Girls' Prep doing education 'Inside Out'

Sometimes the most valuable life lessons are learned outside the traditional classroom setting. Ms Zondo recalls learning under a tree while observing grazers and browsers while she was in primary school. At the time, she had no idea that outdoor education would be a part of her job description at St Stithians College Girls' Preparatory! Her love for Natural Science and Outdoor Education started with wonderment at the marvels of nature. Ms Zondo still fondly remembers her nature hikes and outdoor class excursions, and these were life changing experiences.

Our Junior and Senior outdoor education programmes began with a bang and the girls could not have been more invested in their first lesson. Our Grade 3 and 4 students enjoyed a "Guess the Animal" game, in which they had to use their bodies and senses to create an animal structure that best represented their roaring personalities. Furthermore, our students had a lot of fun making two-dimensional shapes out of natural materials and learned that indigenous people had their own unique approach of learning Mathematics. Grade 5 students explored some beautiful stories about water and spirituality. They also learned about a Chinese rite of passage called ‘water splashing’ whereby the one who gets drenched is ‘The Fortunate One’. Our students in Grades 6 and 7 were fascinated by leadership and team-building games.

Our students continued having a wonderful time learning about the exotic and native trees on campus, particularly at Girls' Preparatory. The medicinal purposes of some succulent plants piqued their interest. The girls were fascinated to learn that our evergreen campus was formerly an exotic forest but has now undergone a change to become entirely covered with indigenous trees. They were enthralled by the simple idea that leaves should not be raked from the yard; instead, they should be left alone to help feed the soil and improve its health. Fallen leaves add an extra layer of organic material above the ground, providing food, shelter, and bedding for a variety of creatures. Most of us only know about vaccinations and injections for animals and humans, but did you know that trees, too, have injections? To learn more about this amazing fact, you will need to ask your daughter for details! At the GP Outdoor Education Station, we pride ourselves on doing girls’ education...inside out!

#PurposeInspired #PassionDriven #StrongerOneAndAll #InspiringExcellence #MakingAWorldOfDifference