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Nature as a pedagocical tool

2019-1-EE01-KA101-0513142019School education staff mobilityfinalized
Countries: EE · Grant: €10,265
Health and wellbeingPedagogy and didacticsICT - new technologies - digital competences

Objectives

The goal was to build common understanding in teachers of learning outside the classroom as of organized learning in outdoor conditions, to integrate different fields of the curricula, so that the teachers know how to plan activities, choose the tools and organize that. The goal was to build the readiness in teachers and parents to be outside in any weather, to create a pilot group for outdoor education. The teachers got to know how to use the outdoor area of the kindergarten, the nearby green area and urban space as a learning environment, organize more trips to the nature. Through the mobility project new knowledge of learning outside the classroom is gained, planning and organizing skills are being developed using different tools of active learning methods, using senses and possibilities of nature, urban space, ICT. Environmentally friendly attitude among children is being developed. Being a role model for others the consept of learning outdoors becomes more widespread popular giving good health to children and teachers

Background

A lot of teacher planned activities take place indoors. Young teachers had few practical experiences and not enough necessary skills to plan a learning environment for outdoor learning activities as active learning skills training, where children could act independently, explore, discover and do something focused. It was the goal to increase active learning skills in the development plan of kindergarten for the following period 2016-2021, where children could take an active role especially while being outdoors so that it would change the teachers´ childrens´ and parents´ attitude and healthbehavior to be outside in any weather learning in the real environment, in the outdoor area or elsewhere outside. To strengthen childrens´ health is a field in the Public Health Development Plan of 2009-2020. The wish was according to our development plan to co-operate with other European kindergartens and teachers to learn the way of thinking how to carry out teaching of children through all the senses to experience everything and come into contact with the environmental education, nature, science and technology so that it supports the child´s whole development, physical development and health strengthening as much as the teacher´s.

Project partners (1)