Author Archive
Whole Setting Development/Inservice
August 29, 2011 | 
Author This one day course is aimed to be an in-service day for all those employed in an setting (teaching, non-teaching, auxiliary, etc) to enable them to investigate and implement ways to develop the ways of using the outdoor environment in their own particular setting. The course will take its starting point from the setting – the environment it is in, the staff, children and parents that use the spaces – and their attitudes to the challenges that can face the institution in using the outdoor environment. The course will consist of direct teaching, practical activities, resources and equipment advice and problem-solving and planning activities; some of these will be workshop and group based so that everybody’s needs and areas of work are taken account of.
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General Forest School Workshops
One day workshops are offered combining the following:
- First steps in using your outdoor environments
- Taking risks and challenges outdoors
- The role of the adult
- Developing pedagogy in the whole learning environment
- Theories supporting practice
- Practical activities
Children and Nature Step One
Children and Nature Steps One and Two cover taking risks and challenges outdoors, role of adult, practical activities and theories supporting practice to some extent (allowing for the fact that they are only taught over 2 days)
Please note that Steps 1 & 2 should ideally be taken by the same participants with ideally a month gap in between each step.
Step 1 covers:
- The pedagogical theories underpinning present day practice – how we can use the outdoor environment in the learning processes and curriculum, how these develop children’s competencies and environmental awareness.
- The role of the adult – what competencies should educators have/be developed.
- Design and function of a positive learning environment.
- Practical activities involving real-life materials and problem solving methods.
Children and Nature Step Two
Step 2 covers:
- The risk and challenges of health and safety issues.
- Furthering the understanding and practice of using the outdoors with children as a learning resource.
- Children’s competency and skill development using the outdoor environment.
- Professional development.
- Practical activities involving real-life materials and problem solving methods.
The Role of the Adult Outdoors
Following the aims of the Early Years Foundation Stage, this course investigates the role of the adult in the outdoor environment covering the four guiding themes:
- A unique child
- Positive relationships
- Enabling environments
- Learning and development
And look at ways that the practitioner can facilitate children’s learning and development using the outdoor environment. In particular covering the six areas of learning:
- Personal, social and emotional development
- Communication, language and literacy
- Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy
- Knowledge and understanding of the world
- Physical development
- Creative development
The course will also discuss ways of working with parents and other professionals.
Forest School Activity Day
This activity day will be hands-on and includes the planning, making and doing a variety of activities outdoors. The activities will use simple resources that can easily be adapted and used in participant’s own settings – the main ingredients are imagination, creativity and fun! Including:
- Activities suitable for all EYFS age groups
- Activities suitable for all seasons and weather
- Activities using the senses and social and emotional intelligences
- Activities that cover all areas of learning
The day will also involve discussions, group work and problem solving activities.
Engaging Boys in the Early Years
This day course centres on the indoor and outdoor environment, specifically looking at addressing the data that suggests that boys are achieving less well than girls across all areas of learning. The early years are a crucial period in children’s all-round development and it is vitally important that they have the social and emotional skills to learn – and enjoy learning.
The course will cover strategies for engaging boys in learning and discuss practical approaches to support practitioners and settings, including:
- Learning styles and preferences
- Building confidence and self-esteem
- Behaviour and gender issues – super-hero, guns and play fighting
- Reflecting on practice
- Ways of organising learning for all children
Forest School for Childminders
This day course is specifically for childminders and aims to help them make the best use of their outdoor environment, whatever that environment might be, including:
- Developing an understanding of the early years vision and values of outdoor play
- What to do with the 0-3 year olds outdoors
- Sensory experiences and nature
- Exploring and sharing ideas for practical activities outdoors
- Considering how their outdoor environment can be adapted to maximise learning potential
- Carrying out an audit of their current provision and developing an action plan for their setting
Emerging Readers and Writers Outdoors
Practitioners are concerned that many children have poor language skills and that their learning is being hindered and delayed because of it.
Young children need a rich and playful environment to develop their emerging communication skills and much of they language they learn is a reflection of the adult models to which they are exposed.
Developing high quality language provision requires that practitioners give young children a stimulating environment in which they can experiment and develop their early communication skills and excite and motivate them to extend their competencies.
It is vital that early language and communication development is supported and nurtured in the home as well as in educational settings, therefore the practitioner also needs the skills and confidence to work alongside parents and carers.
This day course will look at the ways in which practitioners can help to expand and scaffold children’s language development, including:
- How children learn language in social context and how these can be facilitated indoors and out
- Understanding the social and emotional aspects of language and communication development in young children
- Ways of developing stimulating and comfortable communication environments both inside and out
- Creating stimulating environments for babies and toddlers
- Ways of working with parents and carers
- Making resource boxes for the setting and resource materials for parents to use at home
- Using stories and storytelling to help children acquire language through active participation
- How storytelling can be an effective bridge to emergent literacy
Consultancy
Inside-Out Nature provide consultancy for professionals working in early years and key stages 1, 2 and 3, with all areas of planning, developing and using outdoor environments.
We also offer:
- Conference presentations
- Seminars
- Guest speaker/lecturer sessions