Skogsmulle International Symposium 2017 – DAY 1 SPECIAL OFFER

With significant interest from Educators globally, the Skogsmulle International Symposium 2017 will give pedagogues the opportunity to experience and share innovation in Early Years practice through a series of workshops and master classes.
Ignite Unlocking Potential will showcase Wales’ first Nature Kindergarten and its leading edge practice, providing international pedagogues with a unique firsthand experience to observe how Nature Pedagogy has been embedded into a Foundation Phase setting in Wales.

[/vc_column_text][vc_tta_accordion active_section=”0″ title=”DAY 1 SPEAKERS, WORKSHOPS & MASTERCLASSES INCLUDE:” css=”.vc_custom_1498641215895{margin-top: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;}”][vc_tta_section title=”Claire Warden – B.ED Hons, CEO Mindstretchers Ltd” tab_id=”ClaireWarden”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_custom_heading text=”Claire Warden” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]Ignite-UP-Cyfleon-skogsmulle-international-symposium-2017-unlocking-potential-forest-school-well-being-future-generations-act-successful-futures-KEYNOTE-CLAIRE-WARDEN-250x250Claire Warden is an educational consultant who has developed her approach to nature pedagogy and experiential learning through a variety of experiences. Her experiences have taken her on a pathway that includes working in a variety of types of centre, advisory work, and lecturing in further education. Claire is currently based in Scotland but frequently travels to Australia, the United States and elsewhere.

As a lecturer in Primary Education at Strathclyde University, the development of training strategies and course creation have been applied to the dynamic and creative work currently undertaken by the company she first started, ‘Mindstretchers Ltd’. It has now grown to develop many aspects, including Claire’s own company, ‘Claire Warden Ltd’, through which Claire does her international and consultancy work, and her Community Interest Company, ‘Living Classrooms’, through which many community focussed projects have been delivered and which is now at the centre of the new International Association of Nature Pedagogy.

Claire Warden is an author of many books and materials relating to early years methodology. These include ‘The Potential of a Puddle’, which details UK national vision and values for outdoor play; ‘Talking and Thinking Floorbooks’, which presents the planning methodology that supports consultation and democracy in early education; ‘The Right to be Me’, which explores the rights of young children to high quality provision and ‘Nurture through Nature’, which explores working with children under three outside. ‘Nature Kindergartens and Forest Schools’ explores children’s connection to nature and naturalistic spaces such as forest schools, forest kindergartens, woodland camps, nature kindergartens. Claire’s latest book, Learning With Nature – Embedding Outdoor Practice, which is published by Sage, has been very well received and is rapidly gaining a place as required reading on many academic education courses.

Claire is also still closely involved with her own nature kindergarten, Auchlone Nature Kindergarten, in Perth and Kinross in Scotland. This outdoor nursery works with children from 2-6 yrs old, who spend up to 90% of their time outside. The three spaces of ‘inside’, ‘outside’ and ‘beyond’ are mindfully linked so as to develop skills and confidence in a predominantly natural environment.

Claire is one of a leadership group of consultants who make up the World Nature Collaborative, a working party of the World Forum Foundation. The purpose of the group is to develop a cohesive network and approach to experiential learning in outdoor spaces in a variety of climates. The nature collaborative brings together educators, landscape architects, environmentalists and health workers to support a multidisciplinary approach to outdoor educational provision. Mindstretchers continues to work closely with Local Authorities to support all aspects of education from 0-11 years. Claire has written courses to meet the needs in home based environments such as childminders and shared day care spaces such as playgroups .

Mindstretchers is also on the consultative committee on the place of Risk in Learning to the Scottish Government.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Alun Davies – Welsh Minister for Lifelong Learning and Welsh Language” tab_id=”AlunDavies”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_custom_heading text=”Alun Davies” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]Alun was born in Tredegar and went to Tredegar Comprehensive School followed by the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth where he read Politics. He was elected President of National Union of Students Wales. He first worked as a campaigner on
environmental issues for the World Wide Fund for Nature, and later as a poverty campaigner for Oxfam.
Alun worked as public and corporate affairs manager for Hyder which combined Wales’ main utilities. He was Head of Public Affairs at the UK Atomic Energy Authority, and later became Director of Corporate Affairs for S4C. In 2004 he established Bute Communications, his own public affairs consultancy.
On 13 May 2011 Alun was appointed Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and European Programmes. Between 14 March 2013 and 8 July 2014 Alun was Minister for Natural Resources and Food. Alun was appointed Minister for Lifelong Learning and Welsh Language on 19 May 2016.

The Minister for Lifelong Learning and Welsh Language is responsible for:

• Early years
• Foundation Phase
• Youth work police
• Additional learning needs, including needs of pupils with severe, complex and/or specific learning difficulties, disabled pupils, able and talented pupils
• People of all ages with Dyslexia
• Additional Learning Needs Bill
• Further Education
• Further Education (FE) student support: Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) and Welsh Government Learning Grant (WGLG FE)
• Revenue funding of 6th forms, Further Education colleges, adult community learning
• Development and Implementation of the Digital Learning Strategy
• Welsh medium and bilingual education
• Welsh Language, including oversight and coordination of general Welsh language policy, Ministerial functions emanating from the Welsh Language Act 1993 and the Welsh Language Commissioner
• Vocational, key and essential skills qualifications for all ages
• Implementation of the Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales
• Prisoner learning
• Broadcasting Policy[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Vikki Howells – Cynon Valley AM” tab_id=”VikkiHowells”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_custom_heading text=”Vikki Howells” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]Vikki Howells is the Welsh Labour Assembly Member for Cynon Valley and her political interests include education; transport and the
economy; tackling poverty; community regeneration, and heritage
and culture.

Vikki is a lifelong resident of Cynon Valley, and was educated at St John Baptist Church in Wales High school, Aberdare, before attending the University of Wales, Cardiff, where she gained a bachelor’s degree in International and Welsh History, and a master’s degree in Modern Welsh History. Whilst studying at Cardiff, Vikki received the Charles Morgan award in recognition of her contribution to the field of Welsh History. Vikki is married and has a daughter.

Vikki worked as a History teacher at St Cenydd Community School, Caerphilly,
from 2000 to 2016, where she also undertook a range of pastoral roles, most
recently serving as Assistant Head of Sixth Form. Vikki has also worked as a
mentor for trainee teachers and has sat on the admissions panel for the History
PGCE course at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

Vikki joined the Labour Party at the age of 17 and has undertaken many roles
within her Constituency, including Women’s Officer and CLP Chair.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Darren Lewis – Director, Ignite Unlocking Potential” tab_id=”DarrenLewis”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_custom_heading text=”Darren Lewis” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]Darren Lewis is a passionate advocate of nature pedagogy as a means of facilitating interest-led, engaging and experiential learning programmes that develop physical, cognitive and social/emotional capability.
A qualified Teacher and Trainer, Darren founded Ignite following a visit
to Sweden where he observed first-hand the multitude of benefits children experience through learning in the outdoors.
After becoming the first teaching practitioner in Wales to become a certified Swedish Outdoor Learning pedagogue, Darren established Ladybirds ( a Nature Parent & Toddler group) & Wales First Nature Kindergarten based in Dare Valley Country Park.
A Director of the Forest School Association and Training Consultant for Mindstretchers™, Darren’s vision is to enable children in Wales to experience the rich learning experiences that only outdoors environments can provide to enable their full potential to be ignited and nurtured.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Christine Lewis – Director, Ignite Unlocking Potential” tab_id=”ChristineLewis”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_custom_heading text=”Christine Lewis” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]Christine is a Chartered member of the CIPD and certified Teacher, Trainer and
Coach. Christine has held various senior HR roles in the Telecommunications, Financial Services, Software Services and Retail sectors both in the UK and Middle East. A passionate advocate of facilitating learning and development interventions that enable people (both big and small) to unlock their potential and become the best version of themselves.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Steve Oakes – AQR International” tab_id=”SteveOakesAQRInternational”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_custom_heading text=”Steve Oakes – AQR International” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]Ignite-UP-Cyfleon-skogsmulle-international-symposium-2017-unlocking-potential-forest-school-well-being-future-generations-act-successful-futures-STEVE-OAKES250x250Steve heads up AQR’s educational division and has responsibility for Business and Product development strategy is this sector. He manages product and material development for this sector as well as delivery and account management. Working with schools and colleges to make a positive impacts on key issues such as transition, attainment, bullying, employability, aspirations, classroom behaviour, and peer relationships.

Formerly Assistant Director of Sixth Form at Blue Coat School in Oldham where he led a programme since 2012 to embed a mental toughness culture throughout the school. Blue Coat School has won acclaim for producing one of the best sets of A level results in the UK. Blue Coat is a teaching school. Steve is adding to his practical experience by working on a PhD in Mental Toughness under the supervision of Professor Peter Clough.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Introduction to Skogsmulle – Juliet Robertson” tab_id=”SkogsmulleIntroJulietRobertson”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_custom_heading text=”Introduction to Skogsmulle – Juliet Robertson” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]Juliet’s interest in working with children outdoors began back in 1986 with a
gap year during an Environmental Science degree. During this time, she volunteered in the community and green sectors and worked at an urban environmental education centre in Philadelphia, USA. Before entering teaching she was a self-employed archaeologist and a seasonal assistant countryside ranger.
As a primary school teacher, Juliet continued to do a variety outdoor activities with children on a frequent and regular basis. She took children for weekly visits to the local woods and kick- started a school grounds development work. In conjunction with local rangers she set up a lunchtime Wildlife Watch Club. In 1995, she had a year-long teaching exchange to an outdoor centre in Ontario, Canada.This was a wonderful year and sowed the seeds of many ideas to come.
From 1998 to 2007, Juliet was a head teacher of three different schools, ranging in size from 6 to 270 pupils. Her international experience continued with study visits and educational trips to Canada, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Norway and Bulgaria which focused on outdoor, environmental and sustainable development themes.
In 2008 Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship to study Technologies Outdoors.
In 2011 Juliet became the first Scottish person to become an International Skogsmulle Leader.
Since becoming a consultant, Juliet has been able to continue meeting and exchanging ideas with
other professionals in the UK and world-wide. After years of ghostwriting and public blogging, Juliet is now an author of Dirty Teaching: A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Outdoors – published in 2014.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Introduction to Skogsmulle – Rose Joyce” tab_id=”SkogsmulleIntroRoseJoyce”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_custom_heading text=”Introduction to Skogsmulle – Rose Joyce” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]Rose is a retired teacher, author and outdoor learning consultant.
Rose was one of the first U.K. educationalists to visit a Rain or Shine
school and observe Skosgmulle practice and duly wrote the first english language book Outdoor Learning Past and Present to document the growth of Skogsmulle.
Having followed Skosgmulle and attended the international symposia in Russia, Japan & Latvia, Rose became involved in Skogsmulle UK, helping to bring the early years nature pedagogy to the UK and more recently in 2015 the first training of Under 3’s in the Forest Buds at Lymfield Outdoor Centre.
Currently heavily involved with Lymefield Outdoor Centre, Rose is particularly interested in bringing outdoor learning specialists to Lymefield to run courses such as the Swedish Skogsmulle course, Maths, Literacy and technology in the outdoors.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Developing the Welsh Language through Outdoor Learning – Brengain Evans” tab_id=”DevelopWelshLangOutdoorBrengainEvans”][vc_row_inner css=”.vc_custom_1498639637959{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_inner css=”.vc_custom_1498639647504{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”Developing the Welsh Language through Outdoor Learning – Brengain Evans” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]Ignite-UP-Cyfleon-skogsmulle-international-symposium-2017-unlocking-potential-forest-school-well-being-future-generations-act-successful-futures-BRENGAIN-EVANS-YSGOL-Y-WERNBren is an Early Years teacher, Forest School Leader and a Skogsmulle Leader at her school, Ysgol Y Wern.
Ysgol y Wern has embraced outdoor learning pedagogies, such as Forest School and Skosgmulle in their efforts to develop learning in a Welsh medium school. We will explore the benefits of the outdoors as environment to help children achieve and develop their bi-lingual skills.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][vc_column_text]

BOOK BY FRIDAY 14TH JULY 2017
TO RECEIVE A FREE PLACE FOR AN ADDITIONAL PRACTITIONER ON DAY 1 OF THE SKOGSMULLE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM 2017

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