Working with Students in Outdoor Education

Are you an educator or mentor looking for ways to improve your teaching approach in outdoor education? If so, this guide is for you! In this blog post, we'll explore various aspects of working with students in an outdoor education setting, with a focus on respecting Indigenous perspectives and teachings.

We'll cover everything from getting to know your students and creating group expectations, to guided and independent practice, differentiated facilitation, and evaluation. But it's not just about the technical aspects of teaching - we'll also dive into the importance of considering your students' backgrounds and experiences, and sparking their interest and love for learning through icebreakers.

One of the most important aspects of teaching is creating a safe and respectful learning environment. We'll provide tips and strategies for achieving this, including providing opportunities for leadership development and encouraging reflection activities to help students connect with themselves, others, and the environment.

Lastly, we'll discuss the importance of personal reflection and feedback for continuous learning and improvement.

So, whether you're an experienced outdoor educator or just starting out, this guide has something for everyone. Let's get started!

Working with others can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience, but it can also be challenging. As mentors, it is our responsibility to create a safe and supportive learning environment that promotes growth and development for all. In particular leading students in an outdoor setting. My personal experience as an outdoor educator adds it’s own flavour to academic frameworks and translates them into actionable steps.

One of the first steps in working with students is getting to know them as individuals. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is a useful framework to keep in mind when considering the needs of your students. Basic physiological needs such as food, water, and shelter must be met before higher-level needs such as belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualization can be addressed. By taking the time to understand each student's background and prior experiences, we can better facilitate their meaningful learning and ensure their needs are being met.

Another important aspect of working with students is setting boundaries and expectations. Briefings can be a useful tool for establishing a framework and communicating non-negotiables to the group. This can include safety concerns as well as cultural values and expectations for care of the environment. By creating a social contract with the group, we can foster a sense of collaboration and ownership among the students.

Trial and error is a key component of learning, and Joplin's and Kolb's learning cycles provide a useful framework for facilitating this process. By encouraging students to take risks and learn from their mistakes, we can promote growth and development. It is also important to allow for independence, following the guidance of Raffan, Dewey, and Wattachow. By recognizing that each student has something unique to contribute, we can create a space that allows for individual growth and development.

Inspiring students and encouraging them to engage with the natural world and Indigenous approaches to life and country is also an important aspect of outdoor education. By helping students connect with the environment and each other, we can foster a sense of belonging and promote personal and collective growth. Reflection is another key component of this process, allowing students to develop themes such as connection to self, others, and the environment.

Finally, it is important to consider the diverse needs of our students and adapt our teaching techniques accordingly. By using a variety of resources and teaching techniques, we can reach as many students as possible and promote learning for all. By keeping these strategies in mind, we can create a supportive and engaging learning environment that fosters growth and development for all students.

This framework is applicable to anyone managing a group dynamic. However this is my experience and hence is directly applicable to people working in the outdoor sector.

Main Takeaways:

1. Get to know your students as individuals and understand their background and experiences.

2. Set boundaries and expectations through briefings and establish a social contract with the group.

3. Encourage trial and error through Joplin's and Kolb's learning cycles and allow for independence and individual growth.

4. Foster a sense of belonging and promote personal and collective growth by helping students connect with the natural world and Indigenous approaches to life.

5. Use reflection to develop themes such as connection to self, others, and the environment.

6. Adapt teaching techniques to meet the diverse needs of students.