New Mexico Environmental Education hopes to get children learning outdoors.
The non-profit organization hosts its second annual Outdoor Learning Week, September 26-October 1.
Allison Martin, one of the program’s developers, said the goal is to get teachers and organizations to take their students outside and learn.
“We really want teachers to not just go outside, but bring the curriculum outside, connect the content areas, make it part of the teaching approach,” Martin said.
Teachers can download activities and programs directly from the EENM website, and incentives are also offered to schools to participate in the program.
Outdoor learning is statewide and everyone is eligible to participate. Organizations can connect through social media by tagging EENM to promote the program and allow others to see it in action.
EENM has a network of nearly 200 outdoor and environmental learning organizations and connects thousands of teachers and professionals, according to Martin.
“Our primary role is to connect community voices to environmental education…we host symposia and promote outdoor and environmental learning in a variety of ways.” said Martin.
EENM’s outdoor learning program has secured a proclamation from Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to promote the importance of getting kids outdoors.
Martin added that this year, EENM is adding a Virtual Teacher Symposium at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, September 27 and Thursday, September 29 at 4 p.m.
“Hopefully with these conversations, with people seeing kids on the outside, with these connections, we’re going to develop more opportunities,” Martin said.
Although teachers come to the EENM website for activities, Martin said arrangements and permission forms are established within the administration of each respective school that chooses to participate.
Visit eenm.org/week for more information or to register.