British Columbia is home to beautiful landscapes, fresh air, and a fairly moderate climate. Yet at a young age, we find ourselves accustomed to living the better part of our lives indoors, away from the sights and sounds of nature.

A partnership between Simon Fraser University, School District 42 (Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows) and several other community groups in the area are looking to change this. The project, called the Environmental School, has been in the works since 2008, and recently expanded from K-Grade 7 to include high school students all the way up to Grade 12.

At this public school there are no classrooms – students take all of their classes outdoors. Lessons here are learned from surroundings, through a concept called “place-based” learning.

Documentary filmmaker Craig Cerhit was skeptical when he first enrolled his son Nate in the kindergarten program. Nate is now in Grade 4, and Cerhit is such a firm believer in the benefits of taking education outdoors, that he has spent the last two years documenting the daily lives of the staff and students for his film Found in the Forest.

The fact that there are no desks or chairs means that students have to squat or sit on uneven surfaces, inviting them to use their bodies in new ways when working on assignments. Fundamental movement skills, which so many children lack, are easily incorporated on a hike through the woods. Fort building, a common activity at the school, develops raising and lowering skills and fine motor skills.

While place-based education may not be suitable for all school districts, it offers inspiration to educators and parents who may be struggling with technology-focused curriculums, or schools that are cutting back on PE and recess. Taking lessons outdoors, having recess in the rain and offering opportunities to explore the natural world during field trips are all ways for educators to reimagine their classrooms.

By letting education spill outside, parents and educators can open their minds to the possibility that physical literacy is best discovered outdoors (and in a gymnastics gym too, of course!).

Learn more:
"Lessons outside and recess in the rain, outdoor schools help kids' physical literacy" - The Star
Watch Craig Cerhit’s TedTalk at TEDxSFU