Trailer
School's Out: 5 Years Later
In June 2017, five years after filming the documentary School's Out: Lessons from a Forest Kindergarten, the film crew pays a visit to the public school in Langnau, Switzerland, where the children from the film are now in 5th grade. We invite you to watch the 2.5 minute clip of this fun and heart warming reunion, including observations from the teacher.
School's Out: 5 Years Later from Otis Films on Vimeo.
Quotes
"Every parent and teacher should see this film."
Dr. Marcy Guddemi, Executive Director of the Gesell Institute of Child Development, CT
"thought-provoking"
School Library Journal
"a powerful and beautifully crafted documentary that illuminates who children are, what's important
to them, and what should be important to us as educators."
Salvatore Vascellaro, Graduate Faculty, Bank Street College of Education
"This film has touched me profoundly."
Barbara Stern, Early Childhood Education Consultant
"My children and I were riveted, amused, and entertained."
Jolisa Gracewood, author, editor and book reviewer, New Zealand
"School's Out inspired me to found a forest kindergarten in my public elementary school."
Eliza Hutchinson, kindergarten teacher, VT
"One of the most powerful, paradigm shifting movies for me at this year's festival was School's Out. It dramatically changed what I thought about early childhood education. School's Out has certainly influenced how I will raise my children."
Lisa Tessarowicz, Board President, Rocky Mountain Women's Film Festival
" ... the movie is a provocative jumping-off point for discussion precisely because the schooling it documents seems inconceivable to American parents and educators."
Emily Bazelon, Slate Magazine
"... a really uplifting and inspiring film which challenges us as a society to look at out early education system and to find a way to facilitate this sort of experience for more of our children."
Richard Irvine, Outdoor Learning blog
Press/Media
The Atlantic, Kindergarten, Naturally, September 15, 2016. By Timothy D. Walker. Link to School's Out and mention on how the film has inspired nature programs in schools.
Journal Review, School's Out: Lessons from a Forest Kindergarten, August 18, 2016. By League of Women Voters.
National Geographic, This Is Your Brain on Nature, January 2016 issue, "our" forest kindergarten is mentioned with photograph.
Outdoor Learning, School's Out, blog by Richard Irvine, January 7, 2016. Richard Irvine is a qualified teacher from the UK and passionate advocate of quality outdoor learning.
American RadioWorks, Forest Schools, May 12, 2015 (mention of film at min. 2:30, total 33 minutes).
Emily Hanford visits a school in Quechee, Vermont that introduced a forest day. "Eliza Minnucci got the idea after watching a documentary about a forest school in Switzerland where kids spend all day, every day, out in the woods."
Shorter version:
NPR, Out of the Classroom and Into the Woods, May 26, 2015, (mention of film in 1st minute, total 5 minutes)
KPCW Radio Park City, Utah, This Green Earth, interview for Wild & Scenic Festival Tour, April 14, 2015.
(starts about @ minute 22).
Alternatives Journal, School's Out: Lessons from a Forest Kindergarten, December 12, 2014.
MindShift, Let 'Em Out! The Many Benefits of Outdoor Play in Kindergarten, July 23, 2014.
MassLive.com, Hartsbrook School to Launch Forest Classroom to Integrate Play, Nature and Learning, April 16, 2014.
Slate.com, Into the Woods: American Kids don't know how to explore. Maybe what they need is forest kindergarten, December 3, 2013.
Rustik Magazine, Reuniting Kids With Nature in Forest Kindergartens, August 20, 2013.
GoLocalPRov, A Forest Kindergarten Grows Great Kids, May 29, 2013.
New Haven Independent, Outdoor Kindergarten Proves Not So Scary, March 27, 2013.
