Outdoor classroom example - France

An example of a local small school thinking creatively about teaching and learning, using things of interest in its local environment as tools. Is this a model of how technology can be used as well ?

The cantonal school here in Donzenac, Limousin (France) sends its C1 and C2 classes (ages 7, 8) for a full day once a week to the pony stables at Lavaud. The children are accompanied by two teachers, who design and deliver the curriculum there. Using the farmyard chores and the preparation of horses, and ultimately a ride in the local forest, the teachers cover a syllabus of literacy, science, numeracy, social skills, physical education, sport and community content. The content of the day (which is always Monday) then continues to drive work in the classroom the other days of the week, shaping activities in writing, creative curriculum, numeracy etc.

The classes adopt this format for a six-week cycle. The price per child for the riding is 6 Euros ($7.50/UK£ 5) plus transport provided by the Mairie from its vehicle fleet.

I worked today with Isabelle, the instructress, who has been providing the facility at her stables. She observed that the children grew their skills with the horses (shetlands) but also found that the process of listening, taking instructions, understanding sequences, and obedience were easily mediated and transmitted during the sessions.



The teachers observe that the increasing number of city children arriving in Donzenac as overspill from the nearby city of Brive, with problems of challenging behaviour not normally seen in rural children, are well served by the contact with animals. Processes of compliance and attention which are not well transmitted on the school site, are effectively modelled and internalised through the sense of awe and emotional engagement the children have towards the horses.

Transferring all this to learning technology... this school, through the passion of its teachers and an inspired facility on its doorstep, has been able to use the resources of the farm as a gateway to learning. What matters is not just the quality of the experiences at the stables, but also the blend of active learning with conventional instruction.

In that respect, it's no different to good instruction with IT.