Inspiring Stories

Middle & High School

Using the outdoors is achievable for any K12 classroom teacher. Emily Delfosse, Mesabi East HS science teacher, uses the outdoors as a way to refocus attention. “My favorite way to utilize the outdoors is everyday use. I once had two sections of 7th grade - one right after lunch and one at the very end of the day. Going outside transformed those wild children. Group discussions outside with squirrely 7th graders was so much more productive than sitting in desks for another 45-minutes. If their focus was just lacking, being outside for 5 minutes recharged them. I keep a handy list of short games or activities. Doing these outside can really change the momentum of classes. My go-to management strategy is offering to take a brain break outside. That’s a tool every teacher needs.”