A Breath of Fresh Air - Grounds for Learning

28 MARCH 2003 SNH CONFERENCE CENTRE, BATTLEBY PERTH

Report by Susan McColl

28 MARCH 2003 SNH CONFERENCE CENTRE, BATTLEBY PERTH

Report by Susan McColl
This conference centre was perfect for the focus of ‘moving to make connections with the natural world’.

The day began with a presentation on the work of the conference organisers, the Grounds For Learning team. Each year, Grounds for Learning offer grants of £1,500 to 17 individual schools plus eight days of time commitment and free membership for one year. Schools must be committed to change and they must have a barren environment.
For more information contact: s.j.lewis@stir.ac.uk or christian.maclean@stir.ac.uk
www.ltl.org.uk/scot.html


After the Gfl update we all ‘trotted’ off to our first workshops. Mine was the importance of story telling and we were led by John Hamilton through the surrounding woodland to listen to stories. He is a great believer in combining stories with other art forms to explore environmental, cultural and heritage themes. So I will not forget that the owl never comes out in the daytime because the raven is still hunting him to avenge him for the dirty trick he played at the beginning of time (details on request). Nor will I forget that the wren is the king of birds because he took a lift on the wing tip of an eagle in a competition to be the ‘highest flier’. As he was left stranded so high up the wren panicked and dropped to the ground landing on his bottom. Hence the stubby, turned up tail. The point of this session was that by creating stories around facts we remember the important details without effort.

For more information contact:
3 Millhole Road,
Spittalfield,
Perth,
PH1 4JR
Tel: 01738 710625
E-mail gee.whiz@btinternet.com

Then I went to a workshop given by June Waley, director of the Kippen Environment Centre.
Contact: June Waley (Forth Environment Link)
Main Street,
Kippen,
Stirling
FK8 3DN.
Tel: 01786 870 247
E-mail waley@kec-stirling.plus.com


Growing food in the school grounds addresses most of the ‘Grounds for Learning’ aims which include:- external image, curricular resources, play/recreation, encouraging wildlife, safety, socialising, ownership.
When planning your grow-your-own-food project, you should think about the position, the size and shape, (should be child-sized and accessible), whether you are going to be organic, crop rotation, companion planting, soil test, suitable produce which can be harvested in term time, practicalities of children doing the work, Scottish varieties.

The curricular links involved in such a project can include:- Maths problems - weighing, measuring, sizing, counting, use of English & Scots language in creative writing, Environmental studies, Expressive arts - songs, art, natural dyes, Religious and Moral education, Personal and social development - self esteem & interpersonal relationships.

After a fabulous lunch of delicious nibbles, I attended two more work shops one given by Benny Lawrie (Youth Sports Trust) who gave us a practical demonstration of the resources and equipment that make up the TOP play and TOP programme. We played piggy-in-the-middle and various other games. The equipment was colourful and child-sized.

For more information on this project contact:
sportscotland,
Caledonia House,
South Gyle,
Edinburgh, EH12 9DQ.
Tel: 0131 472 3327
E-mail: b.lawrie@lboro.ac.uk

And, Susan Webster: Biodiversity for the Bairns. This involved another spell in the woods where we played an assortment of games aimed at introducing children to the magic of Biodiversity.
Contact: 3 Millhole road,
Spittalfield,
Perth, PHI 4JR.
E-mail gee.whiz@btinternet.com.

I’m sorry I missed the other two workshops. These were:

Creative Dance.

Leader Rosina Bonsu, (The Dance House).
Contact: The Dance House,
74 Victoria Crescent Road,
Glasgow, G12 9JN Tel: (0141) 334016.
E-mail: dancehouse@hotmail.com
Website: www.dancehouse.org.

Infectious Grooves.

Daniel Duggan. Counting and Co-ordination skills developed in this drum workshop using rhyme and percussion.
Contact: 57 Curriehill Castle Drive,
Balerno,
Edinburgh EH14 5TB
Tel: 0771 2530343.
E-mail: Daniel@infectiousgrooves.co.uk


We then ended the day with a stretching dance exercise/work out under the blossoming cherry trees on the front lawn – very pleasant!

28 Mar 2003