Take Schools Into Parks!

Kids retain 5 percent of what they hear, 10 percent of what they read, 80 percent of what they do and 90 percent of what they teach. (from the Learning Pyramid) 

I was recently at the Museum of Math in NYC and stopped at an exhibit that illustrated the Pythagorean theorem. Most of us can still rattle off the formula - A² x B² = C² - but I’d never seen it represented in such a practical way. The exhibit set out a series of puzzle pieces and then prompted kids to solve the puzzles to prove the theorem to themselves. It was brilliant.

I think a lot about education, and what works and what doesn’t. There’s a growing awareness that teaching kids facts out of context doesn’t lead to meaningful long term learning. It’s not practical to represent every concept in math - or science, or social studies - in real-life terms. But it does make me wonder why we’re clinging to a system that’s based on memorizing formulas (and facts and dates) when context-based learning has the dual benefits of better concept retention and higher levels of student engagement.

There’s a northern European educational philosophy that promotes outdoor teaching in the early primary years. As of 2017, Germany had approximately 1,500 “waldkitas” (or “forest kindergartens”), based primarily in large parks and spurning toys in favor of rocks, sticks and mud. Even in kindergarten kids learn about foundational concepts in the natural world including basic math and developmental biology, as well as ecosystems, sustainability and climate change. They also learn about safety and rules, but are given age-appropriate freedoms to wander and explore. For most kids, especially boys, waldkitas accommodate the need to run, and jump and fidget in a way that indoor classrooms cannot. There’s evidence that the cognitive and emotional benefits of this type of education are enormous. And before you scoff at the suggestion based on practicalities (like weather!) I should tell you that the model was adopted with great success in several Canadian schools. 

It’s unrealistic to suggest that all U.S. schools undergo a radical conversion to the waldkita model. But for schools struggling with overcrowding and lack of classroom space, moving kindergarten and lower elementary school grades outside to public parks and spaces may both alleviate the crowding AND enhance the teaching at those levels. In addition, many of the core waldkita concepts could be incorporated into other classrooms and extracurricular activities too. Kids are more likely to retain information and to have a deep understanding of its meaning if it is presented in a context that is relevant and concrete, like the pythagorean theorem puzzle set out above. A science unit on climate change is more resonant when it includes a project rooted in the school’s community. And a civics lesson that includes student advocacy on a local issue can create long-term and meaningful community investment and engagement. It’s not hard to think of examples like this. As important, problem-based learning enhances essential skills like critical thinking and creative problem solving that are unlikely to be required in a traditional model principally based on rote memorization. 

The pace of change in the world is accelerating. On average, the amount of human knowledge doubles every thirteen months. There is simply no way that any person can be expected to learn and retain even a fraction of this information. It is more important than ever that students enter the world with the ability to think creatively and communicate, and to interpret, synthesize and effectively apply the data that is presented to them. It’s also imperative that young people feel connected to and engaged with their communities and the broader world around them. It’s time to start asking hard questions about whether our current model serves that need, and how we can improve on it both inside and outside of the classroom.