The Desert Schools project takes children to learn on the beach. They follow their usual curriculum, but in an outdoor context, using learning and teaching strategies which raise self-esteem and develop confidence, independence, language and communication skills.
For example, the children created boats to carry plastic fish. They had to design, test and evaluate these at the end of the activity. They developed their art skills using twigs, shells and stones to create pictures and patterns. They also developed their speaking and listening skills when we buried a ‘message in a bottle’ and the children had to follow instructions to find it, and then read it and think of what they would write back. Desert Schools programmes have been ongoing at Al Muna School for the past two years involving children from age 5–8.
