Most educational programs in the (western) world take place inside the walls of a classroom or other training spaces. Why? Because it's considered more convenient and controlled. Why would anyone bother to spend (perhaps more) time to prepare delivering or facilitating an amazing, meaningful lesson or training session outdoors, if they can stay in their indoor comfort zone? 👉 Well, because the value of partially or fully taking the learning outdoors can be huge for the learners and for the skillset of the teacher/trainer/facilitator! A distinction should be made regarding the options for learning using the outdoors: 🌳 1) Having a lesson outside a classroom instead of inside 🌳 2) Mixing elements of the outdoors in a lesson 🌳 3) Using the outdoors fully as the learning space In the images, I present the 3 options and my personal opinion on them.

"We had fun!" Most of the times, when reflecting with learners about the benefits of experiential learning activities, this is one of their first responses. What exactly do they mean by "fun"? There's a misconception out there that if learning is "fun" then it's probably not serious enough - WRONG! Schools, in particular, ought to be the "best party in town"!

One of the problems with present-day educational practices that still reflect 18th century principles, is that young learners have "lessons" in school, when the more accurate description would be that they have "planned periods of their precious time where they feel incredibly disinterested and demotivated". How can an event in our life be considered a "lesson" if it does not move us - mentally, emotionally, physically, and/or socially - especially when we are referring to instructional periods in school?! Anyone who remembers meaningful experiences of their life has gained "lessons" from those experiences, exactly because they were moving and memorable, and it is easier for them to explain what was the point of those experiences. In the example I give in this post's images, the theater performance the students watched was an impactful experience (I was there to witness it), therefore a good lesson for them.

📣 I invite you to create your own drawing/graphic representation of why you are involved in Education and share it with us! The photo is my own simple drawing-response to this question. Education (e.g. in the form of designing and delivering experiential training courses, supporting learners in regular or alternative school programs, teaching Psychology lessons) might become part of a Counseling Psychologist's life. I believe it would be wonderful if ALL people that work in education did so for this kind of reasons - creativity, growth, meaningful exchange, give and take of ideas and resources, mutual challenges, fun, good colleagues to work with, flexibility and practicing patience, before any other reasons.

I hold progressive values about what should be the role of Education. This post highlights what has inspired these values in me and how I act on them. References I make: 🔥 "Dead Poets Society", one of the best films of all time, starring the legendary Robin Williams. 🔥 New Modern Apprenticeship in the Republic of Cyprus, as referenced in the European Commission publication (pages 75-79): https://www.salto-youth.net/downloads/4-17-3266/OnTrack.pdf 🔥 The late Sir Ken Robinson, a leading figure in transforming education https://www.facebook.com/SirKenRobinson 🔥 Rob Houben, an educational expert https://robhouben.com 🔥 HundrED, an organization specialized in K-12 education innovation https://hundred.org/ ❓ Why are YOU involved in Education ❓