Enhancing student success in the classroom through nature-based sensory experiences

Abstract

Students who are regulated are students who are “ready to learn”. For children that struggle with sensory processing though, getting to a regulated state can be difficult, making completing student roles hard. Sensory experiences can help offer the input children need in order to reset and prepare for learning in the classroom. The purpose of this Doctoral Capstone Experience (DCE) was to develop an alternative sensory experience for students at Hornet Park Elementary School in order to increase student success in the classroom. This site houses Pre-K through 2nd grade students in the Beech Grove School District. Through the initial needs assessment, it was found that even though the site had previously implemented multiple sensory spaces inside the school, these areas were being under-utilized and not yielding the desired results. An outdoor sensory pathway would provide students with a sensory experience that requires more task demand and distinct sensory input in order to meet the needs of the site and its students. Throughout the DCE, the capstone student worked to implement this outdoor sensory pathway, educated school staff on sensory needs of students, and further developed her own clinical skills in a school-based setting. Overall, the results indicated the outdoor nature-based sensory experience had a positive impact on student classroom success and was well-received by teachers and students. More data needs to be collected over the span of a longer period of time to further assess its impact.