Videos to Enrich Your Teaching (teachers call this PD)
Time Outside
offline exercise
what you’ll need:
1 hour (or as much time as you like)
comfortable clothes (for going outside)
a pen + notebook (or whatever you take notes with)
Choose a day where you can go outside for 1 hour.
You can go to a park, hike a trail, sit by the ocean, or stay on your own back porch. Any place outside works. Make sure you do two things first: block off the time and wear the right clothes. It won’t feel great to be rushed or too chilly or wet. Wherever you go, find a space to settle in with your notebook--or your phone on silent with notifications turned off.
Take five deep breaths. Look around. Write down five things you see. Take another five breaths. Close your eyes and listen. Write down five things you hear. Breathe another five slow breaths, and when you are ready notice if you smell or taste anything. Write that down too.
Welcome. You are here now.
Time to explore your values. Find a blank page and write down at the top.
“These are my values.”
Below make a list of 3-5 values you hold as a teacher. These could be personal values or values that the school or center upholds. They could be a mixture of both. Your values are like the rudders that guide your classroom. Values are what guide your teaching, no matter who or what you are teaching.
The Earth Friends content is not designed to be added on, but instead the lessons and activities can enrich your classroom, which is why we must begin with your current values.
In what ways does environmental education support your current values?
Choose one or two values and show how the Earth Friends approach can align with how you teach. Make some notes. Draw some pictures. Whatever works for you.
Spend the remainder of your time simply being here in the outside environment. You may be tempted to walk somewhere else, to wrap up this activity in the name of productivity, or simply be bored enough to move on. But. can you stay still? Stay listening, watching, feeling?
Where do the natural and built environments live in harmony?
The following day, after things have settled in…
Take more notes.
How will you bring nature into your classroom?
What do you enjoy about your time outside?
What are you excited to teach?
What is one way you can show children the interconnection between the natural and built environments?
Bonus:
You can do this as a group.
If you would like to do this exercise with other teachers or colleagues, go for it. However, make sure you set aside at least 20 minutes of quiet time for everyone, and then feel free to chat and share observations, values, and ideas.