What's new

This paper asks how the learning space at forest school shapes the experience of children and leaders. It treats that space both as a physical place and as a space where different behaviours are allowed and the national curriculum has less hold. Data came from semi-structured interviews with members of the forest school leaders' community of practice. Leaders described co-creating a learning environment with children in which the lines between classroom and outdoor learning, and between teacher and pupil, are renegotiated.

Why it matters in Aotearoa

EOTC in Aotearoa often changes how teachers and students relate to each other. This paper gives teachers and providers useful language for describing what an outdoor learning space offers beyond a change of scenery, which can help when explaining regular outdoor programmes to colleagues and boards.

Putting it into practice

With your team, name the behaviours and roles you want to look different in your outdoor sessions, such as student choice and shared decisions, and plan deliberately for them.

How strong is the evidence

A qualitative interview study with forest school leaders. The abstract gives no sample size and does not include children's own accounts.

What to read

The discussion of the learning space as both a physical and a metaphorical space.

Who it's for