KU Professional Learning NSW Calendar 2017 | Page 6

FEATURED EVENTS
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE: PEDAGOGY, PLAY & PLACE
Saturday 29 April
9:30am – 3:30pm
Sydney Olympic
Park
$220
NQS Area
1, 3, 5 & 6
‘Our work as teachers is to give children a sense of place – to invite children to braid their
identities together with the place where they live.’ – Ann Pelo, 2009
Contemporary lifestyles have diminished children’s opportunities to connect with the natural
world and discover their ‘place’ in a meaningful way, while research confirms this is essential
for children’s health, wellbeing, social and cognitive development.
This professional learning day aims to address this gap and investigates opportunities for
early childhood educators to meet young children’s need to play, learn and connect to their
‘place’ in nature.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
CLARE WARDEN (UNITED KINGDOM)
Claire Warden is one of the world’s leading consultants and writers on the use of
consultative methods in education. Claire’s approach to Nature Kindergartens has earned
her international recognition as a pioneer in educational thinking. The centre for excellence
she has set up in the UK is renowned for Auchlone Nature Kindergarten and the consultative
Floorbooks used there. Her own learning pathway as a teacher involves working in a wide
variety of settings (2-18 years), mentoring and advisory work, authoring over 14 books and
designing resources and landscapes. Claire is an international advisor to the Children and
Nature Network, World Forum Foundation and the International School Grounds Group.
DOUG FARGHER
Founder of Australia’s ‘Bush Kinder’, Doug has worked as a director and educator in a variety
of early childhood services for over 25 years. What Doug has achieved through his work
with ‘Bush Kinder’ has successfully brought nature pedagogy into the consciousness of
modern educators. With the support of his community and like-minded collaborators, he has
informed government, educational organisations and land managers. Doug consults, writes
and speaks nationally about the benefits of play-based learning in the bush. He is also a
respected hands-on educator. He advocates for the right of every child to learn through play,
outdoors in nature.
EVENT SCHEDULE
9:30am
Welcome
9:40am Keynote – Claire Warden: Nature Pedagogy: Beyond the craze
10:40am Morning Tea
11:10am Workshop – Claire Warden: Embedding the Principles of Nature Pedagogy
12:30pm
Stories from the Field: KU Ourimbah – Stories from a Bush Preschool and
KU Wombarra – Stories from a Beach Preschool
1:30pm Lunch
2:30pm Keynote – Doug Fargher: Enquiry Based Learning in a Bush Kinder
3:30pm Close
Completing Where the Wild Things Are: Pedagogy, Play and Place will contribute 4 hours
of registered PD addressing 2.1.2 and 6.3.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for
Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.
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