TEACHING

MIDDLE COVE NEWS – GARDENERS FROM ALL CLASSES UNITE

EDUCATION, GARDENING, TEACHING

At Middle Cove the garden is missing its young gardeners immensely.

The “school class” that is, students still attending the campus each day, come down to the garden every morning and keep a watchful eye on the vegetables and flowers that are growing, measuring our pumpkins, watching our bees visit their favourite flowers and plant seeds for our winter harvest.  The older students have been coming down to the garden again later in the day and getting to work.  They have been helping to tend the garden beds, harvesting late summer crops, erecting protective barriers to deter our wildlife visitors and enjoying the beauty of autumn in the garden.  We are also doing some preparation in the garden to make way for the new outdoor garden classroom. The banana trees have had to be relocated for the short term.  The children have been a great help in keeping our garden well loved and cared for.  For those missing the garden, here is a video of Sandra Frain taking care of the flowers and vegetables.

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CARING FOR OUR CASTLECRAG CAMPUS

EDUCATION, GARDENING, TEACHING

Whilst it’s quieter at Castlecrag, we have been busy cleaning, washing and gardening, preparing all of our beautiful classrooms and grounds for the time when we can all return. The colours of our washing, some pretty plants and the blooms are a reminder of how special this place is to us all. Whilst the children are at home, we will care for Castlecrag until you all return. Notice how the ‘Lantern Bush’ is beginning to grow its proud lanterns for the coming of Winter, and how the Cosmos flowers are simply bursting with colour! We also have five of the Middle Cove hens here on holiday and thanks to our local families for looking after them so lovingly for us!

CLASS 4 BREAD MAKING

COOKING

Excerpt from Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School Newsletter – 19 March 2018.

http://www.glenaeon.nsw.edu.au/newsletters/newsletter-19-march-2018

“Class 4 were very busy this week preparing bread, making corn dolls and erecting a hand-made fence for their garden. They were ably assisted in their endeavours by Grace Aloisio, Kathy Thangathurai, Elizabeth Ellean and Sandra Frain.”

NL19MAR18-CLASS4-HARVEST-PREP -BREAD

INSPIRED DEDICATION TO CREATIVE TEACHING IMPRESSIONS

ADULT EDUCATION

“Thank you for such a beautiful heart felt joyous meaningful experience on Saturday.”

“Thank you Sandra for a beautiful day. I felt so uplifted afterwards.”

“Thank you for the real space to be able to feel comfortable enough to release some emotion.”

Stay tuned for more workshops this month across CANADA. 

TESTIMONIALS FROM CHINA

CHINA

“Of all the teachers we have had here in 8 years the student have learned most from you. In addition to teaching them of nature and children and teaching, you have taught them of their own Chinese land and culture.” (Li Yen- Founder of Phoenix Academy)

“Before your teaching I did not know how to play. Know I know how to play and how to play with children. I will practice a lot because I know how important it is. Thank you Sandra.” (Student, 27)

“You have taught us freedom to think and draw and tell stories. That what we do is important. This is a new way of education for us. Now we can share that way with the children. We did not know another way until now. You are the best teacher we have ever had because you help us care for ourselves.” (Student, 23)

“No one has ever listened to us before. They were not interested. Now I know what it feels like to be listened to and understood. Now I know how to do that for the children. Thank you Sandra.” (Student, 18)

“You treated us as equals, none of us better than the other. Each voice was as important as the other and through role playing a potential complex problem at camp I have learned what it feels like to be a different point of view to my own. This was really powerful for me. Thank you.” (Student, 20)

“I was afraid of communicating with other people before I came to this training. I am not afraid any more. I enjoyed sharing my stories and pictures. An outstanding memories for me of this week was when you said we are not just the teacher, we are the farmer and doctor and artist too. I am really excited to think of my work this way. Thank you.” (Counsellor, 30)

“I’ve been to a few nature training with children sessions. They are boring and just about the rules that children must follow. We don’t learn about what to do with children. Now I have some ideas of what to do with children and then there is not much need for rules.” (Student, 22)

“I have learned the most important thing is to make a rainbow bridge between myself and the child. I know how to do this with all of the children now. Thank you for teaching me how to make friends. You are my best friend and teacher. Thank you.” (Worker with abandoned children, 27)

“I never thought I would make a doll out of thing air, or create a powerful and unconstrained story, or draw something on a piece of white paper, because previous education has always been missing this piece. When I look at these, I feel a sense of achievement and think I overcame this fear, not just communication with a foreign teacher, but to create something takes courage. I think the teacher’s education succeeded, because with such courage I might change my attitude to life and how I handle things.” (Student, 23)

STORY MEDICINE FOR ALL WORKSHOP

ADULT EDUCATION

Increase your ability as a Teaching Healing Professional (Doctor, Psychologist, Nurse, Counsellor) Teacher, Parent, Advisor

Teaching- Nourishing Story Making and Story Telling Certified Course                   

Since the beginning of time humans have told stories by word and  by artistry to teach and to help each other. We have learned our place in the world through stories.

Recently this longtime tradition has been broken through industrialization and digitalization. Many of us now rely on media or an expert to tell the stories in our lives. Many of us do not believe that “our story” is worth telling.

We are in a crisis in our families because we have lost connection with our roots, with ourselves. WHO are We? Who am I? WHere do I belong? Where do I come from? Where am I going? How will I get there? How can I help?

As a medicine, Stories offer direction and support through their innate wisdom. We can feel ourselves “Grow Up” when we hear and understand the message in a story. When we are told a story, our hearts beat in the rhythm of the storyteller. This has a calming and an exciting affect on our health and well being. What a powerful tool the storyteller has! Certain stories endure as “survival tools” that strengthen resilience whatever our age or status. Stories that explain the extraordinary mysteries of life link our world’s cultures in commonality. Stories can be like “a miracle” (Wo de Tien a) to managing our own and the behavior of others. We may understand what we are doing “wrong”, how we can correct our lives by correcting our behavior or our attitude. STORIES are a FUN way to learn. Laughter in itself is a wonderful medicine.

You will be guided to discover the wisdom in metaphor and mystery in myth while enjoying drama and puppetry in this 3 day active workshop that will enrich your skills as a creative storyteller and healer. YOU will develop the ability to create  teaching -healing  stories for yourself and others.

Outline: 

Through physical activity  (games and exploration of our senses) we establish ourselves individually and with others in the  “social realm”. WILLING

Through Soul engagement (stories and acting) we experience the expression of others and we practice expressing our feelings and thoughts in the” emotional realm”. : FEELING

Through Intellectual stimulation ( imagination and factual ) we apply our minds to creative challenges : THINKING

This balanced  program offers us the ability to change ourselves and others.

Learning Outcomes of this 3 day course:

Develop a “toolbox” of many stories, songs, games  and activities for use with your family, friends, students, clients.

Develop confidence to share meaningful stories with colleagues

Develop ability to express impressive imagination by drawing, acting, and writing true and fictional stories.

Develop ability to make and use powerful puppetry in storytelling.

Develop knowledge for the study of Biography to understand our individual and collective destinies.

Proposed Schedule: 

9:30-10:30 Warm ups (including Goethean observation) ,  Hearing  Stories: sharing meaning through action, drawing, writing, speaking

10:30-11:00 Replenishment Break

11-12:30 Theory of story creating, uses for different ages and stages: Examples of teaching and healing stories both original and traditional  (including Chinese Stories)

12:30-2:00 Lunch and rest break

2:00-3:00 Artistic development project: (Alone or with others): writing a story, making a puppet show or other dramatic representation; presenting this to the group (This can be a cumulative process over the 3 days)

3:00-3:15 Replenishment Break

3:15-4:15 Story sharing circle practicing oral story telling

4:15-5:00 Review and questions

Sandra is an inspiring qualified teacher  and an  intuitive group facilitator.  She  will guide you to develop skills in creativity and expression.  She has been happily teaching 100’s of grateful people of all ages for more than 30 years in many parts of the world including China. Sandra is a trusted leader with a Bachelor of Child Study Degree (Canada) and a Masters in Education ( Columbia University NY).

Sandra creates and tells stories for small groups and large: “ Cultural Festivals” too (including a Qi Ming Festival.) A long time student of story writing/telling  and Drama therapy, her adult stories were regularly featured on radio in Australia. There, she is a valued member of a Professional Storytellers Circle.  Two of her stories are published in Chinese and other languages. For 12 weeks earlier this year she worked outside Chengdu with the Tianfu Forest School teachers, staff, parents supporting their development as Waldorf Educators and Biodynamic Agriculturalists.

Sandra has also offered the Chengdu community successful workshops on “Nature based Education”,  “ Creating with the Power of Stories “, “Professional Development” for Teachers and “ Benefits of Singing for your Family“ for Parents.  These were described as “transformative and amazing”, by participants. In July 2015 Sandra led two nature based camps for children and teachers and parents outside Beijing and Baotou and was appreciated for her energetic and skillful dedication.