Outdoor learning – growing the mindset offers a global perspective on promoting advantage for all children through the use of the outdoors to redress social / emotional vulnerability, particularly with children who are on the autism spectrum. The outdoors provides a range of adapted learning environments for all students to experience success. The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) for Australia and Age Appropriate Pedagogies (AAP) for school age children underpinned our work and is transferrable across different contexts for children of all ages.
Our early childhood and outside school hours centre is fortunate to have an outdoor learning environment complete with mud, moss, roots and rocks where children have a strong sense of ownership, responsibility and connection to the land. (Way, Boland, & McFadden, 2014, p. 27). We share the journey of Belonging, being and becoming (EYLF) in the natural environment which supports respectful co-existence, enhances well-being and encourages wonder and curiosity.
This presentation is a stimulus for pedagogic reform underpinned by Carol Dweck’s Growth Mindset model for building resilience and self-efficacy, to redress some of the challenges facing 21st century learners.