Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside incredible educators in our Oke schools. I’ve listened to friends who teach, sharing the highs and lows of their work. And I’ve seen firsthand, as a board member at Papatoetoe East, the enormous pressure being put on teachers from all sides—government policies, overwhelmed school systems, parental expectations, career demands, and, of course, the kids themselves.
Teaching has always been tough, but right now, it feels like we’re asking the impossible.
The Pressure on Our Teachers
It’s no secret that teachers are burning out. A recent study published in the “Journal of School Psychology” found that teacher stress is linked to both poor student outcomes and increased turnover. When teachers are overwhelmed, their ability to provide quality education suffers. And when they leave the profession—something we’re seeing in alarming numbers—it creates a cycle of instability in schools.
Think about what’s being asked of our teachers every day:
- Meet curriculum requirements, often dictated by policymakers who’ve never set foot in a classroom.
- Engage, support, and manage a diverse range of student needs, from neurodiversity to mental health challenges.
- Maintain positive relationships with parents and caregivers, balancing different expectations and demands.
- Keep up with professional development, career progression, and an ever-changing educational landscape.
And then we wonder why so many teachers are exhausted, disillusioned, or leaving altogether.
This isn’t just a ‘teacher problem.’ It’s an education crisis.
How Outdoor Classrooms Can Help
We’ve seen it time and time again: outdoor classrooms don’t just benefit students—they transform the teaching experience. Here’s why:
1. Less Stress, More Joy
Spending time in nature has been proven to lower stress and improve mental health. Research from the “Harvard Graduate School of Education” suggests that outdoor learning reduces anxiety and increases teacher engagement. Simply stepping outside the four walls of a traditional classroom can help educators reset, recharge, and rediscover their passion for teaching.
2. Hands-On, Engaged Learning (for Teachers Too!)
Teaching in an outdoor setting allows for creativity and innovation. Traditional lesson plans can feel restrictive, but when teachers step into an outdoor classroom, they have the freedom to teach in a more hands-on, student-led way. Concepts come to life, learning becomes active, and teachers themselves get to experience the joy of discovery alongside their students.
3. Stronger Teacher-Student Relationships
One of the biggest challenges in education today is behaviour management. When we take learning outside, we often see a shift in student engagement. Kids who struggle in a traditional classroom find new ways to connect with the material. Teachers get to interact with students in a more relaxed, natural setting, strengthening relationships and making classroom management easier when they do go back inside.
4. A Break from the Pressure Cooker
Let’s be honest: schools can feel like pressure cookers. Standardised testing, administrative requirements, and rigid schedules create an environment where both students and teachers feel constantly on edge. Outdoor classrooms provide a necessary escape from this pressure—an opportunity to breathe, reset, and return with a clearer mind.
A Win-Win for Everyone
Outdoor classrooms are a game-changer for tamariki. But if we really want to support education, we need to look beyond the students and start thinking about the wellbeing of our teachers too.
If we want passionate, engaged, and dedicated educators in our schools, we need to create environments that support them. We need to give them the space—literally and figuratively—to reconnect with why they started teaching in the first place.
Outdoor classrooms offer that space. And at Oke, we’re committed to making sure every teacher and every student has access to it.
Join the Movement
If you’re a teacher, we’d love to hear from you—how do you feel about outdoor learning? If you’re a parent or community member, let’s talk about how we can better support the teachers shaping the future of our tamariki.
Drop a comment below, share this with your school, or reach out if you want to get involved.
Let’s give our teachers the tools they need—not just to teach, but to thrive.
Ngā mihi nui,
Paul