Philadelphia’s Outward Bound School is a weeklong educator expedition program that fosters teamwork and forges stronger community bonds among teachers, writes Carly Sitrin for the Philadelphia Chalkbeat.

The teachers who participate in the program come from schools across Philadelphia, from traditional district classrooms to vocational technical high schools.

The days are reserved for outdoor adventures, such as canoeing on the Delaware River and rock climbing.

Meanwhile, evenings are the time when they reflect and share their insecurities and hopes for the coming school year around a campfire.

During the latest trip, the participants were both students and teachers. They got to lead small group lessons on topics they were passionate about, instructed each other in American sign language, and introduced deep breathing techniques.

They also held education-specific lessons on classroom techniques such as “mutual learning” and “consultancy protocol.”

“We cannot do our work if we don’t have good relationships with one another and good communication with one another, and if we don’t have good communication and relationships with the schools that we support,” said Abigail Gray, deputy chief of school climate and culture of the School District of Philadelphia.

Read more about how the weeklong Outward Bound educator expedition program fosters teamwork and forges stronger community bonds among city teachers in Philadelphia Chalkbeat.

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