Abstract
What is known as "outdoor school", a kind of school camp, is a consistent but changing element in Czech schools. The article presents the results of a case study of outdoor school in two classes of eight grades at one elementary school.
The study employed various different methods of data-collection, including individual interview, focus groups, observation, questionnaire, essay etc. Data were gathered from different groups of participants (pupils, teachers, parents, instructors) during three periods: long-term preparation, actual running and follow-up impacts.
The attention was paid mainly to expectations, particular experience and criteria for evaluations used by different groups of participants. A major innovation in the organisation of outdoor schools in hiring commercial agencies.
With the involvment of agency the former fragile balance of interests and perspectives between teachers, students and parents changed dramatically. With regards to relationship between school and family as institutions, to send a child to the outdoor school is the act of trust - the school gains a responsibility in areas traditionally garanted by family for a certain time.
Therefore it is posibble to use the outdoor school as a lense to analyze a global shift in family-school relationship.