What is the Green Learning learning methodology?
At Fontenebro International School, we firmly believe in a transformative education that connects students with the world around them. One of our most innovative pedagogical bets is the implementation of the Green Learning methodology, an approach that promotes learning through direct contact with nature and fosters the integral development of the child.
The Green Learning methodology originated in the Nordic countries and has been spreading throughout the world as an educational alternative that responds to the needs of the 21st century. It is based on the idea that natural environments offer richer, more real and meaningful learning experiences, helping students to develop not only knowledge, but also social-emotional skills, autonomy, creativity and ecological awareness.
At our school, this educational model is integrated within our global project as a key tool to form responsible, committed and respectful citizens with the environment.
Outdoor learning beyond the classroom
At Fontenebro International School, located in Moralzarzal, we are aware that the classroom is not the only place to learn, so we are committed to outdoor learning that goes far beyond an occasional outing. Through our Green Learning philosophy, we have integrated nature as a continuous and structural educational space.
As an Eco-school in Moralzarzal, we take advantage of the rich natural environment of the Sierra de Guadarrama for our students to experience, observe, investigate and learn in direct contact with the flora, fauna and elements of the landscape. This approach not only favors cognitive learning, but also physical, emotional and social development, especially in the Infant and Primary Education stages.
Students go outside as part of their school routine, not as an exception. Thus, nature becomes a living classroom where every season of the year, every weather phenomenon and every spontaneous discovery is a learning opportunity.
Natural resources as a learning method
The Green Learning methodology focuses on the use of natural resources as learning tools. Stones, leaves, sticks, water, mud or insects are not simply part of the landscape, but didactic materials with which children build knowledge.
This way of learning stimulates curiosity and awakens the capacity for observation and analysis. By manipulating real elements, children develop fine and gross motor skills, improve coordination, learn to solve problems and work in teams.
In addition, the natural environment poses spontaneous situations that encourage decision-making, risk management, critical thinking and creativity. For example, building a shelter with branches teaches basic principles of physics, cooperation and design, all in a playful and meaningful context.
Environmental education from an early age
One of the pillars of our Green Learning project is environmental education from an early age. From kindergarten, children begin to become aware of the importance of caring for the planet, not through abstract theories, but through real experiences lived in nature.
Seeing a plant grow, following the trail of an animal, understanding how a cloud is formed or how the landscape changes with the seasons, are experiences that generate a deep emotional bond with the natural environment. This bond is the foundation on which a true ecological attitude is built.
In addition, by living in frequent contact with the natural environment, children develop values such as empathy, respect for life, patience and responsibility. At Fontenebro International School we believe that these values are essential not only to form good students, but also good citizens.
Practical learning
The Green Learning method is based on practical and experiential learning. As opposed to traditional methods based on memorization and the transmission of content, this approach proposes that the knowledge and skills acquired in the classroom should be acquired in a practical and experiential way.
Children not only hear or read about the water cycle, they experience it by watching the clouds, feeling the rain, seeing the puddles, and following the course of a stream. They not only learn that a tree has roots, trunk and leaves, but they explore, draw and investigate them.
This way of learning makes it possible to integrate different areas of the curriculum -science, mathematics, language, art, psychomotor skills- in a cross-cutting and meaningful way. Nature becomes a living laboratory where each experience is transformed into a lasting lesson.
Advantages of the Grene Learning method
Implementing the Grene Learning methodology in a private school in the Sierra de Madrid such as Fontenebro International School offers numerous advantages for the overall development of the students.
First of all, it improves the physical and mental health of the children. Contact with nature reduces stress, promotes concentration, improves mood and strengthens the immune system. It also encourages physical exercise in a natural and fun way.
Secondly, it enhances emotional and social development. Students learn to cooperate, communicate, resolve conflicts and manage emotions in an environment that allows them to express themselves freely.
Third, it develops key competencies such as autonomy, resilience, creativity and critical thinking. Students are confronted with real challenges that require immediate solutions, which stimulates their capacity for initiative and prepares them for the real world.
Finally, this educational approach promotes deeper, lasting and motivating learning. Children learn because they want to, because they live it, feel it and enjoy it.
Fontenebro International School, qualified as an EcoSchool in Madrid
At Fontenebro International School, we are proud to have been recognized as an EcoSchool in Madrid, a distinction that accredits our commitment to sustainability and environmental education. This recognition is not only a seal of quality, but a declaration of principles that guides all our educational activity.
Being an EcoSchool means integrating sustainability into all aspects of the school: from resource management to the curriculum, including the active participation of students in ecological projects. Our educational community works together to reduce environmental impact, encourage responsible habits and promote a sustainable way of life.
The Green Learning program is an essential part of this commitment. By educating from nature and for nature, we teach our students to value, respect and protect the environment. We give them the tools to be agents of change and builders of a better future.
As a pioneer school in the implementation of this methodology in the Sierra de Madrid, we remain committed to an innovative education, sensitive and connected to reality. An education that, like nature, grows from the roots and flourishes strongly.
