Local Blokarting Award January 26, 2008
Posted by Bill in : Blokarting, CPD, Experiential Learning, Outdoor Learning , 5comments
High winds today at Belhaven bay for a CPD course for 8 East Lothian Staff. The aim is to encourage teachers and youth leaders within East Lothian to discover Blokarting and to work towards leading and teaching groups this fun sport. It has many of the elements of sailing but you can get groups up to speed, using them and achieving results in a short space of time - excellent for building self confidence. As you improve you can start to tune your skills and wind awareness and the group today certainly did that. I hope that most of the course members today will go on to gain the Local Award and get out there using them with pupils and groups. Feedback so far would indicate that is the case. Good Luck with future Karting, thanks for attending, have fun and get out there and use them. Sorry about the wet feet.
Primary Orienteering & Competition January 24, 2008
Posted by Bill in : orienteering , add a comment
The Primary Orienteering days for 07/08 finished today. Well done to all the pupils and schools attending this season, about 1100 in all! This year Newhailes and Yellowcraig have been the main venues. Orienteering is a great activity for pupils as it promotes the use of so many skills. I am always constantly surprised just how enthusiastic the pupils are every time they attend and like today, regardless of the weather they keep smiling and enjoying themselves. We see great examples from the pupils of working together and using complex skills to plan routes and set goals. working in pairs remotely supervised also challenges the pupils to risk assess on their own more and helps build, I believe, self confidence.
It’s not too late to get schools in for the competition on the 6th Feb for Secondary and Primary. Contact Alastair at East Lothian Outdoor Education for more details.
Access Code Workshop January 24, 2008
Posted by Bill in : Outdoor Learning , 1 comment so far
Thanks to everyone for attending the access code workshop on Monday at Innerwick Outdoor Centre. It was run by IOL trainer Peter . There was certainly lots of discussion and input from all attendees . It’s always interesting to hear the different interpretations of how the access code applies to your work. It was good to see some of the new resources for teaching the access code to young people and also great to see SNH tying the code into and making links with the Curriculum for Excellence. The resources are available at the SOAC website
Enquire Annual Conference 2008. January 12, 2008
Posted by Bill in : Outdoor Learning , 3comments
I am looking forward to attending and doing a small presentation in one of the breakout sessions at the Annual Enquire 2008 Conference “Achieving excellence through additional support”. I hope to showcase some of the use of Outdoor Education within East Lothian to meet the needs of the wide range of learners within our community and how the authority supports, funds and encourages the use of outdoor learning in the East Lothian learning environment.
I will definitely include examples from the schools and community groups as well as what our own OE department has achieved. My attending the conference was all made possible thought the use of my edubuzz blog so I will also be showcasing the use of this too.
I will start to put some ideas into a presentation over the next few weeks. Anyone reading who has good examples of what is happening in your school please let me know and I will try and fit it in to the presentation during the breakout session entitled;
Risky Business
Children in Scotland will host this session on the challenges and successes of including young people with additional support needs in physical education, outdoor education and other activity based learning. We will present evidence of young people being excluded from these activities but also a range of good practice ideas to help ensure that all young people have access to the full curriculum.
Where is my luggage? January 12, 2008
Posted by Bill in : Outdoor Learning , 1 comment so far
After a fantastic ski weekend in December in Zermatt I still await my luggage. It was removed from the luggage rack on the train from Visp and I reported it stolen to Police and the SBB railway. Thought I wouldn’t hear about it again. Surprise surprise after xmas I received an email hat they had found my bag! hurrah. Not sure what is still in it (it contained loads of expensive kit including my avalanche transceiver!!) but with luck the bag might be intact. 10 days later ….where is it? aaggh..
Alps or Lammermuirs? January 4, 2008
Posted by Bill in : Outdoor Learning , 2comments
Answer = Lammermuirs.
Fantastic to see so much snow on the Lammermuir Hills today. A great afternoon x-country skiing- but will it last the weekend? More pics here : X country Lammermuirs 08
