Management Tips
Urban Puddle Jumpers
Top 10 Suggestions to Managing Nature Experiences:
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Always take a cell phone with you. I have arranged it with my principal and secretary that I will call them for assistance or for bathroom breaks.
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Stop at the school washroom before going outside and have everyone go. Once the students run around outside for five minutes, they suddenly need to use the washroom.
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Have a “Stop and Come” signal. Mine is a loud gym whistle. We practice running around and returning to me a lot before we do free exploration times.
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Have a backpack, bag or wagon always packed with a few supplies. I carry a small first aid kit and hand wipes for “just in case” situations. I also carry brown paper bags, empty egg cartons, or baskets for treasures.
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Keep boots and spare socks in your classroom for yourself and the kids. I pick up socks at Value Village or Costco. Parents are asked to wash and return.
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Go over expectations in the classroom, in the hallway and again outside, especially when you are starting with a new group of students. If there are sticks to be explored, teach students how they are allowed to use them.
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Tell parents what you are doing. They may not expect their child to engage in learning outdoors during instructional hours. Explain how outdoor experiences help with a child's social development and that it links to curriculum. Many parents just want to know what their child is experiencing at school.
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Make sure every child has a set of spare clothes. I encourage gum boots to be brought to school, and sometimes ask for donations of boots, coats, mittens and snowsuits.
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Don’t be afraid to get dirty. This goes for students and teachers. I find that my students have been told so often to stay clean, that they don’t want to be dirty. They can change into spare clothes when they come in, or stay muddy. Mud will not kill them.
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Teach the students how to get dressed for outdoors. Do not think they will be ready in 2 minutes. They need time to get dressed and I always encourage friends to help with zippers, mittens, hats and more. It really fosters cooperation and community building.
Parent Letters and Communication
Links below are to parent communication letters that I send home before I start taking the children outside.The general "Parent Information" letter provides some information about why we go outside and what we will be doing. I also send home a "Reminder" notice a couple of days before we do our first outside exploration on the field. The "Social Media" permission form is so that we can tweet or share online some of of our explorations and discoveries. This has been approved by my administration, and I would caution anyone to check with their administration and school board policy before using social media with young students. When the weather turns wet and cold here, I send home a letter asking parents to help their students make proper outdoor clothing choices, and to remind parents to label outerwear.
(If you do not have Muddy Buddies)
(If you do have Muddy Buddies)
(Thank you to Michelle Hiebert.)