Outdoor education and activities at International School Saigon Pearl (ISSP) 

International School Saigon Pearl (ISSP) is one of the prestigious and quality international schools in Ho Chi Minh City that is highly appreciated and trusted by many parents. For more information about the outdoor education as well as outdoor activities at ISSP, please read the article below.

Visit International School Saigon Pearl (ISSP) to learn about and experience the outdoor education as well as outdoor activities for students

Benefits of outdoor education and activities to students

Beside theoretical lectures in class, many international schools in Ho Chi Minh City have been applying outdoor education to their curriculum. These programs bring many benefits to students, which are listed out below.

• • Creating an opportunity for students to learn new things: With outdoor education, students are engaged in play-based learning activities which improve their learning effectiveness. When participating in these activities, students will develop observation and learning skills naturally. Therefore, they will gain knowledge and new things from their surroundings more quickly.
  • Promoting comprehensive physical development in students: Participating in outdoor activities helps students maintain and improve health; develop physical fitness; strengthen muscles, skeletal muscles and immune system; especially reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, etc. Besides, students will have an opportunity to breathe fresh air and get vitamin D from the sun which is beneficial for the development of their skeletal muscles.
  • Developing students’ innovation and creativity: In outdoor education, students will be exposed to the environment and natural species, which promotes their innovation, imagination and creativity. This is the results of a research on the relationship between outdoor activities and positive psychological effects conducted by professors at University of Kansas (US) in 2012.
  • Helping students improve social skills: By taking part in outdoor activities, students will gradually get acquainted with and develop their social skills such as communication, problem solving, teamwork, etc. Children who spend a lot of time outdoors often have many friends and interact with others very well.

Readmore: Preschool and primary school students participate in after school activities at ISSP

Outdoor education and activities at International School Saigon Pearl (ISSP)

International School Saigon Pearl (ISSP) is a high quality international school in Ho Chi Minh City for students from 18 months to 11 years old, located in Binh Thanh District. Belonging to the Cognita with more than 85 member schools worldwide, ISSP is the only international preschool and primary school in Ho Chi Minh City that is fully accredited by both prestigious international education institutions, CIS (Council of International School) and NEASC (New England Association of Schools and Colleges). Currently, ISSP is also an IB school to teach the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP).

At ISSP, in addition to theoretical lectures in class, students can also participate in many outdoor activities organized regularly. These activities are related to many different areas and topics aiming to help students develop physical fitness and social skills comprehensively.

The outdoor education curriculum at ISSP is mainly focused on character and personality development of students and divided into 3 main themes:

• • Metacognition: It helps students think about what they have accomplished and what they can try next time.
  • Resilience: It helps students form a never give up attitude and how to challenge themselves by choice.
  • Agency: It helps students to make decisions, take meaningful and intentional actions.

Readmore: Summer Camp Asia at International School Saigon Pearl (ISSP)

Benefits of ISSP outdoor education to students include the following.

• • It helps students have more time in natural and challenging environments.
  • It provides students many opportunities to develop resilience and well being.
  • It encourages and motivates students to do alternative activities instead of screen time on computers and smartphones.
  • It increases opportunities for students to connect and interact with nature.

Ta Lai field trip for primary students is one of the popular outdoor activities of International Primary School Saigon Pearl. This activity takes place in 3 days for students in Grade 3 and Grade 4 with the specific schedule as follows.

Grade 3

• • Day 1: Teachers and students depart for Ta Lai Adventure Camp. Then, teachers will introduce students to the site and necessary safety skills. The teachers will also disseminate things to prepare for 3 days living in the Longhouse. The next one is lunch time. Then, students will participate in community projects including rice workshop and plantation experience. In the evening, after having dinner and cleaning dishes, students will engage in social developmental activities and get to know each other, and spend time reflecting on everything that happened on the first day at Ta Lai.

• • Day 2: After breakfast, it will be an interesting time for nature jungle hiking. After lunch and rest, there will be sightseeing activities at the Bear Rescue Center Excursion. At the end of the day, students will have dinner and take part in campfire activities and community building.
  • Day 3: After breakfast, students will participate in activities that help them develop gross motor skills, teamwork and cooperation skills. Finally, students and teachers will pack, clean up and arrive back to ISSP, ending the field trip.

Grade 4:

• • Day 1: Similar to Grade 3, students and teachers will depart for Ta Lai, familiarize themselves with a place and learn about necessary safety skills. After lunch time, students will spend time participating in workshop and rice planting. Next, there will be biking activity to local schools and cultural exchanges with local students to learn about their traditional dance. The same as Grade 3, after dinner, students will take part in reflection time to share with others about their fear and expectation on this trip.

• • Day 2: Students will have breakfast and get ready for the day with a low rope course. Next, they will have lunch. After that, there will be Natural Jungle Hiking activities including how to read a map, jungle skills, flora and fauna identification, and insect observation. At the end of the day, students will have dinner and take part in night activities including night walks and star gazing, and talk to others about how they feel about this trip.
  • Day 3: After having breakfast, students will participate in kayaking. Finally, they will pack, clean up and arrive back to ISSP.

The objective of the Ta Lai field trip is to improve and develop leadership, collaboration, skills, knowledge, health and wellbeing, Ecology, conservation and sustainability for students.

Readmore: Useful extracurriculum activities for students – The prominence of international primary schools

International School Saigon Pearl always encourages parents and students to spend time visiting and experiencing outdoor education at ISSP. Parents can book a school tour or contact the ISSP Admissions Office for more information via:

• • Phone number: +84 (028) 2222 7788.
  • Email: admissions@issp.edu.vn.

The above article provides information about the outdoor education and activities of International School Saigon Pearl (ISSP). Hopefully, after reading the article, parents will understand the importance of outdoor education and activities so that they will register for their children to participate soon.