Experiential and Outdoor Education at Aspen Community School

 

 

Looking back on our own education, many of us find that early classroom memories are vague. It is hard to visualize clear images of daily lessons no matter how stimulating they may have been at the time. However, memories of class trips are different. Most of us can remember the sights and experiences of a class trip with more clarity than we can the names of classmates or teachers. These trips were powerful learning tools that helped us place learning in context.

 

Class trips are no less fascinating to students today. As a result, they are powerful tools to help students access, integrate and apply skills and knowledge from a wide array of disciplines. Learning skills necessary for safely experiencing the wilderness, extending the classroom to the scientific, artistic or historic resources of a city, or combining outdoor experiences with local historic or scientific resources are a few examples of time well spent outside of the traditional school walls. By engaging students with exciting, relevant experiences, we teach them that learning begins with each new day, not simply each new school day.

 

There is something every student and every parent should know about experiential education. It is challenging and “difficult” by design. We expect discomfort, we know that social conflicts will arise and we welcome the opportunity to learn form these experiences. Protecting and sheltering students form difficult and challenging experiences deprives them of learning valuable lessons. It is far better for our kids to learn and grow from small mistakes early then to leave them unprepared when really big choices need to be made later.

 

In the past, the overwhelming majority of ACS trips have focused on Outdoor Education. In the future, outdoor experiences will continue to reign supreme due to the incredible lessons to be learned in nature. However we have expanded our vision to include other curriculum-specific experiential trips. These might include navigating the urban wilderness of San Francisco or participating in a service project. Last week the seventh graders went on a hut trip, which focused on leadership skills. The 3-4 trip to Canyon lands focused on the personal and social growth fostered by practicing safe wilderness travel. The K, 1,2 camped away from home, worked together as a group and experienced nature in a safe, controlled environment.

 

As our program continues to evolve the goal remains the same: to connect students with experiences that make learning relevant.