jaydee67
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school goes on the wild sideI have just spent 2 days watching kids take risks outside their comfort zones. I watched 7 children participate, communicate, support each other and encourage each other. Every one of them tried something new and the ones who did best did so because they helped someone less confident to achieve too. The head and I watched with open mouths and sometimes tears as small steps turned into bigger ones and nerves and fears were pushed aside in favour of grins and pride. OK - so standing waist deep in fast flowing burn water is not my idea of how to spend a day usually, but if it got a child further along it was worth it.
The head and I have the philosophy that we can't ask the children to do something that we wouldn't do ourselves - so on the first day we canoed and jumped off rocks into the sea too (but the kids had wetsuits). We have decided to write a special newsletter with photos to show parents what their children achieved with quotes from the kids and a piece outlining the educational benefits. Teamwork, leadership, decision making, target setting, personal achievement, problem solving, citizenship, meeting challenges, etc etc.
The instructor commented on one child in particular who lead well, gave clear instructions and made sure everyone had encouragement or support if needed. This child struggles in school as he has severe dyslexia and will be deferring high school for a year to help him academically, but the past 2 days he has been the star performer. Risk taking is an essential part of education, whether working out a strategy for solving a maths problem or trying out a route for your class to follow up a stream.
The weather was fantastic. A treasure hunt in the woods in the dark ended with small bonfires on the beach reheating sausages and toasting marshmallows before getting ready for bed -they were even too tired for their 'secret midnight feast' (worst kept secret in school!) so they had it for breakfast! 
Day 2 we took them up a rocky burn, they had to climb and slip their way up taking turns to lead the way and guide each other. Rock slides were slid down and pools played in (bit like otters really! lol!) After lunch they jumped in a bog and got really filthy before back in the burn to go a bit further up and clean off in the pools. We visited a newly planted nature reserve and climbed a bit further before turning to make the return journey.
The sea anemone photos were taken on a pontoon on the first day:
Burn photos from day 2:
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