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Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

Kurt Schmidt

Abstract

I was recently asked to express my opinion on the concept of Nature Deficit Disorder for a graduate class, from a classroom teacher's perspective. I was thrilled at the prospect since, in my roles as father, husband, and teacher, people rarely want my opinion on anything. As I thought about it, however, I realized just how important the integration of nature into education is for my students and me. I teach at a small, rural high school in central New York called Cincinnatus Central School. We have UPK-12 in one building with a population of about 700 students. The school is surrounded by rolling hills, farmlands, and river valleys, and our campus abuts the south branch of the Otselic River. I teach Regents Earth Science, Aquatic Biology, and Environmental Science. Given my course load, it would seem obvious to integrate nature into learning, but even if I taught math or English, I believe I would still make use of the outdoors to teach.

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