Into the Woods: My Journey Away from Outdoor Classroom and Toward Learning with and from Outdoor Places

Abstract

This paper reflects my pedagogical shift from what I called an outdoor classroom to learning in the outdoors through an emergent co-constructivist theoretical framework, using a rights-based lens, rooted in the inherent dignity and worth of every individual, that requires listening to young children and actively inviting their perspectives (Blanchet-Cohen & Elliot, 2011). I will be addressing three key shifts in my practice: unlearning the label outdoor classroom (OC), valuing Wolastoqey knowledges, and co-constructing learning. These shifts have pushed me to acknowledge my continued colonialized teaching and generalization of Indigenous knowledge, and how this contributes to the ongoing challenges and violations of the rights of Indigenous peoples.