Oh my goodness, what a program! When I first heard of The Walking Classroom, I was instantly curious. Once I researched the program and then acquired a class set, I became nervous that I would have to find additional ways to motivate my students to participate in nature walks, podcasts and discussions. Boy, was I wrong!
Students constantly ask, “Are we doing Walking Classroom today?!” If I miss a day of Walking Classroom in our schedule, the kids huff and puff! They enjoy our nature walks while we listen to the podcasts.
It’s been quite the struggle this year, being hybrid and having two groups and departmentalized, but Walking Classroom has really sparked motivation into the lives of these kiddos! I love how the podcasts are standards-based and contribute to our discussions and lessons throughout our units!
In one of the homeroom classes I teach, the students are always asking if they can have a “choice day” where they can choose their own podcast and share it with the class. So, in addition to learning through listening and exercise, they also have learned to absorb the information and share it with their peers. The Walking Classroom has truly transformed how we learn!
Kaila Zielenski
Fifth Grade Teacher
Roger Bell New Tech Academy
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