MFF teamed up with Partners in Education to support their Nature+ Outdoor Education Program, closing literacy gaps for K-12 students and promoting environmental awareness.

PIE Nature+ Literacy Program

In November 2022, MFF proudly contributed $10,000 towards Toledo's Partners In Education (PIE) Nature+ Outdoor Education Program. The program tackles a vital issue of national concern—the desperate national need for early literacy support—while providing children an opportunity to build environmental awareness. The goal is simple: get kids outdoors and immersed in nature while they work to improve their reading skills outside of the classroom.

Addressing America's Early Literacy Crisis

As test scores continue to reveal the effects of the pandemic on academic achievement, educators are grappling with how to close unprecedented learning gaps.

According to a 2022 study conducted by curriculum and assessment group Amplify Learning, more than 1 in 3 children in kindergarten through grade 3 have little chance of reading on grade level by the end of the school year without significant and systemic interventions. Black and Latino students have been especially hard hit, with federal data showing that only 37% of Black 1st graders and 42% of Latino 1st graders are on track in reading.

One major hurdle is the tiered system schools have traditionally used to provide academic intervention. The tiered system relies on the premise that the majority of students will progress with basic instructional support.

Unfortunately, the pandemic left most students without access to quality foundational instruction, leaving more students needing support in core literacy skills than ever before. The Nature+ Outdoor Education Program was created in part to give students additional time to develop those core skills.

How Nature+ Helps Close Early Literacy Gaps

Nature+ Helps Close Literacy Gaps

The Nature+ program seeks to close gaps in early literacy instruction and build a strong foundation for future academic success. Using nature as an immersive classroom setting, Nature+ combines experiential learning with evidence-based instructional methods to supplement K-2 student literacy instruction. This allows instructors to help young learners gain confidence while making meaningful academic progress.

Partners In Education Nature+ Student Literacy

The program is modeled after Nature Based Education and Forest School, two programs designed to expose students to nature and nature-based activities while learning academic skills. The resulting Nature+ program is a child-centered, exploration-based outdoor learning program encouraging students to develop personal, social, and academic skills as they engage with natural spaces outside the standard classroom setting.

In a study published by the U.S. Department of Education, researchers found that students who learn to read in early elementary school will find tremendous success in language arts programs later in their academic careers. Additionally, further research on the impact of outdoor classrooms and other forms of nature-based education supports significant student gains in subjects across the curriculum.

Join the Makulinski Family in Supporting Partners In Education

Partners in Education - Nature+ ProgramWe're proud to be a part of the effort to support programs like Nature+ and provide crucial resources to early elementary students. We invite you to join the Makulinski Family Foundation in supporting PIE's Nature+ Outdoor Education Program and helping close early literacy gaps for K-12 students. For more information, visit the Partner's In Education website and learn how your gift can make a difference.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Article by Amanda Kern (March 2023)