scandinavian outdoor contacts?

[Jane Acton]

Dear all

My daughter is planning a trip to Scandinavia later in the year to look at best practise in the home of Forest School. I wondered if anyone had any contacts in Denmark, Norway, Sweden or Finland who may know of people and places she could visit? I also wondered if anyone knew if there might be any funding out there to help her with this aspiration as she is trying to do it on a shoe string. Many thanks to all

Jane

[Donald S. Gray]

I'd be interested in any contacts you manage to find.  I'm trying to find out more about the training teachers receive in these countries.

 

Thanks

 

Donald

[Laurel Heger]

 

Hello Ms. Acton,

Just a thought... below I added a training program with Cedarsong Nature School in Washington State in case trying to do this on a shoestring budget in Europe does not work for your daughter.

 

FOREST KINDERGARTEN TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM

Our Teacher Training Program will start in October 2011. For the cost of $1000, the training will include three days of observation, two days of interaction, and include one hour each day of follow-up time for questions and assessments, plus the our Forest Kindergarten DVD and Forest Kindergarten book. Some follow-up consultation is included. Only one teacher in training at a time; the trainings are scheduled for the same week each month; and background checks are REQUIRED.

http://www.cedarsongnatureschool.org/index.php

[e-mail]

[Bobbi j Geise]

Hi all, two great resources out there (there are many more) that i have tapped into

1) Frode Svane from Norway- who offers 2 summer tours featuring natural playgrounds, outdoor classrooms, forest schools (back to back in Demark/Sweden/Berlin, GE). She will learn and make more contacts during these trips than any self-organized visit. Frode also has discounts for students. Can be done on a fairly limited budget.

Frode Svane
Barnas Landskap
Childrens Landscape- Norway
http://www.barnas-landskap.org
http://www.barnaslandskap.blogspot.com/

2) www.ltl.org.uk  and http://www.ltl.org.uk/scotland/  both have workshops and trainings and very well networked in the UK-Scandinavia.

 

feel free to emial if you ahve any specific questions:

[e-mail]

www.LearningByNature.org

[Kim Craigie]

Thanks Bobbi,

 

Your contacts are very useful.  I have also been trying to independently find FS contacts in Scandinavia with a view to visiting these countries for reasons similar to Jane's daughter.  I wish her good luck Jane.  Thanks for instigating this post.

 

Kim

[Juliet Robertson]

Hi Everyone

 

Please contact me for the Swedish I Ur och Skur organisation. There is a specific enquiry process that I've been asked to let people know about who want to know more about Sweden.

 

There, the forest school training(Skogsmulle) is established and specific. I'll blog about it in due course. Basically it begins with 2 x 2 weekend courses - one in spring, the other in autumn. Anyone can do it. It's aimed for working with 5 and 6 years olds. Additional days are available for working with younger and older age groups. The health and safety aspects are not as tight as in the UK.

 

I'm hoping to undertake my Skogsmulle training in August. I then hope to spend a few days in an outdoor primary school where every member of staff must undergo their Skogsmulle training.

 

Best wishes

Juliet

[Kim Craigie]

Juliet!

 

Thanks for that info.  I think it might be just that door I've been looking for!  Do you have contact details and/or info on the courses which are running?  I'm really keen to experience what they're offering.

 

Hope you're well up there and looking forward to hearing from you.

 

Kim

[v]

Hi Jane,

 

Denmark is great at offering funding grants to artists, whether Danish or International.  Whether they have similar policy for local Forest School I don't know.  It's worth looking into.

 

Vivian

[Jane Acton]

Hi Vivian

Thanks for this. I wonder if you could tell me how we might find out more about this please? Working in nature with children is intrinsically creative so the visit may be eligible for a grant from Denmark.

Many thanks

Jane

[v]

Hi Jane,

 

I can't really find the ultimate source for you.  I would guess you could go to the University of Copenhagen or the University of Aarhus.  Most people in Denmark speak English, though often websites are only in Danish. 

 

http://www.visitdenmark.com/international/en-gb/menu/turist/inspira...

Home

Inspiration

Young holiday

Alternative Denmark

 

 

Good luck.

[Dennison Webb]

I am certain that the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), which is leader in the industry, has a twig/branch there.  I am not sure where the actual base is and how large it is, etc.  Based on her experience, education and availability NOLS has some part time in town staffing positions open periodically, which may or may not be the case there.  Either way, if she could get access to the base in would probably serve as invaluable resource.  Check their website out at Scandinavian Course Offerings and  NOLS .

 

Hope this helps!

[Kari]

Hi ,

I'm Norwegian living in Canada, my website is based on the way of living, friluftsliv and Forest Schools  Be sure to join our community at Activekidsclub.com  both and FB and our site. https://www.facebook.com/pages/activekidsclubcom/70001667719?ref=ts   

 

http://www.activekidsclub.com/

 

I know quite a few schools, but when is she going there ? I'm going home to Norway this summer as well, generally speaking all outdoor forest school is closed in July. - Scandinavians is albout enjoying  summers after a long dark winter.

 

 

Kari

 

 

[Laurel Heger]

Hello Jane,

How did it work out for your daughter with all the resources/feedback you received?  Please let us know if she made it to a school this summer or if she will be heading out later this year.  Wish her the best...

Laurel