Outdoor Learning in the the Outer Hebrides
The work of the Outdoor Learning Team in the Outer Hebrides; developing Learning for Sustainability and helping soften the classroom walls
Tim heard about the new mud kitchen and music wall Uig Sgoil Araich have had built for them. Made from pallets and other scavenged materials it gives the young people a great new place to experiment and take part in imaginative play. They were built by Phill who lives in Uig and look fantastic.
Tim is now looking forwards to going over to play.
If you have any great things you would like to share please contact either Tim or Isi.
Scottish Government as part of its educational recovery strategy, and as recognition of the benefits of Outdoor Learning, they have funded the development of two online training courses. The Scottish Advisory Panel for Outdoor Education (SAPOE) worked with Education Officers from Education Scotland to develop the Teaching Learning Outdoors and Supporting Learning Outdoors Courses for teaching staff and support staff.
Teaching Learning Outdoors
The Teaching Learning Outdoors (TLO) course supports teachers to deliver curriculum learning in an outdoor context. During the course there is opportunity to develop an understanding of the benefits of learning outdoors, key resources and policy, and how to access them to enable delivery of high-quality outdoor learning. The course also covers pedagogy and practical solutions for delivering learning outdoors, as well as creating an action plan for applying the new knowledge gained.
The TLO module is available on the Education Scotland Professional Learning and Leadership Platform site: Log In | Education Scotland PLL
To 23 March 2021 nationally 389 modules were in progress and 490 modules completed.
Supporting Learning Outdoors
The Supporting Learning Outdoors course is for anyone who has a role in supporting the delivery of curricular based outdoor learning. Aimed at classroom assistants, volunteers, instructors, third sector and private organisations, or anyone who wants to work in partnerships with schools to deliver meaningful outdoor learning experiences. The course will help participants to gain an understanding of the Curriculum for Excellence, and the framework for delivering this to pupils, as well as providing resources and ideas to assist good partnership working.
To 23 March 2021 nationally 414 courses were in progress and 279 courses completed.
The SLO course is available on the SAPOE web site: Supporting Learning Outdoors.
Further Training and Help
Here is a short video which was made for the Teaching Learning Outdoor webinars showing what Outdoor Learning can be:
SAPOE What is Outdoor Learning – YouTube
If you need more help, advice or training to develop outdoor learning in your school or class Tim and Isi can help
Tha biotas furast gu lèor fhàs anns an gàrradh, agus ‘s e fear dha na glasraich as fhèarr leinn a th’ ann. Tha do 5-gach-latha cudrothmach agus biotas blasta agus math dhut. ‘S urrainn dhuibh an cleachdadh ann am brot, cèicichean, an ròstadh neo fiù ‘s ann an salad. Tha e còrdadh riumsa biatas a chur air forc agus an ithe mar ‘lollipop’.
‘S e glasrach sgoinneil a th’ann airson fàs le clann, oir tha sìol aige mòr agus furast gu leòr a chuir sgàth ‘s nach eil è ro dhuilich airson corragan beaga an togail. Tha e a’ fàs as fhèarr ann am talamh le beagan stuth-mathachaidh troimhe, ach fàsaidh e ceart gu leòr ann an diofar seòrsan de pholl le beagan cuideachadh. Mar eisempleir, ma tha ur talamh ro shearbh, cuiridh beagan aol sin ceart dhuibh. Fàsaidh biotas as fhèarr nuair nach eil e faisg air planntaichean eile, dèan cinnteach gu bheil rùm gu leòr timcheall air gus am fàs e. Chan fheum thu fiù ‘s a chuir dhan an talamh ann an gàrradh, tha e comasach fàs ann an soitheach a choireigin!
Ma tha sibh airson misneachd a thoirt don òigridh a’ tha sibh a cuideachadh sa gharradh, ‘s e biotas deagh thaghadh airson seo a’ dhèanamh. Tha e furast’ gu leòr a’ phlanntadh, agus fàsaidh e a mhòr chuid dhan an tìd’. Bheir e beagan ùine gus am faic sibh e briseadh tron an talamh, ach na gabh dragh oir tha e fhathast a’ fàs ged nach faic sibh e!
Chleachd sinne bucais-uighean. Thagh sinn iad seo gus am b’ urrainn dhuinn am planntadh dhan talamh as deidh druiseag bheag fàs, ach mar nach eil rùm agaibh airson sin a’ dheanamh ni soitheach meadhanach mòr an aon rud. An toiseach feumaidh sibh beagan poll anns gach pìos dhan am bucas. Cuidichidh làmhan beag leis an seo co-dhiù!
Mar a chì thu an seo, tha mìol biotas mòr gu leòr ‘s gun tog nan làmhan beaga iad an airde cuideachd. Feumaidh sibh aon phìos mìol anns gach roinn den bhucas. Cuir gach pìos mìol am meadhan am poll agus brùth sios air le ur chorrag mus cuir sibh poll air a mhullach. Tha sin furast’ gu leòr airson làmhan beaga ur cuideachadh.
Bu chòir don bhiotas ginideachadh ann an ceithir latha deug, agus chì thu duilleagan beag as deigh timcheall air trì latha aig a ‘char as tràithe. Chan fheum thu ach bùrn a chuir air turas neo dhà gach seachdain gus nach fàs iad tioram. Nuair a tha nam biotas a briseadh tron am poll chì thu duilleagan beag purpaidh.
Timcheall air an àm seo, ‘s e dèagh smuain a th’ ann nam biotas a ghluasad gu àite anns a bheil beagan a bharrachd rùm. Mar eisempleir, ma tha beagan gàrradh agaibh, geàrr an airde na bucais-uighean agud cuir iad dhan an talamh ann am plota beag. Mar nach eil comas gàrradh agaibh, nì bucas mor le poll a chùis cuideachd! Brisidh nam bucais-uighean sìos oir tha iad bith-chnàmhach co-dhiù.
Leis an seo deànt, chan fheum sibh ach air burn a chuir air ur biotas bho àm gu àm, agus cumail sùil air mar a tha iad a fàs thairis air ùine.
The team are always interested in new ways of understanding, so when they found this page we felt it was worth sharing. It is a great graphical way of understanding how pandemic works, what this mythical R number is everyone is talking about and to help us see a way forwards.
There is an important message from Jason Leitch the National Clinical Director for the Scottish Government about child care. The message is clear don’t do anything different because children won’t understand but be obsessive about washing your hands.
National Clinical Director @jasonleitch speaks to us about outside play and getting children outdoors as many times as they wish while in an enclosed space 🍃🍂🌦
Check out the video ⬇️⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/ACU6fWl8pu
— ScotGov Childcare (@ELCScotGov) April 29, 2020
The team have been busy outside so we haven’t had much chance to update the blog, so expect a flurry of posts when we get an opportunity.
Isi has found a great resource on the Virtual Hebrides Site
We particularly love bumble bees so the page about them was very useful but the page on wild flowers is also helpful in trying to identify the plants you might find. It is a well researched site and if you are trying to identify things you have found when you are outside in the Hebrides it is worth a visit.
Juliet Robertson makes some great recommendations for being outside with early years and primary school pupils in this video.
The comment we like is ‘weather is an adult’s perception not child’s perception’ (8’50”). From the comfort of your desk it looks like a terrible day but when you are out it is rarely wet all day. Preparing to be outside is the important thing.
Hopefully you find her comments as useful as we did. For more information on Juliet her web site is Creative Star
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