Not Just for Kids

By Gillian Judson

The COVID-19 pandemic caused many changes in education. But the reality is, many of the pivots and restructuring of practices that have occurred during peak viral times will not last. They were expedient changes within untouched structures to minimize viral spread, rather than deeper change that includes transformation of beliefs and values and, ultimately, a re-culturing of education (Fullan, 2016). One such change that occurred during the pandemic was an increased interest in taking learning outside. In my own work with imaginative ecological teaching practices, specifically A Walking Curriculum (AWC) (Judson, 2018), I noticed a marked increase in calls for professional learning, increased resource sales, and over 850 registrants in the 2021 Walking Curriculum 30-Day Challenge. (Compared to 51 registrants in the Spring 2019 challenge). 

Will this interest in imaginative ecological teaching and learning last?