Some of life’s greatest memories are created in mud — something that Scotch knows well.
As kids, we were encouraged to dig in the dirt, jump in puddles and explore the outdoors to learn about the world around us. At some point, we traded the mud pies for mud wraps in the day spa, but at Scotch College, they celebrate that innate childlike passion we once had and make it the cornerstone of their outdoor education program.
Starting from ELC and going all the way through to senior school, the program ties in with the year level curriculum and teaches the importance of nurturing our environment with excursions, an agricultural farm and remote campus learning, like Goose Island. You read that right — Scotch College has their own agricultural farm on campus and access to an island just off the Yorke Peninsula!
Starting small
The program across the younger year levels is reminiscent of the perfect day out, with days spent searching for shells on the beach, exploring Cleland Wildlife Park and playing at the Woodhouse Activity Centre.
Building up
As the kids grow, so do the connections and learnings outdoors. Camps become a staple for the upper and primary levels where students will learn lifelong lessons about environmental awareness, sustainability and the part they can play in it.
And the lessons continue when the kids come home and everyone is reminded of how tired they can get after a session in the great outdoors!
Going big
For the Senior School students, the journey starts well before students even leave for camp. Scotch is really big on preparing the students in the lead up by teaching them about traditional landowners and their culture, giving them a broader appreciation for the experience as a whole.
This is where the foundational learning translates into life lessons, with the two- week Scotch Odyssey experience in Year 9 considered a rite of passage. They develop practical living skills, like cooking, shopping and planning, which every parent hopes will translate into being more involved at home, domestically speaking.
The Year 10 Goose Island expedition is a highly anticipated experience. Unique to Scotch, you’d be forgiven for mistaking Goose Island Conservation Park for a holiday travel destination rather than a school camp. Here, students don’t just learn about Narungga culture, sustainability and environmental awareness, they
also snorkel, kayak, sail and immerse themselves in the seclusion of the island.
“The outcomes of the outdoor education program include promoting leadership, resilience, stewardship, cultural understanding and independence skills that the students will take with them throughout their lives,” says Rob Stillwell, Head of Outdoor Education. “It aims to teach them how to deal with things when they get hard and how to be a contributing member of a team.”
Our very own Lauren remembers the outdoor experiences at Scotch as some of the best times of her life! She often reminisces about the bonds and friendships she formed during her school days, and how they were made stronger by being pushed outside their comfort zones.
There’s no doubt that education has come a long way and our kids are being exposed to some pretty impressive new ways of learning, but nothing seems to compare to the immersive outdoor program at Scotch College. The only question left to ask is: how can we go back to school again?
