FALMOUTH, Maine — For many teachers, keeping students engaged in a traditional classroom setting can feel like an uphill battle.
As an alternative education teacher through Biddeford Schools, Tabatha Frawkins says she sees this challenge regularly with her students who previously struggled to thrive.
"They just don’t wanna be there; they have so much anxiety… the big classrooms make them feel like they’re not getting what they need,'" Frawkins said.
But thanks to grant funding through the Maine Department of Education, she's seen several of her students come into their own after taking part in outdoor learning programs; and she's not alone. "I thrive also in the outdoors, so it's sort of my happy place," Frawkins said.
Since the pandemic, MaineDOE leaders have been promoting outdoor learning initiatives thanks to federal emergency relief funding. On Wednesday, the department unveiled its newest addition: the Maine Outdoor Learning Pavilion.
Located on Mackworth Island in Falmouth, the covered pavilion will be a permanent space for schools to book out and offer outdoor programming for students.
"The space will have internet and lab tables... we will have ready-to-go educational resources for learning on the island, at all levels," MaineDOE Chief Innovation Officer Page Nichols said. "So we're just really excited for this to be here, long into the future for Maine schools to expand their own outdoor learning."
Educators argue outdoor learning not only helps keep students engaged, but can enhance learning through hands-on activities and experiences to help students connect with their work.
Another draw outdoor learning is to offer a balanced approach to screens, as more technology has entered Maine's classrooms than years prior. "It is one of the only things that allows and causes students to put their phones down," Nichols said.
To book a day at the Maine Outdoor Pavilion, you can visit the MaineDOE Outdoor Learning Initiative webpage.