This week on Ecolution, RTÉ's climate podcast for young people, we head to St Patrick's Primary School in Curtlestown, Co Wicklow to visit their outdoor classroom. A place nestled under trees where students connect to nature and even do maths!
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The end of year usually means school trips and sunny sports days, a welcome relief from being stuck in stuffy classrooms. Well, imagine if your school had a way of bringing the outside to you all year long. Earlier this Spring Ecolution went to a school in Wicklow that does just that. St Patrick's Primary School in Curtlestown has a purpose built outdoor classroom, set up by staff and parents post lockdown.
The idea behind creating an outdoor classroom is to create a beautiful, exciting, inspirational outdoor learning area that’s suited to your school. Whatever amount of space you have.
Here, just outside Enniskerry, they found the perfect spot. The morning we visited, the field beside the school was filled with bleating lambs, and birdsong filled the air. We approached a wooden gate which swung back easily to let us in to the large outdoor classroom.
Two whiteboards under covers sit at either end of the space, nestled under trees at the base of a forested slope. Filled with picnic benches, there is space for two whole classes of children to be taught at the same time. All out in the elements and surrounded by nature.
We visited in March and flowers had just begun to bud. But having an outdoor classroom allows the students to chart the passage of nature all throughout the year.
Nature connection is vital, and the main reason the teaching space was built. But the outdoor classroom offers a whole lot more, with Maths, English and History regularly taught outside when the weather allows. One teacher even led a shamanic drumming session in the classroom.
This school is built on community. The creation of this space was a great example of the positive collective action we spoke about in last week's Ecolution.
Not all schools have the space to create an outdoor classroom, but as the students of St Patricks have found, everyone benefits from taking their class outside. We say how much they love what they have, and it’s something that will last long after these kids head off after 6th class.
Ecolution is produced by Nicky Coghlan and presented by Evie Kenny. And, it's not just an audio podcast - check out our panel discussions on the RTÉ Kids Youtube channel.
For more great podcasts for young people visit rte.ie/jrpodcasts!
