Core Practice 30 - Promoting Adventure
 A clear expression of Expeditionary Learning's roots in Outward Bound, the spirit and experience of adventure permeates EL schools. It helps to create the student engagement and focus on character that distinguishes the EL experience. Adventure can be any physical, artistic, or intellectual experience that involves risk, challenge, and discovery. Every adventure has a strong element of entering the unknown and not being certain of the outcome. EL promotes the kind of adventures that create opportunities for leadership and collaboration as groups of students and teachers face challenges together. Together, students and adults discover they can do more than they thought was possible, and find aspects of themselves that they didn’t know were there. Reflection is a vital component of such adventures, so that each experience is a rich opportunity for learning about oneself, one’s peers, and the world. Teachers take care when planning adventures to ensure physical and emotional safety as they promote risktaking and courageous action.​

value of Adventure

High quality, out-of-classroom learning influences how children behave and the lifestyle choices they make. The potential for Adventure Wednesday is not just to change individual students lives but the lives of the greater school community.
Exposure and access to nature have a wide range of social, economic, environmental and health benefits. Outdoor recreation provides an opportunity to increase quality of life and heighten social interaction.

Physical activity in the natural environment not only aids an increased life-span, greater well-being, fewer symptoms of depression, lower rates of smoking and substance misuse but also an increased ability to function better at school and at home. There is substantial evidence to suggest that outdoor adventure programs can impact positively on young people's attitudes, beliefs and self-perceptions.
AV-W Adventure Learning Targets
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The Primacy of Self Discovery
  • I can try new things, even if they are hard or scary.
  • I can take risks in a smart and careful way.
The Having of Wonderful Ideas
  • I can find the best way to approach a challenge.
  • I can use natural materials in a creative way.
The Responsibility for Learning
  • I can ask for help when I do not know how to do something.
  • I can keep track of my supplies and equipment and treat them with respect.
Empathy and Caring
  • I can create an environment where I am physically and emotionally safe.
  • I can help others when they struggle.
Success and Failure
  • I can keep trying even if things get hard.
  • I can learn from my experiences.
Collaboration and Competition
  • I can push myself and my crewmates to do their best.
  • I can work with my crewmates to accomplish a goal.
Diversity and Inclusion
  • I can appreciate others who have different talents and skills from mine.
  • I can recognize that everyone has a different background in the outdoors.
The Natural World
  • I can explain how to respect the Earth and practice Leave No Trace.
​Solitude and Reflection
  • I can be still and listen to the world around me.
  • I can express my feelings about nature and adventure.
Service and Compassion
  • I can help and support my crewmates on challenging adventures.
  • I can find ways to serve my crewmates on adventures.

Outcomes
Independence, confidence, self-esteem, focus of control, self-efficacy, personal effectiveness and coping strategies. Interpersonal and social skills, such as social effectiveness, communication skills, group cohesion and teamwork!