Bringing the Classroom Outdoors: How Nature-Based Education Improves Student Performance and Resilience with Author David Sobel
Can taking students outside improve academic performance, build resilience, and foster a deeper connection to their communities? According to nationally recognized educator and author David Sobel, the answer is an absolute “yes!”
Environmental nonprofit 400 Trees will host a free community presentation led by Sobel: "Bringing the Classroom Outdoors: How Nature-Based Education Improves Student Performance and Resilience," at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27 at the Annisquam Village Hall, 34 Leonard St., Gloucester.
Sobel, Professor Emeritus in the Education Department at Antioch University New England, is one of the country's leading voices on child development, nature-based learning, and place-based education. For more than 30 years, he has worked with schools, environmental organizations, and the National Park Service to help educators connect classroom learning with the natural and cultural resources found in their own communities.
During the presentation, Sobel will share research and real-world examples demonstrating how place-based education can enhance student achievement while nurturing curiosity, confidence, and resilience. Drawing on successful programs in Vermont and Michigan, he will illustrate how using local neighborhoods, landscapes, and community resources as living classrooms creates richer educational experiences for students of all ages.
Sobel has written ten books and more than 90 articles on children, nature, and education. His books include Beyond Ecophobia, Place-based Education: Connecting Classrooms and Communities, Childhood and Nature: Design Principles for Educators, and Wild Play: Parenting Adventures in the Great Outdoors. In 2007, Edutopia magazine recognized him as one of the nation's "Daring Dozen" educational leaders for his innovative work in education.
This program is part of the ongoing Tree Talks lecture series produced by 400 Trees, a Gloucester-based nonprofit created to engage youth and plant trees. Tree Talks bring local and regional experts together to share knowledge about native trees, plants, and Gloucester’s ecosystem through educational programs. Educators, parents, school leaders, environmental advocates, and anyone interested in strengthening children's connection to nature are encouraged to attend.