Why Outdoor Education?

Why teach outdoor education on the Missouri Breaks Monument?

Outdoor education is important for many reasons. Learning outside of a traditional classroom caters to learning styles that don’t thrive in that environment. Experiential learning can lead to increased motivation and test scores in students who may have previously felt disillusioned and defeated in the traditional education system. Outdoor education also cultivates improved understanding of natural processes. By seeing nature in action, students can fully grasp concepts that can’t always be fully fleshed out in the classroom. In addition to these academic benefits, outdoor education also promotes attitudes of respect and responsibility in students who are able to connect with the landscape. This is especially important in Montana, instilling a respect and love for land in all kids, even (and especially) those whose parents may not be able to expose their kids to the land through hunting, fishing, or outdoor recreation.

Our first goal is to help kids learn about the natural treasures in their own back yards. That means we’re focused on showing local youth all the incredible resources they have at their disposal on the Missouri Breaks Monument, while also educating them in a variety of subject areas.

Every kid has a right to learn and play on the public land in their area.
Every kid can benefit from learning outside.
It is our responsibility, as friends of the monument, to foster respect and understanding for the monument in Montana’s youth.

We will run self-evaluations after each outdoor education event for at least the first season, evaluating how the lesson went, including: student engagement, anything that went wrong, smoothness of logistics, and feedback received from participating schools, organizations, and teachers.