1st-5th April
I have managed to complete my last assignment in a week so am hoping that I am picking up speed again. The next assignment is all about the holistic learning that takes place in Forest Schools, so I am looking forward to learning more and finding out more. I started writing these journal entries in June so I can’t really believe that it is nearly a year since I started this journey. I have learnt so much and have really enjoyed all that I have studied. It would be wonderful to complete the course in the 18months that I signed up for, so I need to try and gat the balance right of making steady progress but also enjoying and taking in all that I am learning on the way. Goodness how is it April already!
6th-13th April
I have started my research for my next assignment and can already see that there is lots to learn about Holistic education and it is not as simple as I first thought. Holistic education goes way back in history and the influences are widespread. There is so much to learn and discover and it is interesting. As I am reading, I am making more links to my previous education especially with American Transcendentalists as I wrote my English Degree dissertation on this and loved it. So many links that are connecting to all areas of my life past and present.
13th-20th April
Easter holidays are coming to an end and I have not been able to complete as much of this essay as I wanted. I am plodding through and now am writing about holistic education now. There are so many parts to this that it is hard to keep it simple and not go off on tangents. However, I am learning so much and have a greater understanding of what Holistic education is all about and the central themes and ideas.
20th- 27th April
I am now drawing all of the ideas together and coming to a conclusion. This week I have really learnt how important the baseline assessments are at the beginning of any Forest School and how these assessments will shape and impact the activities and focus of the sessions. I am hoping to submit the essay this week and then start to look at the next assignment. Slow and steady seems to be the theme of my course work but it is good to really absorb and understand all of the background behind Forest School teaching.
27th-30th April
I have completed the essay and submitted it and found it interesting to write. The next essay is again about holistic learning, but it takes a deeper look at how holistic learning is facilitated through Forest Schools. I am looking forward to finding out more about how it affects our brain, body and heart and how learning in an outdoor space allows this happen naturally.
