Frequently Asked Questions

Today's schools are facing challenges like never before. From budgets that are being slashed to students who just don't care about being in school, many superintendents are finding Outdoor Ed as a class that increases student attendance, improves attitudes and the student's overall view of the importance of school.

Additionally, schools that offer Outdoor Ed classes are learning to incorporate hands on lessons into their curricula that incorporate math, science, technology, reading, writing, art and more into the class and the student doesn't even realize it.

Outdoor Ed provides many students with (what some call) those important "ah-ha" moments when the students actually understands a lesson by doing instead of reading or hearing about it.

Better attendance, better behavior and more interest from their students is the goal of all educators and Outdoor Ed can help in ways that no other class can.

Since funding for schools is based upon attendance and students test scores, educators put their focus on those two points and have precious little time to pursue anything that they don't clearly believe will affect their bottom line (of receiving funding and realizing high test scores).

But with the success that schools are realizing when Outdoor Ed classes are offered, many in education are beginning to rethink the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic. These forward thinking educators see the real value of Outdoor Ed in more than just better grades and attendance but individuals who are better prepared to face the world as adults.

Yes. In fact, there are Outdoor Education opportunities all around us; from the grass roots efforts of conservation groups, to the efforts of those in area churches, the scouting program, Boys and Girls Club, etc. Most organizations are realizing the importance of connecting kids with Nature and have programs that engage young people with the Natural world. Outdoor Education classes are becoming more and more popular and lessons and teaching materials are readily available.

There is a process for getting Outdoor Education approved in your school district. Unfortunately, this takes two real things from a local perspective. First, it takes a Champion (someone who is committed to seeing that the Outdoor Education class is available to students). Hopefully, this person is YOU. The second thing it takes is the approval of your school board and their willingness to add it to the list of classes that are available to students. The key thing to remember is that the wheels of progress in education move very slowly. Be patient but be persistent. Find someone that works in your school system that “cares” about Nature and understands the importance of Outdoor Education. Get this person to help you navigate with local school administrators.

Until the last 30 years or so, most grew up with some form of a connection to the natural world. Before the age of technology, computers and cell phones, young people could be found riding bikes, building forts, exploring areas (of nature) in their neighborhoods.

These experiences in nature provided valuable experiences for those young people; now adults. By playing in nature, children learn real life lessons about life and death, about consequences to their actions, they learn to accept a level of responsibility or pay the price. They learned that you may be able to cheat mother nature for awhile; but in the end, Mother Nature wins every time.

There is no substitute for these experiences and lessons learned in the outdoor world. Technology cannot teach them, stories from others cannot teach them. Those lessons learned "outdoors" are powerful grounding elements for young people.

Experiences in nature can also ignite one's imagination and lead to new technological advances and discoveries.

Simple things like seeing a shooting star, climbing a tree, finding a rabbit hole or a snake skin; or watching the stars and planets on a dark starlit night can all ignite a sense of natural wonder and appreciation.

Young people who are provided an outdoor education are often times more respectful of nature and of each other. They learn the value of teamwork, planning ahead and can also be more empathetic and have a greater sense of seeing the Big Picture and how their actions have an effect on the earth and everything on it.

Young people who are able to connect with nature at an early age report that their most fond memories and valuable lessons were learned while being engaged in outdoor activities.

While there are countless outdoor clubs and niche groups; each providing valuable opportunities and lessons, most are narrowly focused to a particular species or single activity.

The I Support Outdoor Ed campaign encompasses all outdoor activities and we support all groups, clubs, churches and organizations who connect young people to the outdoors.

We believe that the single biggest concern for all groups that participate with youth in outdoor activities is "how do we get kids INTERESTED in this?"

We believe that we have taken "for granted" that young people would continue to want to be outdoors like their parents and grandparents did when they were young.

We see a growing number of young people who just don't care about being outdoors. They feel it's not fun, too much work, too uncomfortable (too hot or too cold), they have no place to go, have little knowledge about how to do outdoor activities and are more easily entertained with technology.

As an easy solution for busy parents who are trying to juggle long hours at work, balance their budget and be an involved parent, many see "technology" as a form of baby sitter. Hence, they provide their children with video games and electronic tools to fill the gap that the outdoors used to play in the parent's lives.

The I Support Outdoor Ed campaign supports ALL groups and programs that actively engage young people with a connection to the natural world. Further, we believe that one objective of the movement is to help make young people "care" about nature. Without a knowledge of something, man is unable to truly care about it. And if people don't care for something, it usually goes away due to lack of understanding, respect and stewardship.