Education Outside of Walls

1/19/2018

Susan Tigert

This fall I had the privilege of attending a field trip to Wassaw Island, which is located just off the coast of Savannah. The honors biology group spent the day learning about the natural habitats, the effects of natural disasters, and the importance of protecting what God has provided for us. After the students took a beautiful skiff ride to the island, they spent most of the afternoon exploring the beach area. The students were encouraged to gather evidence of the natural surroundings, and at the end they brought them all together and listened to the guide explain each piece. Being able to see, touch, smell all of these small creations and hear the stories behind each one is an experience that the students will never forget and would never have had simply from a textbook. These types of field trips awaken the senses to new levels and enhance the student’s ability to make meaningful connections with the content, which is our ultimate goal as educators.

“Extensive research on retention indicates that 70 to 90 percent of new learning is forgotten within 18 to 24 hours after the lesson” (Sousa 76); however, if the learning becomes meaningful to the student in ways beyond one dimensional, we will see a significant increase in the retention of learning. Many times education faces limitations because of resources and budget, but we should be working creatively to address those limitations. Whether that is creatively using the immediate surroundings or moving into a virtual world, teachers should make education a journey of discovery for students. No longer should it be simply about memorizing content; the calling should be for students to make meaningful connections to the content presented and how the content impacts and affects the world around them.

Sousa, David. How the Brain Learns. Corwin Press: Thousand Oaks, CA., 2011.

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