Some weeks ago, 9 French teachers came to experience the JUMP training course on OUTDOOR EDUCATION.
As we know, Outdoor education has increased in recent years, not only in the EU but worldwide. Our aim is to make teachers from other countries aware of a new teaching method: Outdoor Education through Non-Formal Education.
Teachers are often pessimistic about practicing learning outside the classroom, but what we experienced last week should show our teachers that they can change their minds.
The first part of our course focused on having a theoretical session about the importance of the EU's role today and its policies and trends in education. We went over the definitions of Outdoor Education, all the benefits of teaching and learning outdoors, the differences between Outdoor Education and Environmental Education, and what we mean by Experiential learning. Our main goal was to help participants understand the philosophy of outdoor education:
1. Teaching a commitment to human responsibility for the care of the land, to treat the land and all its resources with respect at all times.
2. Explaining the interrelationship of all facets of the ecosystem: Recognizing the difficulty in making choices relative to ecological matters, and preparing students to choose carefully after weighing the impact of the action on the environment, culture, and humanity.
3. Frame the Human being in the outdoor environment: not only as a natural environment but also as a place of leisure.
4. Understand the concept of Outdoor education as a continual educational experience. It is not just one field trip or one week at outdoor school, but it must be taught at all levels and pursued throughout life.
In the following days, through different activities, creativity, teamwork, and empathy became the keywords to help our teachers connect better not only with the environment but more importantly with themselves.
Some were already well connected with nature, while others had to work harder to overcome some of their fears. The results were utterly positive!
They learned to challenge themselves and appreciate something they thought was worthless.
Coming here to Jump Academy is not only participating in a well-structured training week, but it also means experiencing another culture, and another life, meeting new people, and sharing knowledge and feelings with the team.
So, be ready for the next experience!
Jump Academy is waiting for you!
Written by Roberta Muratore, JUMP Trainer
