Reflective Learning Journal-February 22

1st-7th February

I unfortunately had to cancel our session this week because of Covid, and I am just hoping that I will be able to run the session next week. It was an experience having to contact everyone on Monday morning before the children left for school. While I am isolating, I plan to do lots of my course work. I am feeling the pressure now as my deadline approaches and feel like I still have so much to do. My main area to work on now is recording all of my skills-these I have been using and putting into practice but of course not the fire or tools yet. I really now need to get these done and it will be so good to get back outside and away from the computer as am really feeling like I need some fresh air.

7th-14th February

Before I begin work on my outdoor skills again. I need to go back and write one more essay this one is on the role of a Forest School leader. So, I need to make myself sit down and get this done then I think I have completed all the written pieces of work. Am still having to isolate from Covid so unfortunately had to cancel my second session which feels horrible, and I am really missing it. I am also struggling awful headaches.

15th-22nd February

Was able to do the final session with the group before half term was lovely to see them all and catch up. I also have another adult helper working with me now so will be great to have more hands-on deck. I did the lesson was going to do two weeks ago which was about footprints and tracking animals. We played a great tracking game involving leaving a trail of flour that they had to follow to find each group hiding. We set up a camera and left some cat food on a plate with sand around it hoping we would have a visitor in the night who would leave footprints. Children were very excited. We also had our award ceremony that we usually have at the end of each half term and reviewed all the learning that had taken place. During the holidays I am planning Spring 2 and starting to record some skills for my portfolio.

23rd Feb-1st March

I have been busy this week filming in the woods and putting up natural shelters with the help of my son. I am lucky that I have raised a boy who loves being outside and is keen to come with me into the woods to play. I do find filming very intimidating and would much rather be behind a camera than in front of it and have had to push past this. I have also been relearning my knots and after a bit of practice they have come back to me. I am enjoying the physical activity and fresh air but realise that I have lots to do. So am trying to plough through it all. I have also been planning the Spring 2 sessions so that I am ready when the next term begins.

Had my first forest school session back and it did fall on an inset day, so we did not have all members there but was good to have more time to connect to a few different individuals. We talked about the new focus on “Growth” and discussed what this word meant to them. We got some lovely words coming through such as thriving, developing, changing and we talked about how spring is the season for growth, and we went on a hunt looking for these signs. It was a good session although wet but again I had the chance to practice putting up a tarp.