The project aimed to improve school teaching practices through innovative outdoor teaching methods. We wanted to make the lessons more interesting, and linked to real-life situations and opportunities for experiential learning. We wanted to raise the level of motivation of students and to make the knowledge and skills they acquire to have long-lasting value. One of our goals was also to contribute to better learning outcomes. By gradually building on, and introducing outdoor learning we wanted to provide pupils with lessons in a natural environment to help release tension, increase the amount of physical activity, create an inclusive atmosphere, manipulate natural materials and foster a positive attitude and care for the natural environment. During the period of increased concern for one's own well-being (COVID), we wanted to contribute to the physical and mental well-being of all participants in the educational process (pupils and teachers) by increasing the amount of outdoor learning. We wanted for both of them to break out of established practices and t face the new challenges of outdoor learning. The aim was to increase flexibility and openness to new possibilities for teaching and learning.
The "Nature is Nurture" project was an international mobility project for teachers to acquire new skills and knowledge in outdoor education. Our school has the right environmental conditions for outdoor learning in the immediate school surroundings (school grounds and nearby urban block environment) and in the nearby school surroundings (woods, meadows, fields, riversides). So we wanted to know how outdoor learning is approached in different EU countries. We wanted to cover different parts of the EU with mobilities. We wanted to find out how outdoor education is planned and implemented in different countries, given different natural conditions (weather, seasons, urban/rural environment, different age groups in primary school) and other possibilities (material, time, etc.). Based on these findings, we wanted to evaluate and improve our own outdoor teaching methods. We also wanted to make new contacts with EU outdoor educators to exchange and develop good practices and for further joint planning and implementation of international projects. By increasing outdoor learning, we wanted to enable students to develop in a holistic way: intellectually, psychosocially and environmentally (protection and proper use of natural resources).