You may have seen signage around FMS for the 9-12 ‘Going Out’ Taronga Zoo adventure.
‘Going Out’ at Montessori has a very particular meaning. More than just an excursion, Going Out is a significant aspect of learning, leadership, life- skills building for Montessori Primary School students.
What is Going Out?
Imagine that a group of two, three, or four children have been studying something in the classroom. They have exhausted all the resources in the class or school library and are eager to learn more. For example, maybe a couple of students have been interested in mice, so they visit the local pet store to learn about the care of rodents. Students who just researched the Titanic discover an upcoming Titanic exhibition, so they arrange a visit.
At FMS, our 9-12 students have been focusing on classification of animals as part of their Zoology studies. They have been studying how animals can be separated into different groups depending on their different physical traits. They have been looking at the scientific taxonomy of animals, learning about each level of taxonomy and how to create a taxonomical profile of an animal.
The younger children have been examining invertebrates and their different physical characteristics. Students are learning about the evolutionary changes between each group of vertebrates from fish to mammals. They are discovering how animals transport themselves (e.g. walking, swimming, etc), and learning about their body systems such as respiratory, circulatory, and reproductive systems.
To expand their in-class study of animals, the children decided to organise a Going Out activity to Taronga Zoo.
Purposes of Going Out
Going Out meets primary aged children’s need to be social and collaborate.
In preparing a Going Out experience, students work together in an authentic and meaningful way. In the classroom, they share resources, make group decisions, delegate and divide labour. They take responsibility and celebrate each other’s success.
Inevitably conflicts can arise. This is a great and necessary part of collaborative learning. With guidance, children practice respectful problem-solving and group decision making. With all this practice, they are ready to apply these skills outside of the classroom through their “going out” experiences.
Going out trips also require a new level of self-discipline.
Children must make decisions and take action. In order to have a successful outing, they have to organize their thinking, themselves, and each other. They must demonstrate a high level of responsibility, as individuals and also as a group.
Going Out is an opportunity for Montessori primary students to expand their topic knowledge their independence and growing personal capabilities.
Children in this age group crave new opportunities for intellectual stimulation. They are curious to learn more. They want to learn everything and more about the universe, and the universe won’t fit into a classroom!
Below is a reflection by 2 FMS students (aged 10), on their recent ‘Going Out’ trip to Taronga Zoo:
We wanted to go to Taronga Zoo because we wanted to study the animals and expand our studies on animal classification.
When we organised our excursion, we wanted to use public transport instead of private coach because it was an interesting idea and we wanted to show and grow our independence.
We found the appropriate route to take using buses, trains, and ferries. We had to look up times, how many stops we needed to wait for before getting off, and how long each leg of the journey was.
At the Zoo, we went to the Seal Show, the Australian animal enclosure, the Nocturnal Animal exhibit, and the Reptile and Amphibian exhibit. We also went to the capybara enclosure and enjoyed their peaceful nature. We also had a great time in the playground next to the capybaras.
We had a great time at Taronga Zoo!
Capable individuals who enrich our future…
Primary children are capable of so much, physically and mentally. At FMS, we acknowledge their potential and offer keys to help them unlock new experiences and step into the wonderful world beyond school.
To learn more about the unique experiences offered to primary students at FMS, we encourage you to join our upcoming event, Beyond Preschool on June 12th. Click here for more details or to register.
