The newest classroom at the John M. Marshall Elementary School lacks windows, walls, and even a door, yet students are enjoying it nonetheless. Sound a bit strange?
It's all intentional — it's an outdoor classroom.
"One of the things the pandemic did teach us was that engagement can be just as high learning outdoors as it can be indoors," Karen Kuneth, the school principal, said in an interview late last month. "It's exactly how I pictured it would be."
Students in Elise Thorsen's kindergarten class spent a balmy October afternoon in the outdoor classroom reading the book "Pete the Cat: Too Cool for School" and then drawing pictures of their favorite outfits to wear. The kids sat on a semicircle of benches in every color of the rainbow and used clipboards, pencils, and crayons to make their illustrations. At the front of the "room," there was an easel and paper pad temporarily serving as a whiteboard, to be replaced in the coming days with an actual whiteboard.
Ms. Thorsen said "the wonder in their eyes" was palpable as soon as they saw the new outdoor classroom for the first time.
"Weather and science lessons out here would be amazing," she said. "I'm picturing art and mindfulness lessons — most [subjects] can be taught out here. This space is beautiful, and we're very thankful that this is an option."
Even though the classroom is outdoors, kids are encouraged to use their inside voices because other students are learning in nearby indoor classrooms. Even that became an important lesson for the students to understand.
"There was a little bit of learning how to use the space," Ms. Thorsen said, "and a little more planning and collecting what we needed for the lesson ahead of time, but it wasn't very complicated."
The benefits of outdoor learning are far-reaching, according to the Child Mind Institute, a New York City nonprofit led by doctors that focuses on children's mental health. Spending time outside at school relieves stress and anxiety, boosts their appreciation for and understanding of nature, encourages creativity and imagination, provides opportunities for physical activity, and more. It can be particularly helpful for children with special needs, such as those who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
"Spending time outdoors isn't just enjoyable — it's also necessary," Danielle Cohen wrote for the Child Mind Institute in October 2023. "Many researchers agree that kids who play outside are happier, better at paying attention, and less anxious than kids who spend more time indoors."
The outdoor classroom at John Marshall Elementary, which has a canopy overhead, was built using about $10,000 in donations from the school's PTA. There was also an in-kind donation of a paved concrete surface from Parkline Construction, which recently repaved the school's parking lot.
"It's really the community that was able to make this happen for our students, with their generous donations," Ms. Kuneth said.
Teachers are taking turns using the space, booking time in advance through the administrators. So far, it's working out nicely, the principal said.
What else can be imagined for the space? "It's limitless," Ms. Kuneth said.
Next up for John Marshall is a playground renovation. A committee of teachers, parents, and administrators has been convened to plan out the project.