Embedded Opportunities
Field Practice: Creating Embedded Opportunities
In addition to explicitly teaching students social and emotional skills, RELCs provide opportunities for students to practice these skills through program design and instructional practices that are known to support student SEL.
Student Voice, Choice, and Responsibility
Responsibility and choice refers to the degree to which educators allow students to make responsible decisions about their learning (Yoder, 2014). In a RELC setting, this can include giving students choices of topics, activities, locations visited, or pace of travel and instruction. It often includes opportunities for students to lead learning activities, participate more actively in discussions, design their own learning projects, explore topics that interest them, and generally be active participants in the educational experience.
Additionally, many RELCs offer students opportunities to explore or study natural objects and phenomena that are interesting to them. While desired learning outcomes and program design elements are typically determined in advance, most RELCs use a student-centered approach in which students provide meaningful input into group norms as well as the learning process and content. RELCs also hold students responsible for their decisions.
What does the field instructor do to give students voice, choice,
and responsibility, and how does this support the practice of social and emotional skills?
Create a learning environment where students provide meaningful input to craft the expectations and group norms.
Use broad questions with many acceptable responses, which provides an opportunity for students to share their perspectives and ideas, and to practice perspective-taking and empathy.
Allow students authentic input and agency in their learning environment, which fosters skills of individual and group goal-setting. Student perspectives and preferences often differ within field groups, which provides students with important opportunities to make collaborative decisions. This requires effective communication, social engagement, perspective-taking, and teamwork.
Hold students accountable for their own decisions regarding comfort and personal needs, such as arriving in the morning prepared with the necessary equipment for a day on the trail. This requires students to practice skills such as analyzing situations, evaluating alternatives, and reflecting on consequences.
Empower students to follow their own curiosities and develop their own learning goals, which can be a conduit for students to recognize their own strengths and build self-confidence.
Clearly explain to students when they have a choice and what their options are. For example, students may participate in a “challenge by choice” activity like a high ropes course element, in which instructors clearly explain that students can choose to go as high as they like and can come down at any time. Field instructors often walk a fine balance between giving students autonomy to make their own choices, while at the same time encouraging students to step out of their comfort zone and challenge themselves appropriately.
Example from the Field: Student Choice and Responsibility at NatureBridge
At NatureBridge, educators empower students to make decisions that shape their experience. Educators set goals and plan programs based on the requests of visiting teachers and on what they determine a group of students will most benefit from. This flexibility leaves room for student input over the course of a program, ranging from when a group takes breaks to which route they will take to arrive at their destination to which natural phenomena they will investigate.
NatureBridge educators encourage students to explore the national park settings in which their programs take place, and they use this exploration as a springboard for education and personal growth. Students interact with the park in a self-driven way, and educators encourage them to make observations and ask questions about the natural world around them during this exploration. This sparks curiosity and often leads to questions that drive science investigations, a core part of NatureBridge programming. Student-driven exploration also allows students to practice responsible independence, as they think critically about their actions and make decisions about their own safety and that of others. In this way, educators empower students to take responsibility for their own learning about nature, one another, and themselves.
Challenge
Along with safety, connectedness, support, and engagement, challenge is a condition of a learning environment that supports student learning and growth (Johnson et al., 2009). Students benefit when educators have high expectations of all students. Challenges provide opportunities for students to take risks, persist through failure, and both learn and grow from the experience. RELCs offer numerous opportunities for students to grapple with a variety of challenges—physical, academic, social, and emotional. It is critical, though, that students face challenges of the right level. Too easy hinders growth; too difficult leads to frustration and loss of motivation. Field instructors can employ practices that set the right level of challenge for students and support them along the way.
What can the field instructor do to appropriately challenge students,
and how does this support the practice of social and emotional skills?
Support students through challenges by offering instructional scaffolding—support and guidance that matches students’ ability to succeed. As students work through challenges, field instructors reduce scaffolding, allowing students to practice autonomy, and build self-confidence and self-efficacy.
Precede a challenging activity or experience with a discussion about comfort zones. This sets students up to assess their emotions in the challenging situation.
Provide a variety of challenges for students. While some will find a long hike to be difficult, others will struggle with a science investigation, and others still will find quiet time to work on an art project to be a challenge. Experiencing this and discussing the challenges gives opportunity for students to identify their own strengths, develop new skills and ways of being, and practice empathy for their teammates.
Encourage students to support one another through challenges, and model this behavior. By working together and encouraging one another to success, students build relationships and practice teamwork.
Example from the Field: Challenge by Choice at Sierra Nevada Journeys
Most of the schools that attend Sierra Nevada Journeys (SNJ) Overnight Outdoor Learning choose team-building and/or the challenge course for a portion of their trip to SNJ’s Grizzly Creek Ranch campus to support student bonding and leadership growth. When facilitating, SNJ’s instructor staff utilize Challenge by Choice philosophy and Comfort Zone discussions in the introduction of challenge course work for each small group to enable chosen physical, mental, and emotional boundaries for each individual participant.
Challenge by Choice is defined by most of our facilitators as “each person choosing their own level of challenge in the low or high ropes course element they are faced with.” We ensure that students, adult chaperones, and teachers honor each other’s choices throughout this process. Every participant is encouraged, but never forced, to reach a goal that they set for themselves on the challenges. We emphasize “comparing themselves to themselves and not others” when discussing comfort zones, stretch zones, and panic zones. Stretch zones occur when students create space for growth while still taking care of themselves mentally, physically, and emotionally. The encouragement continues with words of affirmation from the team members before, during, and after the participant states their intended goal.
The experience on the challenge course and during team building creates an atmosphere of autonomy over one’s body and mind, sometimes for the very first time in a student’s life. When our instructors introduce Challenge by Choice and Comfort Zones, we are also introducing the idea of ownership of emotions and sharing those emotions with others. The Challenge by Choice philosophy and the challenge course, in general, are extensions of the other choices that students are given at SNJ. This emphasis on choice and autonomy allows students to practice regulating their own emotions and experience natural consequences to develop a deep sense of responsible decision-making.
Discussion and Collaborative Learning
Learning is a social activity, and discussions support students’ understanding of content and key ideas (Alexander, 2005; Cazden, 2001; Driver, 1989; Lemke, 1990; Rogoff, 1998). Discussions also offer important opportunities for SEL. As students track the thread of a discussion and hear their peers contribute, they can practice key skills like active listening and perspective-taking. As students decide when to participate in the discussion themselves, they develop self-regulation and an awareness of the participation and dynamics of the whole group. When students share their own ideas, they practice self-expression and self-awareness. They also get the validation of sharing their ideas and life experiences, and seeing these contribute to the learning of the whole group; this can support their sense of self-worth. Discussions also support collaborative problem-solving, a key means of developing social and emotional skills (Darling-Hammond et al., 2019). RELC field instructors and program leaders can support SEL by intentionally designing student learning experiences to include opportunities for discussion and collaborative problem-solving.
How can field instructors structure discussions to
best support students’ success and social emotional learning?
Equity and Inclusion Connection: The Value of Broad Questions and Discussion
In their activity Worm Explorations, the BEETLES Project writes: “Many students (and adults) view science as a collection of facts to memorize. But science is a way of knowing and a process for thinking and learning, not just a body of knowledge. In organizations that teach science, broad questions (questions that have multiple possible responses, like “How might earthworms protect themselves?”) are key to making science experiences more equitable and inclusive. Focusing on memorization or recall of facts tends to invite one “right” answer, while broad questions welcome diverse perspectives and differing ideas. When science learning focuses on memorizing definitions or recalling facts, students who struggle with those skills may think of themselves as ‘not good at science,’ even if they are great at creative thinking, observations, asking questions, or collaboration—all essential skills in science. Recognizing and valuing these existing skills in students builds their identities as science learners.” The same is often true for other academic topics and disciplines.
For examples of broad questions, see the BEETLES activity Walk and Talk
1. Use Broad Questions
Using broad questions—e.g., those with many acceptable responses, like, “What are some ways that your family enjoys the outdoors?” as opposed to a narrow question, like, “What kind of plant is this?”—to begin discussions is a key piece of successfully supporting SEL in discussions. Since there are many possible responses to a broad question, students are encouraged to share their perspectives and ideas, and get the opportunity to hear each others’ ideas and perspectives.
2. Include Pair Talk
Pair talk (also known as “pair share” or “turn and talk”) is the practice of having students share ideas, observations, or responses to questions with a partner prior to engaging in a large group discussion. Including pair talk along with large group discussion is a key strategy for leading inclusive and equitable discussions. Research shows that pair talk increases the number of students who participate in discussions and deepens student understanding of key topics and ideas. When students talk in pairs, they are able to discuss and share their ideas in a low-stakes context, rehearse these ideas, and build skills for participating in larger discussions. Pair talk is especially beneficial for English Language Learners and students who need processing time. Pair talk sets up an environment where students are able to reap the SEL benefits of discussions by increasing the number of voices and perspectives that students hear.
Learning to Lead Discussions
It takes work and practice to learn how to lead discussions with students. The more field instructors work on their discussion-leading skills, the more they’ll be able to encourage equitable participation in discussions, make space for students’ ideas and perspectives to emerge, and support students’ SEL development. Here are two tools that can help build discussion skills:
3. Offer Group Agreements
Introducing a few group agreements specifically geared toward discussions can scaffold the skills students need to successfully participate and can support equitable participation in discussion. Specifically, agreements like “Share and ask for evidence” or “Build on others’ ideas” offer tools students can use throughout a discussion that also connect to SEL skills. Agreements like “Take space, make space” or “Permission to pause” promote equitable and inclusive discussions that engage students in the act of supporting the participation of every member of the group.
Check out the BEETLES activity Group Agreements for Science Discussions for a framework on introducing and using discussion agreements with students (coming soon).
4. Facilitate Actively and Thoughtfully
While group agreements are an important part of giving students tools for participating in discussions, the instructor must also play an active role in facilitating equitable discussions that bring forward students’ voices and perspectives. Instructors can practice discussion skills and pay attention to the identities of the students they call on with an eye toward mitigating unconscious bias. Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain by Zaretta Hammond includes information and guided reflection strategies to grow in this area.
Example from the Field: Science Discussions at The BEETLES Project
The BEETLES Project creates tools for outdoor educators and programs. In the activity Bark Beetle Exploration, students explored and observed bark beetle galleries (tunnels excavated in trees and branches as small beetles eat through wood), working in pairs to find patterns among the shapes the beetles left behind. Students then crafted explanations of how certain beetle gallery shapes (like a tunnel that grew bigger) corresponded with specific beetle behaviors (like growing and getting bigger), first in pairs and then in discussion with the whole group. Students then looked for evidence and discussed how the presence of bark beetles carving tunnels might impact the trees. The activity culminated in an extended whole-group discussion about how to manage the impacts of bark beetle “outbreaks” (instances where bark beetles cause mass die-offs of trees) on forests. Students debated different possible approaches, listened to each others’ perspectives, practiced sharing and asking for evidence, and strove to balance their participation. They also learned and applied content related to mitigating human impacts on ecosystems, interactions between organisms and the environment, and patterns across ecosystems.
Students participated in several other activities during that day of field teaching, all of which included ample time for discussion and collaborative learning. At the end of the day, when BEETLES staff asked students to reflect on what behaviors had helped them to learn, students shared how much of their learning had emerged from hearing ideas from their peers in discussion, from having the chance to discuss ideas in pairs and small groups, from talking through their own ideas as they shared them out loud, and from working together as a team. When asked about the skills students felt they improved on throughout the experience, students shared that they felt they improved their observation and listening skills, got better at participating in science discussions, practiced considering others’ perspectives, and had the opportunity to practice working together as a team.
This example demonstrates how including consistent opportunities for discussion in field learning experiences supports students’ SEL growth, and how this approach also develops students’ SEL skills at the same time as they deepen their understanding of key science concepts and ideas.
Reflection
Practice of social and emotional skills should be accompanied by reflection, a metacognitive action performed in order to process an experience and learn from it (Dewey, 1933). Learning and development are influenced by experiences and how they are processed, not simply by what students are taught (Blyth, 2018). Building opportunities and time for reflection into a learning experience requires students to slow down and take a moment to think about what is happening or has happened, what impacts the event might have, and how they can apply learnings in a future situation. RELC field instructors can build such opportunities for reflection, both at the individual and the group level, throughout a program.
What does the field instructor do to create opportunities for student reflection,
and how does this support the practice of social and emotional skills?
Facilitate a group debrief at the end of an activity that asks students to discuss what they learned, the skills they practiced, and how they might apply those skills in future situations. The questions a field instructor asks in this debrief may depend on their learning goals for the activity. See this debrief resource for ideas.
Guide students, as a group or individually, to identify the emotions they are feeling at any moment and connect those emotions to the current activity or experience.
Create a silent walk, where students are spaced apart from one another and have an opportunity, either guided by a prompt at the beginning or a set of prompts along the way, that helps them to process their experience, their emotions, and their surroundings.
Lead students through journaling activities where they can reflect on the experience, set goals, or make connections to their personal lives.
Example from the Field: Formative Assessment & Reflection at Wolf Ridge
At Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center, we work to provide many opportunities for educators and students to have check-ins during the learning experience through various formative assessment routines. Formative assessment includes a range of formal and informal assessments conducted during the learning experience in order to help educators modify lessons for the benefit of student learning, as well as to make learning visible to students. Along with enriching field instructors’ understanding of what students have learned, these routines allow students the opportunity to see all they have learned and accomplished, and the ways they have grown. Making learning visible to students helps to develop a strong sense of self-efficacy and confidence in skill development and knowledge-building.
We conducted a program evaluation of the informal formative assessments that could benefit learning and compiled over 35 formative assessment routines and discussion and questioning routines to embed in lessons. These assessments come from various sources, including BEETLES and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). Exemplar techniques include:
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Wait Time: A discussion routine that allows enough time after a question is posed to ensure multiple voices have the opportunity to contribute to the discussion.
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Think, Puzzle, Explore: A way to frame the class with what students already know, what they would like to know, and how they might explore it throughout class, which gives students the opportunity to design their own investigation and feel empowered to explore.
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I Notice, I Wonder, It Reminds Me Of…: A routine to build metacognition in learners as they practice how to think when they are outdoors, observing, or in a new place, allowing them to develop self-awareness throughout learning.
Example from the Field: Closing Circles at Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont
At the end of the experience at Tremont, a closing circle is facilitated. Within these closing circles, Tremont staff pose reflection prompts for students and adults (co-teachers) alike to make meaning out of their experience and offer ways to apply that meaning going forward. In these closing circles, it is routine for teachers to verbalize how they see the students as so much more than just math learners, for example. These closing circles offer a space to evaluate and reflect on how relationships may be changed and/or developed over the week. As classroom identities break down over the stay at Tremont, the closing circles help to solidify that experience in order to bring it back home.
Student-Centered / Minds-On
Student-centered teaching practices focus on “minds-on” learning, with multiple opportunities for students to think through ideas, figure things out, solve problems, and work as individuals and in collaboration with their peers. This is an active and engaged learning process, as opposed to an instructor-centered approach, where students tend to listen to lectures and take on a more passive role. Participating in “minds-on” learning experiences also supports students’ SEL growth. As students engage their brains in the “productive struggle” of developing new conceptual understandings, they build resilience in the face of challenge and can practice key skills of self-management or seeking support. Not only can these new skills become key habits of mind that students can use in other learning experiences, but when paired with reflection, the experience of developing these new skills can also bolster students’ identities as learners, supporting their self-awareness and self-confidence.
How can field instructors set up student-centered,
minds-on experiences to best support students’ success and SEL?
1. Be a “guide on the side”
“Minds-on” learning happens when students get the opportunity to develop their understanding of key concepts through making observations, engaging in discussion, and processing the content themselves. A lecture-based teaching approach doesn’t give students the opportunities to engage directly in the process of learning, which means they don’t reap the benefits of the SEL opportunities. When an instructor is a “guide on the side,” they see learning as a collaborative process between student and teacher, where they are a facilitator of knowledge and not a “sage on the stage” who just focuses on explaining ideas to students.
2. Create opportunities for students to figure things out
When students get opportunities to observe their environment and figure things out on their own, they practice critical thinking skills and SEL skills. For example, a group of students working together to study the distribution of plants on a hillside, then attempting to explain why certain plants grow better in some areas rather than others would need to apply a range of skills. These might include making observations as they study the landscape, self-regulation as they encounter “productive struggle” in trying to learn and apply new ideas, critical thinking as they analyze patterns, and perspective-taking as they listen to ideas from their peers. Intentionally planning opportunities for students to try to figure things out ensures that they have opportunities to reap the SEL benefits of “minds-on” learning.
Tools
These resources from BEETLES are relevant to both Being a Guide on the Side and Letting Students Figure Things Out:
- Questioning Strategies (webpage)
- Broad Questions (pdf)
- BFF Questions (pdf)
- Goals and Prompts for Encouraging Exploration’ (pdf)
- Student Activities (webpage)
3. Design experiences based on the Learning Cycle
The Learning Cycle is a research-based model that can be used to design curriculum and lessons grounded in research on how people learn. Specifically, the sequence of the experience design allows for students to develop understandings incrementally throughout the experience, and includes time for reflection and making connections to prior knowledge. Using the Learning Cycle to design student experiences is another way to focus on minds-on, student-centered teaching approaches that support SEL growth.
Tools
These resources from BEETLES are relevant to the Learning Cycle:
Inquiry-based learning
Simply put, inquiry-based learning teaches science by having students do science. Inquiry instruction engages students in the process of science by asking them to develop their own questions and then attempt to answer them by gathering evidence, or data. This type of learning leverages students’ curiosity and teaches the process and content of science by engaging students in science practices, and/or by undertaking a scientific investigation of their own making. An inquiry approach is also an effective pedagogy in disciplines other than science—it’s all about posing questions and then attempting to answer them with robust evidence.
The process of inquiry-based learning requires students to employ a variety of SEL competencies such as goal-setting, communication, identifying, evaluating, and solving problems, and reflection. Working in collaborative small groups for inquiry projects fosters additional competencies related to social awareness, relationship skills, and self-management. Completing a scientific investigation from start to end is a laudable accomplishment, and it is common for students to feel a sense of pride and increased self-efficacy after presenting their work to peers and mentors.
What does the field instructor do to create opportunities for inquiry-based learning,
and how does this support the practice of social and emotional skills?
When engaging in inquiry instruction, students often develop their research questions from observations they have made about the environment around them. Field instructors can guide students as they work in small groups to refine their questions, develop field methods, collect and analyze data, draw conclusions, and finally present their findings to peers, teachers, and field instructors.
Provide students with opportunities to reflect on their inquiry process, share their findings, and where possible, develop actionable solutions to problems. Oftentimes in inquiry instruction, the richest learning comes from students better understanding the scientific process and what distinguishes science as an empirical way of knowing. This learning and meta-thinking occurs most commonly after students have had a chance to reflect on the process and evaluate the efficacy of their work, typically as they prepare to share and answer questions about their work. Taking this even a step further, when students use the findings to generate actionable solutions, they become empowered.
