Lockdown

As inevitable as the current restrictions of movement are it was still difficult to prepare for it or to judge when it would come. I am on a rota to go into work and help with the reduced number of pupils we have now. But I found myself going in when not on rota because there was stuff that needed doing. Was it essential...? Probably not. But I could do all of it in isolation without spending time with the children or other staff and at that point a lockdown had not been called

 I started the week by attacking the poly tunnel! 
Our wonderful volunteer who runs a Garden Club with Year 2 had already ensured that all their hard work was in the Poly Tunnel's Nursery Garden, so I just needed to attend to all the gardening the small groups had been achieving

 A path needed finishing, we still have some Woodland Trust trees to plant and we have seedlings bursting out that will not survive in seed trays with little opportunity to water them. The children have worked hard and have such a vested interest in these projects if I can give them a chance of success I will!
So the assorted veg seedlings are in the vegetable beds where they have a chance of survival!


Flower seedlings are taking their chances to bloom in the wildlife garden. I'm hoping any neglect this Spring, and maybe Summer, will create a 'Secret Garden' rather than a wilderness of dead foliage! 

The brick path/patio (?) is complete (see video!)

 And the local wildlife is watching carefully!











That is as far as I got. 

 Monday ended with the lockdown announcement. 

 I have spent a lot of time lately promoting staying at home. My working life started in the NHS and I can't view this 'crisis' as anything less than a clinical issue. It may have financial ramifications, it certainly has social restrictions, it goes against all the usual freedoms I enjoy! But ultimately it's about people's health and that has to come first

 So then I chose not to go in, not to travel to work until I was needed there. I will complete the last few tasks with the children's help I don't think I am at risk of catching anything working solo on school grounds, and I don't think I am at risk of passing anything on while working alone, but I do think people watching others coming and going with seemingly no restrictions passes on a message that it's OK to continue life as usual - and we can't

 Just remember it is OK to go out once a day to exercise and get fresh air. If you have a garden use it as much as possible. The children and you need the break!

  • Now is a great time to start growing vegetables - and especially salad which will grow quickly! Seeds available online and in many supermarkets when you do your weekly shop
  • Mud pies and petal potions are not a health threat as long as you stick to the NOTHING in your mouth rule (including dirty fingers!). Kids of all ages like making these! There's a lot of science involved in making it the right consistency for modelling or the right fluidity to paint with
  • Got a dusty pestle and mortar somewhere in the kitchen? It crushes leaves beautifully! 
  • Got an old vegetable/potato peeler? They peel sticks easily, but make sure only an AWAY from the body movement is used when actually slicing (and supervising the kids!) as they will peel fingers and thumbs too!
My Friend Hugh who runs Adventure Learning at Crystal Palace Park in London has passed these on for anyone who wants to do a little outdoor learning in their garden, on a piece of grass, in a park or on a country stroll





 And if you can go for a walk keep these things in mind:



Take care of yourselves and each other
Location: Canterbury CT4 6QN, UK

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Indoor Forest School

Image
On rare occasions, we need to cover a Forest School session INSIDE. It may be because the weather prevents a session, it may be a staffing issue, it may be an introduction for children who will find the outdoors challenging, but whatever causes it, there are times when setting up activities in a classroom is suddenly needed. I've said before that I have a large IKEA blue bag that I keep certain activities in, these are not necessarily ones I can/will use in Forest School, like jigsaw puzzles, colouring, cutting out, etc. It's fairly quick to add some of the nature table items, bug ID, and bird guides, etc. into the bag to make what is basically 'nature learning' feel a little like Indoor Forest School! One week in December started with me under the duvet with a fever and headache, and a PCR test pending. School canceled Forest School because waiting each day to decide what the following day's timetable would be was too hectic. So once back in on the Wednesday indoor...
Read more

Stormy weather

Image
At the risk of sounding even older than I actually am "We have way more storms than we uses to"! Which may or may not be statistically true, but definitely a lot more have impacted our Forest School since 2021 than before. (Red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning!) Often, these charge in overnight or at weekends leaving me tip-toeing onto site to see what damage has been done. Frequently they gather pace at 4pm leaving the school day clear for sessions, and sometimes, the gods are smiling and they blow themselves out in the morning before the first class is due on site! They always make their mark though. Torn parachutes, flapping tarps, tree debris everywhere, litter blown in, on one occasion a 6ft trampolines rolling across the school. Field... There's the risk assessment required to ensure the site is fit for use, and damage to manage or remove. We're never totally unscathed! Sitting on a plateau at the edge of the South Downs doesn't help. The wind rush...
Read more

Outdoor Learning

Image
In my own head, I separate Outdoor Learning and Forest School.  They are interconnected but to me, FS offers activities and supports what the children choose to do, whereas OL has learning intentions and aimed-for outcomes. Year 3 are currently looking at the Stone Age as a theme, and I was asked if I would provide activities to support this. In doing so I would have to remove the children's usual choice, their opportunity to follow their own interests & learning outside, and the ability to respond to what they discover and expand on it. This isn't a 'bad' or 'wrong' thing, but it isn't Forest School. Hence approaching it with a different ethos. In giving 21st Century children a tiny taste of life over two million years ago the week began with a definite learning intention. I went with 6 activities that every child could try on rotation. They would end up with perhaps 10 minutes at each exercise in life long ago, after a chat at basecamp that explained w...
Read more