Willow is committed to teaching, learning and living environmental stewardship as part of our private school program. We do this first and foremost by taking the children on many outdoor field trips. These trips help to foster a love of nature and an appreciation for our unique eco-system. And, as we all know, we are motivated to save what we love.
In fact, Willow recently adopted a spoil island in the Indian River Lagoon! We have pledged to remove trash and keep it free of invasive plant species.
As part of our private school learning program, Willow will also use this island as an outdoor classroom to learn more about our local environment, conduct experiments and simply enjoy being on the water! Learn more about the adopt a spoil island program at: Spoil Island Project
In our experiential private school program, children participate in:
- day hikes
- kayak trips
- exploration of our beaches, rivers and woodlands
- three day camping trips
These trips allow students to explore their natural surroundings, learn about ecological concepts and foster an appreciation of the natural world.
Some of the most pressing issues of this century will involve our care for the earth, as we learn to balance environmental protection and economic health with human needs.
And Students in Nature Acheive Higher Test Scores
The American Institutes for Research® conducted a study, which was submitted to the California Department of Education, examining the impact of an outdoor education program. They found that there was:
- a 27% increase in measured mastery of science concepts
- enhanced cooperation
- an improvement in conflict resolution skills
- improvement in self-esteem
- increases in positive environmental behavior
- an increase in problem-solving
- imrpvoed motivation to learn
- better classroom behavior.
To read more about this and other research about the benefits of outdoor education, cick here:childrenandnature.org