HOLLAND, Mich. — As schools prepare for the start of a new school year, one West Michigan school district is adding a new classroom outdoors.
Right now, Black River Public Schools is in the middle of constructing that space.
The outdoor learning space will include places for teachers to teach lessons during classes. It will also have different play areas, like sand and an ephemeral river.
Black River Public Schools Elementary Principal Jim Levering told 13 ON YOUR SIDE this new space is made possible by donations, and collaboration between the school, their elementary parent organization, and Holland's Outdoor Discovery Center.
"This has been about just under a year in the making, in talking to the community and talking to the school and our wonderful community has really come up with helping out with donations to be able to make this happen," said Levering.
Not only will the space be used for lessons, but it can be used to promote collaborative play, which Levering said will help encourage students to work together. Levering said the teamwork will help encourage less competitive play, in turn decreasing behavior issues.
Kindergarten teacher Missy Bayn at Black River Public Schools said she sees the space as an opportunity to give her students hands-on lessons on nature itself.
"I think right away, I think about doing like botany lessons and coming out and getting into the outdoor space where we can learn about plants and what they bring to us and how we take care of them in a kindergarten classroom," said Bayn.
And for teachers, Levering said it's a new way to think about and look at teaching.
"I look at it as a way to evolve their practice that isn't just teaching inside the classroom, they can get outside and sharpen their skills and try new ways of teaching," said Levering.
Another big thing for school administrators was to make sure this space could also be for the community, something Bayn said she appreciates.
When I think about the bigger picture, having this space for the community to come in and be part of our school, not during school hours, is also going to be a really great draw," said Bayn.
School leaders say the space will be ready for the 2024-25 school year with a ribbon cutting expected to happen in mid-August.
How outdoor classrooms impact student learning
Experts tell 13 ON YOUR SIDE outdoor learning has become increasingly popular since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Director of Research for the Children and Nature Network, Dr. Cathy Jordan, said research shows among other things, nature-based learning can help reduce student stress levels, improve brain development, and could help boost attention.
"It's more engaging. They are more attentive. They're better regulated," said Dr. Jordan. "They are just in a better readiness state for learning, and oftentimes when the learning outdoors can be really integrative of natural materials and natural phenomenon, it feels really relevant to kids in a way that sometimes, perhaps more abstract classroom-based work might not."
Dr. Jordan also noted learning in nature can help kids be healthier, happier, smarter, better students and in turn better stewards of the environment.