Courses for Teachers and Environmental Educators at Bishops Wood
NEW Wood - Land - Elements BW3 7 October 2010
A tree, just like ourselves is an embodiment of fire, water, earth & air. Come and
work with all 4 of these elements. This course is designed for Forest School leaders,
rangers, teachers & anyone with a passion for working with natural materials. The
course will include processes and experimentation to help move Forest Schoolers or
outdoor learners on from the routine digging and dragging of sticks!
Mick will guide you through a series of practical, stimulating possibilities from making
fire to smoke signals, mud huts to giant cob (clay) snails, and how to play with rain.
Trainer: Mick Petts
Learning Stories, Learning Styles BW4
4 November 2010
This dynamic day will look at ways that educators can help their learners’ storymake
through using natural resources and the outdoor environment. Techniques of
storymaking and telling, utilising and enhancing a diverse range of learning styles will
be explored. We will practise how to tell stories to and with young people and use
them as a stimulus for play and creation of their own stories in the outdoors. A day
particularly useful for Forest School leaders and teachers.
Trainer: Katrice Horsley
Emotional Literacy in the Outdoors BW5 12 & 13 November 2010
Discover how the natural world and activity in it can support creative & safe
emotional expression. Learn about the four core emotions and our relationship to
them. Realise the importance of relaxation, fun and play through direct experience
and how to support powerful communication skills. Explore techniques to empower
your personal and professional life as a Forest School Leader, an Educator, Teacher,
Trainer, Youth Worker etc. This course provides a real practical way of working with
emotional intelligence and supporting the SEAL and SEAD programmes and the new
agenda for emotional well being in schools.
Trainers: Hoppi Wimbush and Jon Cree
NEW Working with Challenging Behaviour in the Outdoors - part 1 BW6 10
November 2010
This day is aimed at Forest school leaders in particular and will look at the factors
that lead to challenging behaviour including culture, self and place, the neural links to
behaviour, triggers and socio/economic factors. We will then move into looking at deescalation skills and leaders interactions with challenging behaviour. Policies,
legislation and case studies will be examined during the day. Those who attend this
course can go on to participate in the 2 day Part 2 accredited course on March
14th/15th; it also stands alone as an introduction. If you attend both courses there is
a 10% reduction in cost.
Trainers: Simon Shakespeare, Sarah Robertshaw and Jon Cree
Making Play Structures at Forest School BW7
24 November 2010
Back by popular demand. Rope swings, rope bridges, rope walks (in fact any rope
things for creative play) and structures such a simple tree house will be built on this
day. If you want to know how to build safe but slightly risky (!) structures with children
that can enhance creativity and physical play at your Forest School site while
minimising the impact on the site, then this day is for you.
Trainers: Jon Cree and Julie Grainger
Leading Earthwalks Day BW8 19 November 2010
“Earthwalks are light refreshing touches of nature- sharpening the senses while
highlighting the richness of the natural world using a series of special activities”. This
earth education training day will look at earthwalks in depth - all day! Earthwalks can
be conducted in natural areas including the more natural parts of school grounds.
There will be an introduction to earth education, then the remainder of the day will be
spent examining techniques required for leading earthwalks.
Trainer: Jon Cree
An Introduction to Storytelling BW9 29 & 30 November 2010
This lively annual workshop is led by the internationally renowned storyteller, Ben
Haggarty. Ben will introduce people to essential storytelling techniques. Participants
will come away with several stories to tell immediately and many ideas for finding and
developing their own environmental material.
Trainer: Ben Haggarty
Working with Living Willow BW11 27 and 28 January 2011
This hands on course looks at planting and weaving techniques, where and how to
source willow and maintaining sculptures and structures. Techniques will include
different types of wall, domes and tunnels, different types of play environment,
constructing unusual sculptures, how to entice wildlife and combine a number of
materials. It is suitable for teachers, Teaching Assistants and site managers.
Mick will also share helpful tips and techniques on working with groups on living
willow sculptures.
Trainer: Mick Petts
Wild Words and Leafy Pages - Working with Literacy in the Natural World
BW12 31 January 2011
This workshop will include activities that can be used to help groups of all ages use
language to explore, enjoy and celebrate their environment. We will play with words
to create instant stories, sudden poems, beautiful moments and laughing incidents.
Then we will explore exciting ways of recording written words in bog books, wild
scrolls, mapsticks, water pictures and handmade paper.
This day is aimed at primary teachers and professionals working with primary
schools in literacy, art and environmental work.
Trainer: Gordon MacLellan
Fabulous Worlds - Working with Art, Recycled Materials and the Natural World
BW13 1 February 2011
A creative day for environmental educators, arts workers, teachers and other
educators taking an alternative approach to 'recycled' art with the inspiring Creeping
Toad. Gordon will look at how many animals, plants and environments we can create
- ranging from miniature model worlds in plastic bottles to plastic bottle animals, to
projections and light and giant puppet creatures.
Trainer : Gordon MacLellan
Whittling for Forest School Practitioners BW14 7 February 2011
One of the ways to calm yourself in the woods and tune in to the properties of wood
and trees is to whittle! This day will give practitioners a chance to practise some safe
and effective whittling techniques - whether making a butter knife, spoon or cooking
utensil. You will gain some ideas on how to teach whittling to even the youngest of
learners, yes foundation stage! and which woods are best for which whittle! You will
also have a chance to practise tool maintenance with knives, gouges and more,
including sharpening and storage.
Trainer : Ben Orford
Greenwood Working with Teenagers BW15 8 February 2011
Coppicing, cutting, chopping, bodging, pole lathing and creating something from the
raw material can be the most fulfilling experience for anyone - in particular a young
person in need of a self esteem boost! This day will help you with your own
techniques and concentrate on ways of working with teenagers in these vital
traditional and creative skills.
Trainer : Ben Orford
NEW Working with Challenging Behaviour - part 2 BW17 14/15 March 2011
This course is a 2 day OCN accredited course and is for those who attended the
introductory one day course or those who have had some experience of working with
challenging behaviour. We will delve into; what challenges us as leaders in the
outdoors; up to date neural research; ways of dealing with 'real life' scenarios; and
formulating/reviewing your own policies, including looking at the validity of sanctions
and rewards. Cost £280/£240 or £240/£200 non-residential. If you also attend the
introductory course there is a 10% reduction in cost on both courses.
Trainers: Simon Shakespeare, Sarah Robertshaw and Jon Cree