Bringing Learning Outdoors

What better way for a child to learn about the world he lives in than to experience it first hand.

Thus is the belief behind the outdoor classroom which was opened to students on May 15. This project, which has been talked about for years, was personally funded by Bjorn Bakken and Gayle Galletta.

"Where I grew up in Norway much of our learning took place outside," Bakken said. "My wife, Gayle, is all about getting kids into the woods and nature and giving back to the community."

The outdoor classroom is a series of walking trails behind the school. There are also several benches, which Bakken handmade along with the help of several other families including the Danielson family, the Gulcher family, The Andrews family, the Hess family and a variety of other Spring Street School families.

"Back in 1967, when the school was first opened, there was an outdoor classroom," Principal Bryan Mabie said. "There are still remnants from that classroom on site, but it is not useable. We chose to resurrect the concept for the sake of outdoor learning."

The site is expected to be used by all grades. Spring Street houses grades K-4, and many of their science curriculums match an outdoor learning opportunity.

"The first graders study weather, the second graders study bees and flowering plants, the third graders study the life cycle of trees, and the fourth graders study rocks and soil," Mabie said. "There is also the great opportunity for inspiration for a poetry class or a writing group."

Although not the only one in the area, Floral Street and Paton Schools also have outdoor classrooms, Spring Street's is the newest.

"Our hope is that the kids will remember the great times they had outdoors for school and want to replicate that experience," Bakken said.

"So much of learning is observation, and what better way then to observe in an outdoor enviroment," Mabie added.

The trail is a continual work in process, and Bakken is hoping that in the end it will be a full quarter mile of walking trails. There is also some poison ivy on the site currently.

"I took as much of it as I could," Bakken quipped. "But this will be a good visual of what not to touch," he added pointing to the ivy.

Mabie and Bakken would like to go on record thanking the PTO, who was very supportive of this project.

"This is a tight knit community," Mabie said. " We mentioned the desire for an outdoor classroom one day. The PTO happened to be meeting that night and approved it, and the next day Bjorn and his shovel were on my doorstep asking where to start."

The location is one that allows seclusion, but is also near many access points.

"We see kids walking through here, even outside of school time," Bakken said. "We will not stop families from using the trails off of school hours," Mabie added.

"The real reason this exists today, and happened so quickly is because we had a parent who could facilitate it, organize it, do the hard work and follow-through to the end," Mabie said.

The hope is the outdoor classroom will be used by all grades for years to come.

"This is a memorable opportunity to bring classroom work outside. We want the kids to have the opportunity to learn in this environment," Mabie said.