Dr. M David Kurland shares a presentation discussing the many ways in which education is more than the classroom.

1. Education is More Than the Classroom
by Dr. M David Kurland

2. No student ever fell in love with a
classroom. Pupils enjoy the
seasonal decorations and
learning activities, but the school
itself is not particularly exciting.
In fact, as they get older, many
kids start to get bored with
school; some even detest it. That
is the perfect time to take
education beyond the classroom.

3. To be inspired, young minds need
not be constrained within four
walls. There are many other
locales possibly better suited for
educating youthful minds full of
curiosity and creativity. Although
some of the following may be well
established, a friendly reminder
could be helpful.

4. Nature

5. Since the advent of civilization,
humans have turned to nature for
lessons about the world around them
and as a solace to life’s stresses. Every
generation of children is new to the
discovery of a pond’s ecosystem of
frogs, turtles, birds, and reeds.

6. A woodland hike combines physical
activity with exploratory opportunities
to observe the natural world up close.
Through sensory experiences involving
smell, sight, and sound, students begin
to appreciate nature’s simplicity and
complexities in ways they could never
imagine while reading a classroom
textbook.

7. Historic
sites

8. The majority of schools are located
within an hour or two of an historic site
that becomes the perfect location for a
field trip. But rather than making it a
formal study, kids can pack picnic
lunches and dress casually, perhaps
visiting a farm or zoo on the way back
to school.

9. Living history exhibits bring textbook
figures and classroom lectures to life as
actors demonstrate replicas of historic
figures and situations that otherwise
would remain abstract in a classic
academic setting.

10. Business
and
industry

11. Since most students will eventually
grow up and enter the workforce one
day, site visits to business organizations
and industrial sites can be eye-opening
and leave influential impressions.

12. Observing age-appropriate
professional activities, whether factory
food processing or a courtroom hearing
introduces students to future prospects
of professional achievement and career
opportunities.

13. Service
learning

14. Middle schools, high schools, and
colleges are increasingly offering
service learning opportunities that help
integrate students in meaningful ways
with the local community. Similar to an
internship, co-op experience, or
volunteer service, experiential learning
gives students a hands-on opportunity
to learn about an organization or
company close up.

15. From assisting a park ranger in
collecting debris from a metro park to
teaching younger children in lower
grades how to write stories, service
learning helps students to learn about
the world by interacting with it.

16. While everyone can agree that
significant learning continues to take
place in classrooms around the country,
let’s remember there are other ways
that can be as effective, or more so, in
helping students learn important
concepts.