WE
WE TALKED
WE TALKED TO A WOMAN WHO WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HER DESIGN 4@4@ >>> FIRST, A SHIFT IN THE AIR
OF PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS, AS
ADMINISTRATORS WORK TO KEEP THE
AIR CLEAN AND CHILDREN IN CLASS.
IT'S THE CLASSROOMS THAT ARE
CHANGING4@.
>> FROM PLEXIGLASS INDOORS AND
MORE WORK BEING DONE WITH
STUDENTS OUTDOORS4@, IN A TWO-
PART SERIES, WE LOOK INTO
OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS,4@ SAFER
ALTERNATIVES TO BEING INSIDE
INTO CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER.4@4@
HOW TO MAKE THEM WORK IN BOTH
URBAN AND RURAL SETTINGS.
AND, IN MA4@INE'S TRIC4@KY CLIM
WE BEGIN TONIGHT AT A SCHOOL
THAT'S WHEN USING AN OUTDOOR
LEARNING MODEL FOR 10 YEARS4@ .
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I
LIKE TO SHIFT IN OUR LANGUAGE
IS WHAT IS TRADITIONAL.
>> Reporter:4@ AND STIERS FOUND
JUNIPER HILL SCHOOL 10 YEARS AG@
. THERE IS NO OVERSIZED BRICK
BUILDING, NO DESKS, NO LOCKERS
TO SHOVE TEXTBOOKS INTO OUR
EVEN A PLAYGROUND4@ .
>> THESE ARE ALL BUTTERFLIES.4@
>> Reporter: T4@HIS IS NATURE-
BASED LEARNING, THE CLASSROOMS
OF THE WOODS IN THE FIELDS ON
40 ACRES4@4@ 4@.
>> WHEN I THINK ABOUT
TRADITIONAL I THINK SKILLS AND
KNOWLEDGE THAT OF BEEN HERE FOR
LONGER THAN THE WHITE SETTLERS
OF MAINE.
I THINK ABOUT MUCH LONGER THAN
THAT A, TRADITION, COMMUNITY.
THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE,
SO, WHEN4@ WE NOW CALL SCHOOLS
TRADITIONAL, THAT'S QUITE RECEN@
.
>> Reporter: HERE, KIDS ARE
STILL LEARNING READING,
WRITING, MATH AND SCIENCE.
THE BASIC EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM
.
>> THIS LOOKS ON THE LEAVES ON
THE TREES .
>> IT'S A LESSON PLAN THAT
INCORPORATES THE WORLD AROUND
THEM .
>> I UNDERSTAND HOW SPECIAL IT
IS4@ .
>> I DON'T THINK IT WOULD DO
WELL IN A TRADITIONAL4@ SIT AT
DESK INSIDE, NOT FOR OURS, NO
KIDS GET TO PLAY IN PUBLIC
SCHOOL ALSO.
BUT, YES, THIS ENVIRONMENT
SUITS HIM WELL4@.4@4@
>> Reporter: STUDENTS AT
JUNIPER HILL ARE OUTSIDE ON
BEAUTIFUL WARM FALL DAYS, BUT
ALSO IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER,
OR DURING RAIN STORMS.
THE TREES HELP TO SHELTER THE
BOOKS4@ AND THE KIDS ARE DRESSE
FOR THE ELEMENTS.
YES, THERE ARE RISKS THAT COME
WITH THAT.4@
STIERS USES HER SCHOOL TO HELP
TRAIN OTHERS4@.
>>4@ BATHROOMS, SECOND ONLY TO
WHAT DO WE DO IN THE WINTERTIME
? WE LIVE IN A COUNTRY OF
PLENTY, NOT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS@
IT'S NOT JUST ON THE PARENTS,
YOU HAVE TO FIND THE ACCESS
POINTS, IT'S NOT JUST ON THE
SCHOOL, IT'S A COMMUNITY EFFORT
TO FIGURE OUT HOW 4@TO GET THE
CLOTHING OUT THERE IN PLATITUDE
FOR CHILDREN WHO NEED IT.4@
HANDCUFF HER TEACHERS WHO NEED
IT.
>> Reporter: 4@TWO YEARS AGO, S
STARTED HOSTING AND INSTITUTE
FOR TEACHERS ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY, HELPING THEM TO THEIR
TOES INTO OUTDOOR LEARNING4@. S
SAYS THAT 90% OF THOSE WHO COME
UP FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THIS
YEAR, HER FOCUS HAS SHIFTED
EVEN MORE TOWARDS SCHOOLS HERE
IN MAINE .
>> SOME HAVE FOLLOWED UP TO ME
AND THEN GONE TO THE SCHOOL TO
FIGURE OUT WHERE THE
POSSIBILITIES?
SUCK WE USE THIS AS A LEARNING
YEAR.4@
>> Reporter: NINA'S FIRST YEAR @
AS PRINCIPAL, 20 MINUTES DOWN
THE ROAD FROM JUNIPER HILL4@ .
>>4@ THIS SUMMER, SHE SENT TWO
HER TEACHERS TO LEARN FROM THE
INSTITUTE4@ .
>> WE INVITED PARENTS AND
TEACHERS AND ORGANIZED OUR
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PUT
PIECES TOGETHER
>>4@ WHAT ADMINISTRATORS FOUND
THAT PARENTS AND COMMUNITY
MEMBERS WERE HAPPY TO HELP,
PIECING TOGETHER MORE THAN 15
OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS, AND
DONATING RAIN AND SNOW FOR
STUDENTS WHO NEED IT4@4@.
>> Reporter: RIGHT NOW, OUTDOOR
LEARNING I4@S WORKING WELL4@
ADJACENT TO CLASSROOM LEARNING.
THESE STUDENTS ARE IN SCHOOL
FIVE DAYS A WEEK4@ .
>> SO WE ARE LEARNING WHAT IT'S
LIKE FOR KIDS TO BE OUTSIDE
AND, THERE MIGHT4@4@ BE INDIVID
KIDS WHERE IT CAN BE
DISTRACTING.
SO, WE HAVE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS
AND DIFFERENTIATE.
TEACHERS ARE EQUIPPED4@ TO DO
THAT AND HAVE BEEN TRAINED TO
DO THAT.
CURRICULUM WISE A VAST TEACHERS
TO FOCUS ON PROJECT-BASED AND
BRING IN NATURE AS MUCH IS4@
POSSIBLE4@.
>> THE KIDS HAVE MORE OF AN
OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THEIR MASKS
OFF BECAUSE WE KNOW IT'S SAFE
TO BE OUTSIDE.
IT'S REALLY ENGAGING, BEING4@
OUTSIDE ENGAGES ALL THE SENSES.
THE KIDS KIND OF LIGHT UP.
MAYBE YOU CAME OUT TO DO
READING BUT MAYBE THERE'S A 10
MINUTE DETOUR BECAUSE YOU'RE
LOOKING AT THE BALD EAGLE4@ THA
FLEW OVER OR INVESTIGATING THE
CAMOUFLAGE THAT BUGS HAVE AS
THEY CLIMB UP TREES.
>> WHEN YOU'RE INSIDE AND
YOU'RE USING A4@ WORKSHEET TO
4@ DRIVE INSTRUCTION, IT CAN BE
TRICKY.4@4@
BUT, WHEN YOU ARE OUTSIDE AND
THE KIDS ARE INTERESTED IN
SOMETHING THE WALLS ARE TAKEN
DOWN AND USUALLY4@ THERE IS MAJ
INTEREST IN WHAT WE ARE
STUDYING.
YOU CAN HARNESS THE ENTHUSIASM
AND EXCITEMENT AND GO 4@FROM
THERE.
>> HE GOT HIS NEW SHOVEL AND
4@ STARTED TO DIG FOR TREASURE4@
THIS IS WHAT STANDS OUT ABOUT
JUNIPER HILL SCHOOL4@ AND THE
OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS THAT CAME
YEARS 4@BEFORE A PANDEMIC F4@OR
TEACHERS TO GET CREATIVE4@ .
>> THEY HAVE ENGAGED STUDENTS4@
>> DO YOU BELIEVE EVERY SCHOOL
CAN TAKE LESSONS FROM WHAT YOU
ARE DOING HERE X
>> ABSOLUTELY.4@
THAT IS THE HOPE AND THE REASON
THE SCHOOL EXISTED.
WE KNOW WE HAVE TO COLLECTING
COME TOGETHER4@ AROUND HEALTH A
WELL-BEING.
AND, SO, I THINK THAT THIS IS
ONE WAY4@, NOT SAYING IT'S THE
ONLY WAY, AND CERTAINLY PEOPLE4
WILL SAY THAT I TEACH WITH THE
SMARTBOARD AND TECHNOLOGY, BUT
I SAY YOU CAN DO IT ALL, LET'S
FIGURE OUT HOW4@4@ .
>> NOW, GEORGETOWN IS A SMALL
COMMUNITY WITH PLENTY OF NATUR4
AROUND.
SO, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU TAKE
THAT MODEL OF OUTDOOR
CLASSROOMS TO A LARGER CITY
LIKE PORTLAND?
TOMORROW, WE ARE HEADED TO THE
GERALD E TALBOT COMMUNITY
SCHOOL, WHICH IS ALSO BEEN
TAKING NOTES4@. FIND OUT WHAT
MAINE'S LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT
HAS4@ LEARNED IN THE LAST FEW
MONTHS THROUGHOUT HER EDUCATION@
>>> BY THE WAY, ABOUT