Rewilding Education

Reclaiming Our Roots in the Classroom

In the age of standardized testing and rigid curriculums, it can feel as though the wildness has been tamed out of education. What if we could reintroduce a natural, untamed aspect to how we teach and learn? What if we looked at education not as a factory system, but as a garden — one that thrives in complexity, unpredictability and, above all, diversity?

“Rewilding” is a term often used in ecological circles to describe the process of restoring natural habitats to their original state, letting nature reclaim what was once lost. What if we applied that idea to the classroom? What if we gave our schools the freedom to grow, adapt, and flourish in the way nature intended?

Just as we can’t predict exactly how a forest will evolve over time, we can’t predict exactly what each child will bring to the classroom. Every learner is a unique ecosystem, shaped by their experiences, their backgrounds, their perspectives. The question is: How do we tend to these ecosystems in ways that honour their complexity, their depth, and their potential? How do we create a learning environment where growth is not just about filling boxes, but about expanding boundaries and embracing the wild, messy, beautiful journey of human development?

The Roots of Rewilding Education

The first step toward rewilding our educational systems is to reconnect with the roots of what education is meant to be. At its core, education is about nurturing the whole person, not only the intellect. It’s about cultivating curiosity, creativity, and compassion.

Today’s education system, however, is often disconnected from the natural rhythms of learning. It’s overly prescriptive, structured, and driven by external metrics of success that don’t always align with the needs of the students. Much like a garden that has been over-fertilized and over-pruned, this system stifles the natural growth of students, leaving them feeling like they don’t belong or worse: like they aren’t enough.

What if we composted the “one-size-fits-all” approach and instead allowed our education systems to breathe? What if we allowed our teachers and students to be themselves — without the constant pressure of standardized tests and arbitrary metrics? We would need to start by creating spaces where learners can reconnect with their innate sense of wonder, where they are encouraged to ask questions, experiment, and make mistakes.

Much like the natural world, where ecosystems thrive through diversity and interconnection, education should not be confined by structures that stifle growth. It should be a space where students — like wildflowers — can bloom in their own time and way, where learning is an organic process, shaped by curiosity and lived experience. So how do we nurture the wildness without losing the plot (of land)?

Nurturing the Wildness: Practical Strategies for Rewilding the Classroom

To truly rewild the classroom is to invite the unpredictable beauty of nature’s wisdom into the heart of our teaching. It means letting go of control, embracing the chaos of growth, and creating an ecosystem where students are not just taught but allowed to bloom in their own time. Rewilding asks us to challenge the rigid structures that stifle creativity, to clear away the barriers that prevent authentic growth, and to nurture the wild, untamed potential in every learner.

Below are some strategies that can hopefully help you transform your classroom into a thriving, living ecosystem of learning:

Embrace the Wildness of Student-Centred Learning

Traditional classrooms often resemble neatly trimmed gardens, where everything is expected to grow according to a schedule. But true learning is untamed — like wildflowers that grow where the wind takes them. To rewild your classroom, centre your students. Allow them the space to chase their curiosities, pose questions that matter to them, and seek answers through exploration. Students should lead their learning with teachers acting as guides, not gatekeepers. Cultivate this wild spirit of autonomy by using project-based learning, inquiry-driven exploration, and collaborative group work. Let them tend their own educational gardens.

Plant the Seeds of Curiosity and Inquiry

A wildflower patch grows best when every plant has room to reach for the sun. In the classroom, that sun is curiosity. Spark students’ curiosity with open-ended questions that invite them to dive deep, to ask “why” and “how,” not just “what.” Encourage them to see challenges as opportunities for exploration. Instead of simply answering questions, let them wrestle with complexity, push boundaries, and uncover knowledge in unexpected places. Cultivate a climate where inquiry is the soil in which all learning grows.

Celebrate Diversity, Just Like a Field of Wildflowers

A true wildflower field is a mosaic of colours, shapes, and sizes — each bloom beautiful in its own way. Similarly, the classroom is enriched by the diversity of its students. Every learner brings something unique to the table, whether it’s their background, learning style, or perspective. In a rewilded classroom, diversity isn’t just acknowledged; it’s celebrated. Offer multiple avenues for students to express their learning — through art, through writing, through film, through movement. Embrace the diversity of strengths and challenges that students bring and create learning experiences that allow every student to shine in their own way.

Create Fluidity, Not Rigid Structure

Wildflowers do not grow in perfect rows; they bloom in the spaces between order and chaos. Rewilding the classroom means moving away from rigid time blocks and structured routines that stifle creativity. This isn’t to say that routines cannot be helpful and supportive — in fact, many of our students require a semblance of structure to thrive, as well — but when we embrace moments of unstructured time as a structure, periods where students can immerse themselves in deep work, creative exploration, or reflective practice, we are keeping the energy and enthusiasm percolating. Allow lessons to evolve organically rather than forcing them into predefined boxes, finding where you can co-create a flow that feels good while also meeting the outcomes. Let your students’ ideas take root and grow without feeling confined by an all-encompassing schedule. There is a balance to every classroom, find yours with your students alongside you.

Nurture Emotional and Social Growth

A wildflower garden thrives best in a healthy ecosystem, where every part of the environment is connected. In the classroom, this means prioritizing emotional and social growth alongside academic learning. To rewild your classroom, build a culture where students are encouraged to share their thoughts, feelings, and ideas openly. Cultivate empathy through restorative practices, peer feedback, and collaborative problem-solving. Create space for students to connect, learn from each other, and grow in their emotional intelligence, so they are prepared to navigate the complexities of the world around them.

Root Students in Nature

Wildflowers thrive in their natural habitat, where they are grounded in the earth. Similarly, we must root our students in the natural world. Take learning outside the classroom walls whenever possible — whether it’s through nature walks, outdoor science lessons, or garden projects. Let students observe the seasons change, plant their own gardens, or create nature journals to capture the wonders of what they discover. Rooting students in the natural world encourages them to see themselves as part of a larger ecosystem, fostering environmental stewardship and a deeper connection to the world around them.

Build a Culture of Collaboration, Not Competition

In a healthy wildflower meadow, every flower contributes to the ecosystem’s balance. In the classroom, this means fostering a collaborative environment rather than one of competition. I have witnessed grown adults turning reading a book or meditation into a social media competition — it never occurs to them that these experiences do not have to be diminished to a “punch card” system for accountability to be present and that people read more than a book a week or meditate more than once a day simply by accident (because they sincerely enjoy reading and meditating). Again, we as adults need to be aware of what we are modelling for students from our own vanity and insecurity. Encourage students to work together, share ideas, and solve problems as a team. Group projects, peer teaching, and shared leadership or mentorship opportunities allow students to take ownership of their learning and create something greater than they could alone. Students learn the value of competing with themselves, not with others. As Erykah Badu told Andre 3000, “You’re only as funky as your last cut.” A rewilded classroom is a space where cooperation, mutual respect, and shared responsibility are the roots of every lesson.

In rewilding the classroom, we are not just creating an environment for students to learn — we are cultivating a place where their imaginations and passions can grow wild and free. A classroom where, like wildflowers, they are encouraged to bloom in their own time, in their own way, and in a space that honours their unique beauty. By implementing these strategies, teachers can create a space where learning flows as naturally as the seasons, where students grow in their own time, at their own pace, and in their own way — just like wildflowers in an open field. Rewilding the classroom isn’t just about teaching — it’s about creating an environment that nurtures the full, authentic growth of every learner.

A Field of Possibilities: The Future of Education

When we rewild education, we create a future where learners can grow and evolve without the constraints of a system that doesn’t fit them. We cultivate a space where every student can find their voice, their purpose, and their power.

This is not a journey toward perfection but toward possibility. Rewilding education is about embracing diversity, not just tolerating it. It’s about seeing each student as a unique part of a larger ecosystem — a system that thrives when every individual is valued, supported, and given the freedom to flourish.

As we rewild our classrooms, we can begin to see the natural beauty in each child, just as we see the beauty in the wildflowers that grow unbidden in the fields. It’s time to let education grow a little wild again — to reclaim what was lost, nurture what is possible, and let the learning begin to bloom in ways we have yet to imagine.

In a rewilded classroom, each student is a seed, each teacher is a gardener, and the lessons learned are the roots that will carry us all into a more compassionate, thriving future. As we embrace the untamed spirit of learning, we plant the seeds of change, nurturing not only minds but hearts, so they may grow towards the light.

A rewilded classroom is not only a place of learning — it is a living, breathing ecosystem where curiosity spreads like roots, ideas bloom untamed, and every student finds the freedom to grow in their own wild and wondrous way.

Stay wild, stay rooted,

Ms. K