Experiential Education
Holy Trinity Episcopal School
Experiential Education
Holy Trinity’s commitment to providing experiential education is based on the belief that children need purposeful direct experiences to reflect upon in order to gain understanding, develop skills, and create knowledge. Our teachers are supported and encouraged to plan and provide engaging and active lessons.
Two specific ways HTES supports experiential education are with our field studies and using our campus as a classroom.
Field Studies
Field studies are what happens when a teacher builds a learning experience around a specific experience designed to reinforce the core concept. Often, this includes taking a field trip as either a way to deepen understanding or as a means to set the stage for an upcoming lesson.
Great field studies include a chance for students to reflect, connect, and apply what they discovered in the experiential phase as a core part of the learning.
Campus as a Classroom
Holy Trinity is blessed with a large campus (about 40+ acres). As such, we use our whole property as a place to explore and discover. With plenty of trees and open field, children can get outside and examine their surroundings while teachers make connections back to the class.
Our most ambitious initiative is the creation of Holy Trinity’s Discovery Farm & Garden in the spring of 2019. While still in the development phase, our plans include growing a fruit tree grove, establishing raised beds to grow vegetables and herbs, raising chickens, and setting up an outdoors learning center.
In addition, we will set up trail cameras so our students can see what visitors are attracted to the farm at night!
Proceeds from our farm will be donated to area food banks as part of our commitment to community outreach.
Other campus as a classroom areas include our butterfly garden and establishing an outdoor weather station.
