The highest function of education is to bring about an integrated individual who is capable of dealing with life as a whole.
– Jiddu Krishnamurti

At a groundbreaking ceremony for a new natural outdoor classroom for Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) early education centers, LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho made this statement as part of his remarks:

“Today, we celebrate the new Nature Explore Outdoor Classroom — a vibrant space where students engage in hands-on learning through music, movement, planting, and more. Thanks to the community and voter support, we continue to invest in safe, welcoming, and inspiring learning environments.”

A number of LAUSD ECE centers now have Certified Nature Explore Classrooms, with over 600 around the US and Canada, with many more in progress.

A Report on “Nature Explore Outdoor Classrooms in LAUSD Early Education Centers” written by Samuel Dennis, Jr., University of Wisconsin-Madison, Emma Castiblanco, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Christine Kiewra, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, was based on a series of analyzed focus group interviews.

The report outlines how natural outdoor classrooms support holistic learning by “allowing children to explore and investigate. These experiences support the ‘whole child and all the domains of their cognitive abilities.’ Having the NE classroom allows teachers to accommodate different learning styles (kinesthetic, auditory, etc.)”

Explore powerful ways nature-rich classrooms and experiences support children’s holistic development, and how educators can enhance that learning, in a Nature Explore live online workshop on June 23, “Whole-Child Development.”
Learn more and register.