The wonderful Glow team in Dumfries and Galloway recently held a series of events about creative outdoor learning and ICT where the children shared their learning through live broadcast on Glow TV. You can watch them all again here. You can still take part in some podcasting and photography challenges and find out more about the epic journey made each year by geese. You can even learn how to make a bird box!
Recently as part of our Glow Meet series on Health and Well-being Outdoors, we had the opportunity to think about the benefits of creating quiet spaces for thinking and reflection. You can watch the glowmeet again here.
As well as looking at some creative work in classrooms where ‘I wonder’ corners were used to help boys with social, emotional and behavioural needs to build their coping and self regulation skills, we also had the opportunity to hear from Rev. Di Williams MBE.
http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/labyrinth
The Labyrinth at Edinburgh University is being used by staff, students and members of the public as a quiet space for reflecting, especially in the midst of a busy day. Di talked about the benefits of creating Labyrinths for many different purposes, including for celebration and transition. Her book has lots of gorgeous pictures and some excellent ideas for creating different kinds of quiet spaces, as does her website which features work she is engaging with all over Scotland: http://www.diwilliams.com/Still_Paths_-_a_labyrinth_resource/Home.html
We have some schools that are looking at using Labyrinths as part of their work in transition and I look forward to hearing from them about how their different projects go and the impact on their communities.
This is a lovely little book, full of brilliant ideas for taking time out in nature to reconnect with ourselves, each other and the world. Rob Cowen and Leo Critchley provide lots of examples of how engaging with nature can even help us to step inside another dimension.
They write that ‘…there are forces deep in everyone’s subconscious that find a pure expression in the simplest of activities. This book explains why we should be taking the time to do them. It is born out of a wish to share our passion for our landscape and the contemplative, reflective pleasures and joys that were well-known to our grandparents, but which are in danger of being lost and forgotten. They will help us get back to a place where we all belong’.
Find out more about these creative outdoor learners:
Grounds for Learning have been working in Scottish schools on a project that looks at the impact of using natural environments and materials for outdoor play on children’s social, emotional and physical well-being. The aim of the Woodland Play project was to find out how woodlands in or adjacent to schools could be made accessible for regular play during break times. With support from Inspiring Scotland and the Forestry Commission, GFL embarked on a 2-year project with 6 Scottish primary schools that recognised the potential of their woodlands for play but who needed help to turn their aspirations into reality.
The results have greatly benefitted the whole community of the school in every way and a great new short film lets you hear directly from the parents, teachers, pupils and supervisors themselves. There is also a lovely series of case studies from Scottish schools:
Dalmeny Primary
Lanark Primary
Lenzie Moss Primary
Longstone Primary
Redhall Primary
St Ronan’s Primary
More information can also be found in a new resource from Learning through Landscapes called Woodland Play.
Now that the weather is getting better we can think about getting out and about for our learning a lot more. Sustrans have lots of resources available through their Free Range Kids campaign which aims to help children and young people build their confidence and skill to travel independently, to play outdoors and to explore their local community safely.
Sustrans are also hosting the Big Pedal, which will involve children from more than 800 schools getting out and about safely on their bikes. The Sustrans DVD features Garrowhill Primary School in Glasgow as a wonderful example of a project which involves the whole community in building biking skills and in getting 5yrs-adults out and about on their bikes! Garrowhill are a champion sustainable school, but they have built their bike club programme around the health and community agendas too.
Paths for All have published a brilliant resource called Happy Feet which has some really good advice for people leading walking activities in and around the neighbourhood. The resource is free to download and can be found alongside other materials for walking with children and young people here.
Meanwhile – happy springtime walking to school, work, home or wild and beautiful outdoor space!
Just as the mornings are getting a wee bit lighter and the world starts waking up into early springtime, we have a lot of upcoming opportunities to think about looking after the earth and keeping it beautiful. Three events which present many opportunities for learning through the outdoors are:
Fairtrade fortnight begins 27th February until 11th March and this year there is a campaign about taking active steps to promote fairtrade products and practice in your neighbourhood and community. More information can be found here.
Green Schools Week begins 26th – 30th March with many schools joining the green schools revolution through growing their own food, taking care of the school grounds and local surroundings and participating in sustainable development education activities about healthy living, energy and water. There are masses of ideas and resources available through the GSR site here.
Lastly, WWF’s Earth Hour will take place this year on 31st March. All over the world people will be switiching off lights and wearing it bright to demonstrate their intention to protect the natural world and tackle climate change. There is an education support pack and other resources as well as information about Scottish events available here.
Native American tradition has many stories for the seasons of the year, especially those to do with the moon. This beautiful screen print is by Roy Henry Vickers, an artist and leader from the Northwest Coast First Nations. The print is called Potlatch Moon. The new moon at the beginning of January is traditionally called the Giving Moon and signals the start of the winter giving season where people visit each other and take gifts of food. A Potlatch supper is a meal assembled from food brought by guests, with each person bringing something to add to the table. Thanks to Roy Henry and the Eagle Eerie Gallery in Tofino, British Columbia for permission to use his picture to help welcome in the New Year.
One of my hopes for our Outdoor Learning Network for 2012 is that we will become a community of practitioners in outdoor learning that enjoy giving and sharing our ideas, experience, enthusiasm and expertise. We all need encouragement and support in our various roles and contexts and I hope that we will be able to give that to each other through our network activities over the coming months.
The lovely Brian Cox is off star gazing again on TV. Dara O’Briain will be working with him to help us get outside at night and study the heavens for inspiration. The BBC 2 broadcast will be live from Jodrell Bank radio observatory over three consecutive evenings beginning Monday 16th January at 8.30pm. Another exciting outdoor journey of discovery – challenge your children and young people to explore the wonders of the universe ! Thanks to TheDreamSky for the great star journey picture, used with creative commons permission.
Health and Well-being Outdoors Glow Meet 4.15 pm – 5 pm Wednesday 18th January 2012
Young People Managing and Assessing Risk through the Outdoors – Physical Wellbeing HWB 3-16a – 4-16a
We are delighted to be able to host this Glow meet live from the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena, Ratho, where we will be climbing with teacher Nick Tait and his group from Grangemouth High School. Also joining us will be Martin Davidson, Director of the Outward Bound Trust, who will tell us more about the OBT’s adventure challenge approach to learning and the way this helps to build resilience in young people.
During this Glow meet we will look at practical examples for how we can use challenge activities in the outdoors as a rich resource for developing young people’s skills in risk awareness, assessment and management. We will also look at learning strategies that can be used to build skills and understanding in the area of personal safety, for example travelling safely, keeping others safe, managing situations and responses in emergencies. Please come prepared to join in the online discussion and to share your own examples with others.
Find out more about how you can join us for this exciting and adventurous glow meet : https://portal.glowscotland.org.uk/establishments/nationalsite/GlowTV/tvpages/Schedule.aspx
The Scottish Government
News release – Adventure activities consultation http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2012/01/06112613
A consultation on the development of a safety system for adventure activities in Scotland has been launched by the Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport, Shona Robison. The Scottish Government is considering the best way forward for Scotland in light of the UK Government’s plan to replace the statutory Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA) with a new voluntary code of practice.
Consultation document on developing a safety system for Adventure Activities in Scotland: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/01/04112146/0
