, the creek!”
“Look at all that water! We did it!”

The Blue-Tongue Lizards played all morning — digging, jumping, and building. As we mentioned in our blog about play-based learning, this supports strong coordination, social and emotional development, critical thinking, literacy, and numeracy skills. Simply put, play is proven to support growth, development, and a child’s ability to learn.

Remember when we could just wonder?

It was before the computers in our pockets provided instant answers to every question. When you think about it, that sense of wonder is missing these days. And there are so many things to wonder about outside:

 I wonder how tall that tree is?

·        How did that moss get there?

·        Does that bird have a family?

·        Who planted this forest?

·        How did we get here?

These rich questions happen naturally on bush walks and lead to deep thinking and reflection. Not only that, wondering actually encourages kids to think about the value in the world around them, making them more likely to take care when they’re in the natural environment.

Learning outside since 1980

Woodbury Boston Primary School is a progressive independent school nestled in the bush between Denmark and Albany WA. We know that children learn best when they’re happy and having fun. With a strong focus on community, respect, independence and nature-based teaching, our students learn the Western Australian Curriculum and so much more. For more information or to book a personal tour, please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you!

 

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Woodbury Boston Primary School is a progressive independent school nestled in the bush between Denmark and Albany WA. We know that children learn best when they’re happy and having fun. With a strong focus on community, respect, independence and nature-based teaching, our students learn the Western Australian Curriculum and so much more. For more information or to book a personal tour, please ring 9845 1185.

Philosophy & Practice, Children, CommunityMartha Barnard-Rae