Experiential Learning
Learning Beyond the Classroom
The engine of authentic learning
We work to bring the world to AFS and bring AFS to the world.
Why Experiential Learning?
Why Experiential Learning?
Experiential Learning at Abington Friends School creates opportunities for intellectual, personal and creative growth through engagement and action.
Rooted in the Quaker belief that experience is a student’s most powerful teacher, our program creates meaningful opportunities for students of all ages to engage with people, places, and ideas. By taking initiative, making choices, and reflecting on outcomes—both successes and mistakes—students deepen their understanding of themselves and the world around them.
From Play to Purpose
Experiential Learning by Division
Go. Do. Be.
Go to new places places: physically, mentally and emotionally.
Do new things: hands-on and minds-on learning.
Be who you are becoming: Take on new roles in your learning.
In our community, experiential learning reflects the core principles of authentic learning:
- inquiry
- collaboration
- ethical responsibility
- critical thinking
It values not just what students learn, but how and why they learn, nurturing curiosity, agency, and a lasting sense of purpose.
When students engage in meaningful, real-world tasks—like service projects, outdoor exploration, campus initiatives, and hands-on problem-solving—they aren’t just learning by doing; they’re connecting knowledge to action in ways that mirror the complexity, relevance, and purpose of life beyond the classroom. These experiences are not supplemental—they are the learning.
