Fresh air, new perspectives – the benefits of outdoor classrooms

Have you ever found yourself at your desk, longing to step outside and feel the breeze on your face? Getting fresh air is one of the easiest ways to boost your energy, generate new ideas and improve your overall mood. So if this idea works for adults at work, why can’t it work for students at school? At one Collierville school, it now does! 

Using funding from CEF and our generous sponsors (listed below!), Collierville Elementary School recently installed six double-milled benches, an outdoor chalkboard and planted two locally sourced trees in a new outdoor classroom. These materials, granted to school counselor Thomas Stafford, created a learning space that any teacher can reserve to switch up the pace and scenery. 

An outdoor classroom is much more than a way to get outdoors – it’s a data-backed resource that supports a range of positive student outcomes. Here are a few reasons why grants like these are important. 

Improved attitude and behavior

When children get bored with the same routine or scenery, it's common for them to get antsy or act out. Introducing a new environment, such as an outdoor classroom, helps improve focus and excites students to learn! Studies have shown that outdoor learning leads to better focus and longer retention time. Outdoor learning has also been shown to decrease symptoms of ADHD and stress levels. 

Strengthened mental health outcomes

The goal of the outdoor classroom is twofold – it boosts student achievement by increasing healthy engagement and promoting the students' well-being. The mental health benefits of outdoor learning align with the CS2030 Strategic Plan's Life Ready focus area. 

Being outdoors in nature has many proven mental health and wellness benefits. When you spend time outside, serotonin is released in your brain, and your amygdala calms down, reducing cortisol levels. This ties in perfectly with the objective of creating a school environment that supports students’ emotional well-being and fosters a culture of connection and trust. The outdoor classroom gives students the opportunity to move, go outside and learn in an environment that promotes their overall well-being. When students feel better, they learn better. 

Access for all students

Every student at Collierville Elementary benefits from the outdoor classroom, and the space can accommodate any teacher for any lesson. The classroom will last for a decade or longer with proper care and minimal maintenance. CES currently has around 750 students and adds a new class of around 110 students each year. So, over the next 10 years, around 1,800 students will have the opportunity to attend a lesson in the outdoor learning space.

You can support incredible projects like outdoor classrooms by donating to our teacher grant fund! Visit our Facebook and Instagram pages to see CEF grants in action. 

Grants like this are made possible through the generosity of our sponsors! A special thanks to our sponsors who contribute $5,000 or more annually.

President's Circle:

• BankTennessee

• IMC Logistics

• John Green & Company REALTORS^®

• Landers Ford – Kent Ritchey

• Orgill

• Town of Collierville

Benefactors:

• Boyle

• Crews Development

• Magnolia Homes

• Southern Security

Innovators:

• A-Team Roofing

• Choate’s

• Maximus Building Supply

• Patriot Bank

• Patriot Bank Mortgage

• Republic Roofing & Restoration

In Kind:

• Central Church

• Collierville Police Department

• Obsidian Public Relations