Our speakers have some really awesome projects and we want to tell you about them
Week One
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Tom Hobson
Teacher Tom's Blog
E-course: The Technology of Speaking With Children
Week Two
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Celia Hogan
- We have an online course that we run a couple of times each year and you can join the VIP waitlist here: https://littlekiwisnatureplay.com/play-online-course/
- We run the Nature Play Conference in Christchurch New Zealand and 2021 is about to be announced https://littlekiwisnatureplay.com/nature-play-conference/
- Trying to change the legislation in New Zealand to enable full time nature based early childhood education to happen in NZ (currently each child in NZ has to have 2.5sm of indoor space in ECE). Our petition has been presented and we are in communication with our Ministry of Education but you can find out some more information from the petition page: https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/allow-full-time-nature-based-early-childhood-education-in-nz
Week Three
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Michelle Peters
I have published a blog which was part of my public engagement project for the final part of my masters research. This document was designed for people from all backgrounds to read and review and not just playworkers. The blog was all about reflective practice and models and included a few questions to consider for the reviewer.
Week Five
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Mecke Nagel
I am excited about a new project with my colleagues and students: Sophia's Garden, doing philosophy with children through picture books and other ways. https://www2.cortland.edu/centers/ceps/sophias-garden/
We work with forest school kids and homeschoolers at the library and elementary schools, in addition to a girl teenage group, at the YWCA in Cortland.
Also, our feminist, postcolonial journal Wagadu is still free and online, which can be found here: Wagadu.org
Finally, I am active in local struggles around decarceration and coordinator of United Voices of Cortland and assist in mutual aid groups. I am passionate about creating more play spaces and work actively on dismantling total institutions. When I have time I play in flute ensembles, hike, swim, and seek solace in gardening.
URL: https://web.cortland.edu/nagelm/
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Angus Gorrie
The team at The Outsiders are committed to championing authentic free play experiences for children. By day, the Outsiders all practice what they preach in the field so to speak as playworkers at Camp Hill Outside School Hours Care, a service known for its cutting edge application of genuine free play and playwork principles into the daily practice. By appointment, The Outsiders offer information and practical stories that delve deeper into the realms of play, play theory and the many developmental benefits that surround it. Our team provides real-life stories married with theory to inspire more play journeys.
URL: https://www.theoutsidersplayadvocates.com/
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Tony Gaskew
I believe in the cosmic virtues of truth, justice, balance, harmony, order, righteousness, and reciprocity. All of my revolutionary outreach and scholarly activism reflect this energy.
I am the Founding Director of University of Pittsburgh Prison Education Program, which provides post-secondary educational opportunities for federally incarcerated students at Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) FCI McKean and for state incarcerated students designated as juvenile lifers, at Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PDOC) Supermax Facility-SCI Forest.
My upcoming book,“Stop Trying to Fix Policing: Lessons Learned from the Front Lines of Black Liberation” (Lexington-Rowman & Littlefield, 2021) examines police abolition in America through the eyes of the Black radical tradition.
Email: tog6@pitt.edu
Week Six
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Niki Buchan
- Award winning author of Children in Wild Nature , A Practical Guide to Nature-based Practice, Adventurous Play and co-author of STEM Detectives.
- Numerous recorded webinars to view in own time http://www.naturallearning.net.au/webinars.html
- Currently supporting primary schools in embracing risky play using natural loose parts and minimal 'rules' to increase children's well-being with the consequent benefits to all.
Week Seven
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David Bainbridge
David Bainbridge's books often approach aspects of human biology from a zoological, comparative or historical direction. This event relates especially to ‘Teenagers – A Natural History’ (2009), but his other books include ‘Making Babies – The Science of Pregnancy’ (2001), ‘The X in Sex – How the X Chromosome Controls Our Lives’ (2003), ‘Beyond the Zonules of Zinn – A Fantastic Journey Through Your Brain’ (2008), ‘Middle Age – A Natural History’ (2012), Curvology – The Science of Female Body Shape (2015), ‘Stripped Bare – The Art of Animal Anatomy’ (2018) and 'How Zoologists Organize Things' (2020).
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Fey Cole
If you would like to discuss further how play and project based learning is used within FE with Fey please get in touch. The college works with a range of partners who visit Fey's intergenerational sessions to research the benefits of this style of learning and new visitors are always welcomed to come and learn more! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-fxvp1LLt4&feature=youtu.be
URL: http://www.feycole.wordpress.com
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Abimbola Nwozuru
We hope to see play advocated and promoted in Nigeria. Our projects include to design and start up playgrounds in low income communities for children, thereby promoting development among children and youth.
Communities will be identified per time.
Email: bimleah@gmail.com
Week Eight
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Michael Follett
I am the author of 'Creating Excellence in Primary School Playtimes - How to make 20% of the school day 100% better'. (JKP 2017)
I take on entrepreneurial, very experienced people from the play sector as part of the OPAL mentors team - we are always looking for a few good people to become franchisees.
I am interested in finding partners to run the OPAL Primary Programme overseas, building on the success of pilots in Canada.
URL: http://outdoorplayandlearning.org.uk
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