Commentary: Teachers, Take Your Kids Outside

Spending time outside is great for physical and mental wellbeing and Northwest Academy should offer more spaces and opportunities for students to go outside. 

Recently my class requested our teacher take us outside to enjoy the weather while we worked in small groups. When we relocated outside a more positive attitude became instantly apparent, which is crucial for group work. Everyone seemed to be more awake. Even after we returned inside, the mood remained elevated.

Being outside for even a short amount of time can reduce stress and anxiety. In a study by Frontiers in Psychology, 36 people were asked to go outside at least three times each week for 10 minutes or more. They could, for example, take a walk around a park or sit on a bench. Before and after each week they were tested for stress hormones. “Spending time with nature produced a significant drop in the stress hormone cortisol,” the study said. This is important because stress is extremely prevalent in school and work environments. Having the outdoors as a natural stress reliever is a very useful strategy. 

If teachers bring their students outside for even 10 minutes, students will likely be more interactive and engaged. These positive attitudes can contribute to better class discussions and productive group work. Fresh air encourages stronger peer relationships and motivates students to stay off devices. 

“Fresh air is definitely a good thing to keep your brain stimulated and just being able to go outside,” said Aviva Cohen, a freshman. “I think that everybody in class would just be a lot happier, I notice when the sun comes out the smiles come out. If we had class outside people would just be a lot more happy.”

The sun also provides everyone with critical nutrients. Vitamin D is a crucial fuel for bone health and immune function. It assists in fighting off bacteria and also keeping a person’s overall well being stable. This is a pivotal vitamin especially for growing teenagers. Being outdoors is a great way to obtain this vitamin as well as allowing sunlight to get into the classroom. 

UV rays are an extremely effective way to kill bacteria which are prominent in a classroom environment. Opening blinds and allowing light to enter the classroom kills bacteria, improves mood and reduces the stress of the classroom. Being outside is helpful when there is a common cold or sickness going around. This is because there is more open air than a classroom and less close contact.    

Students are prone to getting sidetracked. The space outside the school can become distracting with all that goes on in downtown Portland. This should not prevent teachers from taking their students outside. Teachers should run their outside rules with a three strike system. Each time the class gets distracted by something outdoors one is taken off. Once the class gets to three strikes they have to go back inside and lose their outside privileges for any amount of time the teacher chooses within reason.

Teachers should take more advantage of the outdoors which is a useful natural energy booster. It is proven to be beneficial for both students and teachers’ mood, stress and sleep levels in only favorable ways. “By heading outside and learning in nature, kids improve their emotional, intellectual, and behavioral development,” said Pacific Oaks College. “Outdoor learning helps foster the development of creativity, problem-solving, independence and confidence.”