BCS auf der ECIS & ISD Outdoor Learning Konferenz 2025

13th May, 2025

Seven educational teachers from Berlin Cosmopolitan School attend an international training programme

From 8 to 10 May 2025, seven dedicated primary school teachers from the Berlin Cosmopolitan School (BCS) attended the renowned ECIS & ISD Outdoor Learning Conference at the International School of Düsseldorf (ISD). Under the motto ‘Learning Outside the Classroom’, the participants were welcomed into a lively, international learning and teaching community.

A warm welcome and inspiring student tour

Right from the start, we were warmly welcomed – not only by colleagues from all over the world, but also by the ISD students, who proudly and expertly guided us through the diverse outdoor learning spaces. From forest classrooms to the outdoor library, we were able to experience how holistic outdoor learning is implemented in a concrete and sustainable way.

BCS as an active contributor: two workshops from Berlin

We were particularly proud that our school was represented with two workshops:

Yvonne Wende, founder of BCS and school headmaster, gave an impressive presentation on the experiences of six years of outdoor schooling. Her contribution showed how a nature-loving educational programme can be successfully implemented in an urban context.
Katharina Ehrenfried, presented the topic ‘The Neurodivergent Child in the Woods: Therapy or Natural Habitat?’ – a moving and practical contribution that emphasised the power of nature for neurodivergent children.

Cosmopolitanschool Berlin Yvonne Wende im orangefarbenen Anzug präsentiert vor einem Whiteboard und Postern im BCS-Klassenzimmer und zeigt mit einem Marker auf etwas, während ein Publikum während der ECIS ISD Outdoor Learning Conference zusieht. Große Fenster mit Jalousien lassen viel Tageslicht in den Raum.

Cosmopolitanschool Berlin Drei Personen lächeln und posieren für ein Selfie im Freien vor einem ECIS-Banner. Zwei Frauen, eine in einem grünen und eine in einem blauen Hemd, stehen vorne, während ein junger Mann hinter ihnen auf der Outdoor Learning Conference eine spielerische Geste macht.

Diversity of topics and experiences

The conference was packed with instructive workshops, reflections and practical sessions. The highlights included:

The outdoor library: a natural reading landscape with real inspirational potential
Poetry of Nature: creative writing processes in the open air
Insights into the outdoor school in the Himalayas
Mindfulness in Nature: mindfulness exercises in the midst of natural stimuli
The ‘Students’ Voices’ workshop
Practical sessions such as tent building, fire making, carving and outdoor maths lessons

Conclusion: enrichment on all levels

For our team, the conference was a source of inspiration, reflection and encounters. The diverse methods and concepts that we were able to familiarise ourselves with will be incorporated into our daily work at BCS. We would like to thank the organisers – ECIS and ISD – for the excellent organisation and the opportunity to be part of this movement for future-oriented, nature-based learning.

More than ever, we are convinced that open-air learning is not an alternative, but a necessity.

Cosmopolitanschool Berlin Drei Karten mit den Kleinbuchstaben a, b und c aus Naturmaterialien (Steinen und Stöcken) sind an einer Holzwand befestigt. Ein Schild darunter erklärt, dass aus verschiedenen Materialien Buchstaben des Alphabets auf der ISD Outdoor Learning Conference 2025 (ECIS) gebildet werden können.

Cosmopolitanschool Berlin Ein kreisförmiger Sitzbereich im Freien mit hölzernen Baumstümpfen, die um eine zentrale Feuerstelle angeordnet sind, umgeben von Grün und Bäumen, ideal für ECIS- oder ISD-Outdoor-Learning-Konferenzsitzungen in einer schattigen Gartenumgebung.