Experiential Learning is an educational philosophy in which experience is placed at the center of the learning process. Simply put, we learn by doing. Experiential Learning is truly the most natural way to learn. You might not realize it, but ALL of us have learned with this ULTIMATE method at least once in our lives.
You’re Walking, Baby!
When we were babies, did our parents sit us down one day and say, “Today, you are going to learn how to walk.”? No, of course not! We decided when we were ready, and we were actively engaged in the process. When we fell down, our setbacks were supported (Thanks, Mom and Dad!). Some of us kept practicing, while others held onto the coffee table for dear life. But eventually, we all got it, each of us in our own unique, adorable way! And when we did, we had great, big smiles on our faces to show our sense of accomplishment.
Once we took those first few steps, there was no stopping us! We explored inside, outside, and all around the house. We experienced walking on grass for the first time, we encountered hills and we interacted with snow. It all felt soooo good!
And then there was the day when a looming set of stairs stood before us. Some critical thinking had to be done and we were faced with big decisions. Not to worry, we were creative problem-solvers! And when we made it to the top, our parents clapped and said, “You did it!” and we felt proud of ourselves.
There is inherent value in learning from experience. If our parents had used traditional classroom teaching methods instead of the real-world, personalized learning experience described above, the baby versions of us would have missed out on all of the things that make us resilient, life-long learners.
What are the 7 Aspects of Experiential Learning?
Experiential Learning is an immersive experience that not only supports, but elevates the effectiveness of learning.
1. Active Engagement
Building knowledge by doing increases student motivation and participation. Learning is never passive, but always active. There is lots of movement, talking, and playing. Students get first-hand experience with materials.
2. Supported Setbacks
Mistakes are a part of learning. Children learn resiliency; to overcome setbacks and challenges and solve problems as they arise. Outcomes of student work are never predetermined. Mistakes are supported and students are always encouraged to revise and try again. S.T.E.M. and S.T.E.A.M. projects are great ways to facilitate this growth.
3. Customized
When we meet the diverse needs, interests, cultures, goals, and skill levels of our students, they feel safe to allow for self-expression, innovation, and creativity. When materials are provided, there is never an example. Nothing is prescribed and there are no worksheets. Learning experiences are designed around the uniqueness of our students.
4. Student-Driven
When students are provided with choices, they learn to pursue their own areas of interest. Allowing our preschoolers to choose which learning center to go to provides them with independence and responsibility, which leads to confidence and a sense of achievement. When our students choose to work with others it requires communication, time management, and collaboration.
5. Authentic Experiences
Relevant and purposeful experiences create a practical use for subject areas and deepen an understanding of content, leading to higher memory retention. Field trips, guest speakers, and place-based experiences that use location and environment to teach concepts and ideas across the curriculum allow our students to explore, experience, interact, discover, and relate to the content authentically.
6. Real-World Connections
Problem-based experiences that connect to the content and the walls outside of our classroom and our community, strengthen critical thinking and creativity as well as decision-making and problem-solving. When we pose a question to a relatable problem, we often end up with some very innovative answers worthy of a bulletin board display!
7. Reflection
Looking back on the experience promotes emotional growth, a sense of accomplishment, and increases self-esteem. Portfolios are a great way for children of this age to reflect on an experience. A binder full of simple photographs of the child immersed in the experiences along with their words that express a favorite part makes for a lovely keepsake at the end of the school year. A digital slideshow or a class book accomplishes a similar venue for reflection.
Is Experiential Learning Developmentally Appropriate for Preschoolers?
Not only can experiential learning be done in preschool, it absolutely should be done. A child’s growing brain needs to have rich and positive experiences. Did you know that 90% of a child’s development takes place before the age of six? The quality and variety of experiences we expose our children to during these early years determine the child’s physical, emotional, language, cognitive, and social development, and create a lasting impact on the child’s life.
The interdisciplinary nature of most Preschool programs, and the integration of topics, as seen in thematic unit plans, create the perfect platform for Experiential Learning. If you would like to see what such a unit looks like, you can DOWNLOAD MY FREE OCEAN UNIT PLAN RIGHT HERE.
Experiential Learning is perfect for this age of children who are active and naturally curious. Experiential Learning inspires even our youngest students as they figure out how the world works and find their place within it.
Why is Experiential Learning the Ultimate Method to Engage Young Children?
Experiential Learning is an exciting and effective way to transition from traditional preschool classroom teaching methods toward authentic, customized, and exciting learning experiences in the classroom and beyond. Rote memorization, including “letter of the week” and verbally counting to ten, is unnecessary and ineffective. When we focus only on content and not on so-called “soft skills” (such as communication, innovation, motivation, and collaboration), we are doing our students a disservice. It is best practice to expose students to a variety of learning experiences that reach all learning styles and help them to become more confident, passionate, lifelong learners.
More Experiential Learning Ideas
I LOVE sharing my Experiential Learning ideas with you. My first Thematic Unit Plan: Ocean is finally complete and published! It is FREE and links directly to more ready-made lesson plans and learning centers, art projects, and so many more experiential learning resources in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. I can’t wait to help you go from, “What is Experiential Learning?” to “It’s the best!”
