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Summit aims to get kids learning outside

Mar 3, 2017 | 4:00 PM

The traditional classroom is becoming a thing of the past and an event coming to the Battlefords is looking to teach educators how to turn the outdoors into a new learning space. 

At city council Monday it night it was announced North Battleford will host the Early Years Summit in late May. The two-day event will focus on providing early childhood educators with hands-on nature-based materials they can incorporate into their work with young children.

Colleen Sabraw is a partner of the event and is very excited.

“It’s really like bringing the outside inside,” Sabraw said. “Working with different sticks and stones and how we can embrace literature but, bring the outside learning experience into the classroom. Children can learn from natural elements…so children can embrace that learning and how much our environment has to share.”

Sabraw believes a huge part of a child’s learning development comes from simply being a kid and exploring their surroundings. She hopes educators who attend the summit will be able to share the information with parents.

“So many times we are those helicopter parents,” Sabraw said. “We’re not letting our kids go outside as often; we need to be there with them to make sure they’re safe and all of those good things. Part of being a kid is jumping in puddles, crunching on leaves. There is going to be lots of opportunity to see how much nature has for us to learn about.”

Sabraw emphasized learning isn’t just sitting in a desk and watching a teacher write on a chalkboard. She added in a classroom kids may learn with shapes, blocks and colours, but by getting out or bringing nature in they can learn different textures among other things.

The summit isn’t just for educators though; there will be a family event at the river landing on the first night. Families will be able to go on a nature walk and participate in crafts among other engaging activities.    

“Shut the T.V. off, put the phone down and get out and do things with our kids and our families,” Sabraw said. “As educators we are trying to do the same thing. We’re spending so much more time in front of the T.V. or doing other extracurricular things, we forget about the great stuff that’s out there in nature.”

The summit runs from Tuesday, May 23 to Wednesday, May 24. Most of the events will be held at the Western Development Museum but many other locations around the Battlefords will be utilized.

Sabraw said there are 150 spots for educators interested in the conferences and have 90 already filled. The family event on the Tuesday is free and runs from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Anyone wishing to attend the summit, or has additional questions, is urged to contact the Battlefords Early Childhood Intervention Program.

 

Greg.higgins@jpbg.ca

On Twitter @realgreghiggins.