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7 | O akville B eaver | T hursday,July 7,2022 insidehalton.com CHOOSE YOUR LIFESTYLE. INDEPENDENT LIVING, SUPPORTIVE LIVING AND SHORT TERM STAYS 1459 NOTTINGHILL GATE OAKVILLE 905-469-3232 DELMANOR.COM As technology advanc- es, it consumes our lives more and more. Spending excessive time indoors and in front of a screen poses long-term threats to our health; it is associated with high blood pressure, anxiety and sleeping disorders. Technology usage has become increasingly com- mon in schools, which fa- cilitates the development of these negative impacts in youth. Fortunately, there is a solution to this -- outdoor classrooms. They provide students with the chance to learn while de- creasing technology usage and encouraging them to develop a relationship with the environment. Many schools have rec- ognized the benefits of add- ing outdoor learning spac- es. Pilgrim Wood Public School is an exceptional ex- ample. Established in 2013, Pilgrim Wood's outdoor classroom has become a great environment for stu- dents to learn and thrive. Sarah Lowes, a French immersion teacher at Pil- grim Wood, hopes that out- door classrooms will be- come a more widespread practice. She developed her interest in outdoor learning during her time at the University of Toronto. "When I was doing my master's degree, I helped start a group that advocated for learning gardens in uni- versities. Once I started teaching at Pilgrim Wood, I had first-hand knowledge of the benefits of outdoor classrooms, so I submitted a proposal to build one here." She has also noticed a significant difference in her students' behavior while spending time outdoors. "The students are al- ways excited to go outside and ask to go into the gar- den, so there's definitely a lot of interest in that re- gard. I find that when they are outside, students with lots of energy can divert it into productive activities." Besides behavioral im- provements, outdoor class- rooms are associated with a myriad of physical and mental health benefits. By spending time outside, stu- dents can get increased vi- tamin D. It also improves eyesight and relieves neck and shoulder tension from looking at computers. Lowes hopes schools will realize there are several ways to fund this type of school project, rather than solely from school budgets. There are many grants available to schools and oth- er ways to raise money or re- ceive in-kind donations. "Pilgrim Wood got sup- port from many grants, such as TD Friends of The Environment and the Hal- ton Learning Foundation. As a school, we also fund our yearly garden expens- es through a fundraiser where we sell compost bags to people in the communi- ty." From raising monarch butterflies to pulling inva- sive species, students enjoy a variety of activities and have a direct impact on re- ducing climate change at their school. Zayd Choud- hary, a Grade 6 student, says the outdoor classroom makes learning more fun. "I really like when Ms. Lowes takes us outside. We'll be learning regular school things, but there's something about going out- side to learn that is so much fun and helps me pay attention" He added that he enjoys all the activities they get to do in the outdoor learning space. "We get to learn about the plants and animals around us, and that leads to a lot of fun hands-on expe- riences. I get to learn more about the environment that I live in, so now I feel like I know a lot more about my surroundings." The feedback from fac- ulty and students shows that the outdoor classroom is a much appreciated space -- it enriches the school experience and pro- vides a break from their usual technology-focused lives. The benefits provided by outdoor learning spaces show the merit of these programs, and makes it clear that similar pro- grams, if implemented elsewhere, have the poten- tial to positively impact our youth and the surrounding community. Talia Choudhary is a Grade 11 intern with the Halton Environmental Network (HEN), working to raise awareness on is- sues affecting our planet. HEN provides climate change education and resources throughout Hal- ton. Learn more at https:// haltonenvironet.ca. OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE OPINION LEARNING OUTDOORS CAN REAP MANY HEALTH BENEFITS, WRITES TALIA CHOUDHARY TALIA CHOUDHARY Column