“Outdoor Learning helps me use tools and get used to safety issues.”
“It gives me something to look forward to in school. It helps me concentrate because Monday reminds me that we have Outdoor Learning.”
“The focus goals help me do my work and remember to be respectful.”

These are some of the answers to two questions I asked participants in Outdoor Learning this week. The questions were, “How has Outdoor Learning changed school for you?” and, “Tell me what focus plans do for you.”

Our students have made an excellent start to the program, which is based on the ideology of Hands On Learning.

You will find us in the shipping container behind the PAC on Mondays, discussing focus plans and building things. If we’re not there, we will probably be constructing the veggie patches near the kinder and prep rooms. There are plenty of jobs for us to tool up and create.

A focus plan is a goal students make at improving a range of things, including self-worth, behavior, academic skills or anything to do with improving oneself. They are set for approximately three weeks and are shared with classrooms and teachers with the idea that they transfer to other areas of a student’s life.

The program is designed to give students a place and a space that they call their own, and at the same time, learn how to use tools safely. We are big on using the terminology industries use, with the key idea to equip students with the knowledge and ability to be safe and understand the different acronyms and names that trades use. This helps students that want to go into a trade have a head start with their knowledge and ability to understand safety and tool use.

So far we have managed to make flatpack furniture for the high school, which you can see in the pictures. If you have ever tried to follow flatpack instructions, you will know how well the students have read, interpreted them, and used them to put together the pictured cabinets! They have done very well!

Our latest project has been tidying up the vegetable patch with the idea that we start a new fruit tree and veggie patch area. The pictures show some shots of the before and after we started to clean the area up. Students mentioned that it was hard work but the results are great.

We have learnt how to use hand tools including saws, hammers, jimmy bars, mini sledge hammers, clamps, and T squares. Students have also learnt to use 18 volt power tools including drills and impact drivers. As students learn to use the tools, they go through a safety brief and instructions on how to use every tool.

Our space is a place to build resilience and relationships and gives us skills that can be used in life forever. It has been an amazing experience watching our students develop their skills and abilities both in practical as well as personal realms.