Outdoor class reflection

 

I was truly surprised by the structure and content of the class. It was truly eye-opening that a “Math” class could be taught in such a way that was so lively and engaging. I did not realize that seemingly unrelated activities such as sketching items in nature and singing a song can be integrated into the “classroom” in such a meaningful way. I’ve always pictured math class, especially in the university setting, as a place where you sit and learn from a lecturer who is often not really interested in teaching and engaging his/her students. Even the sharing of watermelon in class I feel is an invaluable activity of community building where students and instructors can interact freely and enjoy themselves in a more informal manner. The free-flow structure of having an outdoor classroom and having students move around and become a part of the lesson itself seemed quite foreign to me at first but after experiencing it first hand, it has really resonated with me as a something I could try in my own practice.