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LD 1682, An Act to Create the Maine Experiential Education Program, would be the most cost-effective way to make experiential learning possible throughout Maine and provide a model for the nation.
As a longtime educator who has helped bring the benefits of school gardens and cooking lessons to my students, I’ve seen first hand what many of us know instinctively. Namely, students do better when they can be physically active, particularly when they are outside, in nature. The lessons we provide and the learning standards we aim at come alive when students are out in a school garden. Diagrams of plant parts and insect life cycles don’t hold a candle to experiencing those things.
The curricula connections in school gardens, or on nature trails, extend well beyond science class. Math, language arts, visual arts, social studies — any subject can be made real for students when they are experiencing, moving their bodies and using their hands to learn.
However, making this happen is complex. Most educators know these benefits well but do not have the time or expertise needed to take advantage of them. That’s where LD 1682 comes in.
If Gov. Janet Mills and legislators, like Rep. Ann Matlack who sits on the Appropriations Committee and represents my town, fund this program, (which passed unanimously in the Legislature), then districts throughout Maine could have the capacity to make experiential learning a reality.
Let’s invest in the future, teaching kids real-life skills in ways that they fully embrace.
Lynn Snow
Thomaston
