"Getting a breath of fresh air empties your mind, and a walk in the woods provides new inspiration," observes Jonathan Maas in his Ode Magazine article (September 2011), "Take a Hike."
In the article, Sophie Sliepen, a special needs teacher at Fontys University, and a researcher on the impact of nature on children with ADHD, advocates making an outdoor classroom as a standard part of the learning curriculum. "The idea is to get kids outdoors for an activity every day, not just occasionally, and to involve all children, not just those with ADHD.
"Nowadays, many people spend 90 percent of their time indoors. It's hard to get young people away from the screen. They're either racing cars or shooting people. My advice: Go Outside!"
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We are fortunate enough to have an old apple orchard on the property of the church where the center is located. The trees have over grown just enough that the paths through truly look like paths through a dark woods. The children love it and it does give our teachers and children a chance to mentally clear out and regroup. As a classroom teacher, I could not tolerate being indoors all day. I needed to take the children out. Now as a director, I really urge my teachers to go outside for their own sake as well as that of the children.
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