Workshops 2022

Dr Kelsie Prabawa-Sear and Sami Mounsey

Noongar Wadjuk Country, Perth, Western Australia

Workshop Title: Acknowledging diversity and different lived experience and using it for positive outcomes

We share our experiences, personal and professional, on how acknowledging diversity and expanding on inclusion has led to better outcomes for our teams and the people we work with. The workshop will be a combination of sharing research, experience, yarning and celebrating. We will walk and talk, trial some inclusive resources and encourage participants to self-identify ways that can bring inclusivity to their work and personal lives.
Note – the workshop can be adapted to accommodate any mobility needs.

Personal Bio: Sami Mounsey is an Indigenous Australian woman from Perth, she self-identifies as Autistic, and works with Autistic kids and adults. Sami brings a wealth of lived experience and passion for diversity and inclusivity.

Dr Kelsie Prabawa-Sear is a white Australian woman, CEO of Nature Play Australia and Nature Play WA. Kelsie combines her love of learning and sharing through research and practice with the aim of achieving best possible outcomes for communities and the natural environment.

Dr. Annie White

California State University Channel Islands, California, USA

Workshop Title: My Stories: Weaving Past, Present and Future
This workshop will focus on how narrative stories (adapted from Learning Stories), referred to as “My Stories”, can be used as a tool for self-reflection and strengthen learner identities. Through stories, we will explore our histories and celebrate our uniqueness. Learn essential components, strategies, and ways to incorporate My Stories for professional and personal growth. Gain understanding of how this powerful narrative storytelling approach promotes diverse, shared voices and transforms relationships with self and others.

Personal Bio: Dr. Annie White is an Associate Professor with the Early Childhood Studies program at California State University Channel Islands in the USA. Annie is part of an innovative program where Learning Stories are used as the primary assessment approach and is a passionate advocate that incorporates this method in her university courses, including student practicum, student “My Stories”, study abroad, and as part of community service learning. Annie has expanded writing Learning Stories to adults in naturalistic settings, including fellow long distance hikers along the Pacific Crest Trail.

Maia and Justice Hetaraka

Whangarei, Aotearoa NZ – University of Auckland

Toi Tuituia: Weaving Ideas Through the Arts

This workshop is Pūkōrero (narrative) based and will focus on the power of teaching and learning through storying and the arts. Maia and Justice will work together to share ideas around utilising mātauranga Māori to enhance education experiences. There will be a specific focus on the Histories of Aotearoa.

Personal Bios: Ngāti Wai, Ngāi Tahu, Ngā Puhi. Dr Maia Hetaraka is a lecturer and Programme Leader at the Tai Tokerau campus of the University of Auckland. She teaches the Bachelor of Education in both Huarahi Māori and English-medium pathways. Her research interests include utilising mātauranga Māori and pūrākau in modern education settings. Justice Hetaraka is in her final year of Law School at the University of Auckland. Justice is a founding member of HĀ (Histories of Aotearoa) who are rolling out their Kakano programme, teaching our histories in schools in authentic and safe ways for ākonga and kaiako.

Celia Hogan

Christchurch, Aotearoa NZ – Little Kiwis Nature Play

Workshop Title: Creating with Nature

In this workshop, we will explore how we can use what nature provides us to create things rather than buy them. We will use weaving techniques, indigenous knowledge and bush crafting techniques to create with nature. This could be rope making, making dolls or poi, quick to make baskets and boats. You will come away with new skills and ideas to take back to your ECE or school and an open mind as to the possibilities that nature provides.

Personal Bio: Celia Hogan is passionate about getting children outdoors and into Nature. She is a strong advocate for nature play, nature connection, risky play, building resilience, and improving mental health and well-being through nature. Celia originally studied outdoor recreation and adult education. For the past 20 years she has worked for a variety of outdoor education and personal development organisations. Celia works hard to change the face of education in New Zealand. She has led a petition to enable full time nature-based kindergartens to start in New Zealand, Celia is the Chair for Nature Education Aotearoa and also sits on the board of Outdoor Education New Zealand. Her personal goal is to see every child spending at least 3 hours outside every day in New Zealand. To make this happen she runs professional development training, workshops and conferences for teachers to boost their confidence and help them to make it happen. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience and has survived a variety of crises both professionally and personally to give some real depth to her conversations.
www.littlekiwisnatureplay.com

Wiremu Sarich

Kaitaia, Te Hiku o Te Ika, Aotearoa NZ – Educator

Workshop Title: Taonga Puoro – Voices of the Elements

An interactive experience where participants will connect through the power of music to themselves and our natural environment. Hear and see our collection of individual and diverse Taonga Puoro instruments played by Wiremu, from the Nguru, Porutu, long flute; Tuatara, shell trumpets; to the majestic Koauau Toroa, the royal albatross wing bone flute. Share in the Sounds and Stories of these ancient instruments.

Personal Bio: Wiremu Sarich, Te Rarawa, Ngapuhi, Tainui, is a leading exponent in the resurgence of Ngā Taonga Taakaro (traditional Māori games/pastimes). He uses fundamental principles of indigenous methodology to activate sensory awareness. Through basic instruction, physical activity and observation he challenges conventional thought processes to facilitate participants’ understanding of connection to themselves, others and the natural environment.

Kate Webber

Auckland, Aotearoa NZ – Junky Monkeys

Workshop Title: Loose Parts Play with Junky Monkeys

Junky Monkeys is a loose parts play programme that creates the conditions for kids to learn through play in schools and community events. Junky Monkeys advocates for our tamariki, and our planet’s wellbeing. We do this by gifting kids time and space to play and be in nature, and by supporting a circular economy by repurposing junk. Nature of course is the richest source of loose parts, but many of our centres, school yards and local parks are manicured spaces dominated by mown grass and newly planted trees. How can man-made loose parts (i.e. junk diverted from landfill) activate outdoor play in otherwise sterile environments? And what role do loose parts play in developing kaitiakitanga? Rule number one at Junky Monkeys is that you get to choose how you play. Come and have a play, we’ll explore a large range of loose parts, and discuss the theory and practice of loose parts play.

Personal Bio: Kia ora, I’m Junky Monkeys director Kate Webber. All my mahi evolves around questioning how we teach and treat our tamariki. As a primary school teacher, I stepped outside the mainstream system to explore forest schooling and self directed learning environments. When founder Ann Langis asked me to come on board Junky Monkeys, it was the perfect opportunity to take those learnings back into a mainstream system. I love Junky Monkeys. I adore that I get to gift kids the opportunity to play.

junkymonkeys.org

Maria Sydney and Emma Parangi

Ngāiterangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāpuhi – Educational Leadership Project

Workshop Title: Reconnecting back to the wisdom of our past

There are many wondrous ways to honour and celebrate te ao Māori in our ECE communities. Join Maria and Emma in this immersive waananga that will support kaiako to grow their understanding and practice of te ao Māori in meaningful ways. Explore notions of te Maramataka (Māori conceptions of time) and learn some of the stories of our powerful ātua wāhine (Māori female deities) as we collectively reconnect back to these indigenous knowledge systems. The same knowledge systems that guided our ancestors for thousands of years pre-colonisation. Learn ways to weave this mātauranga Māori into your every day practice while growing your competency and understanding of the Māori world.

Whether you are at the beginning or middle of your haerengā – everyone is welcome to join us in this inclusive space of ako. Nau mai, whakatau mai e te whanau!

Personal Bio: Ko Maria Sydney tōku ingoa. He uri tēnei no Ngaiterangi, no Ngāti Ranginui, no Ngāti Raukawa, no Tainui, no Ingarangi. He kaiako au, he ākonga au, he wahine taketake au. He pouako whakaako au ki Educational Leadership Project. Maria is passionate about creating spaces for kaiako and leaders in ECE and beyond that centre mātauranga Māori, indigenous knowledge systems and indigenous voices. For Mā ori culture and for Māori people to continue to survive and thrive as Mā ori, reconnection to indigenous knowledge systems is essential. Understanding the role we have as 21st century leaders and practitioners in this process is crucial. Through unpacking our own biases and privileges, we will empower Māori to reclaim their power and give voice to Mā ori narratives in spaces where they have been previously marginalised.

Ko Emma Parangi tōku ingoa. He uri tēnei no Ngāpuhi, no Aerana, no Kotirana. He pouako whakaako au ki Educational Leadership Project. Emma is currently a PhD Candidate at Te Puna Waananga o Tāmaki Makaurau and is interested in pursuing rangahau centred on Indigenous Wāhine in Leadership in ECE. Emma’s goal with all mahi she undertakes is to challenge and support Kaiako to understand their own identities deeply, so that they may create that same space for tamariki, whānau and hapori. The education system of Aotearoa is a partnership between tangata whenua and tangata tiriti. She will continue to work until that partnership is reflected in all educational spaces for tamariki and whanau Māori.
elp.co.nz

Tanya Batt

Waiheke Island, Hauraki Gulf, Aotearoa NZ – Imagined Worlds

Workshop Title: Dance Upon Our Earth

Dance Upon Our Earth is a collection of ecologically themed stories created for tamariki to sing, dance and move to. These stories explore the processes of creation, life cycles and relationships. They are designed to nurture an active curiosity, connection and understanding between children and our home, the Earth. Workshop participants will have the opportunity to dance/move to a selection of stories and explore how they might be introduced and shared with tamariki.

Personal Bio: Tanya Batt is a self-confessed story-o-phile and frock-o-holic whose home is on the Awaawaroa Eco Village on Waiheke Island, Hauraki Gulf. She is a seed sower, a word warbler and story stitcher who channelled her childhood propensity for talking and her love of dressing up into a real ‘imaginary job’. Stories have put food on her table and a roof over her head for thirty years enabling her to share her mahi in over 20 countries. She is the creative director of the ‘Once Upon An Island Charitable Trust’ that uses storytelling for community building, environmental and cultural education.
www.imagined-worlds.net

Tarrayne Whata and Dani Lebo

Whanganui, Aotearoa NZ – Whanganui Intermediate/The ECO School

Workshop Title: Decolonising Educational Spaces

We are going to create a safe space for people to learn how to improve decolonisation practices within their classrooms and programmes. Our hope is to create a time for people to further explore who they are and how their identity impacts their intercultural practice. We will begin with a pepeha workshop – talking about the significance and reasoning behind pepeha and helping each participant (tauiwi, pākeha, or māori) develop a pepeha they feel confident delivering. We will engage in difficult conversations confronting what colonisation has done to the people, the land, the culture of Aotearoa. We will unpack our own worldview in hopes of seeing how it affects our teaching. We want all participants to leave feeling as though they have thought deeper about the work they are doing, and to walk away with a kete of knowledge and tools they can use in their programmes right away. All are welcome to come and share knowledge, no matter where you are on your learning journey.

Personal Bios: Kia ora. Ko Terrayne Whata tōku ingoa. Born in Christchurch, raised in Rotorua, living in Whanganui with my tamāhine. I am currently teaching at Whanganui Intermediate School as a Te Reo Māori teacher. I am also blessed to be a part of our Forest School Unit.

Kia ora, ko Dani Lebo au. No New Jersey, USA au, engari e noho ana au i Whanganui inaianei ratou ko toku whanau. I run The ECO School and currently work alongside Terrayne at Whanganui Intermediate. I have a BA in International Intercultural Studies, a Masters in International Education, and level 5 Te Reo Māori through Te Wananga o Aotearoa.

www.theecoschool.net

Wiremu Sarich and Anna Tripp

Kaitaia, Te Hiku o Te Ika, Aotearoa NZ – Educators Traditional Maori Games

Workshop Title: Papa Taakaro

Kia kawea tātou e te rēhia – Let us be taken by joy and entertainment! This interactive space will explore the traditional Maori worldview of leisure – the enjoyment of games, pastimes, storytelling, music and performance. Utilising their own skills, creativity and found resources participants in groups will be invited to collectively build ‘te whare rēhia’ – a house of entertainment. This workshop will share insights, ideas and understanding for how teachers and educators can work in natural spaces with tamariki to develop their own whare rēhia.

Personal Bio: Wiremu Sarich, Te Rarawa, Ngapuhi, Tainui, is a leading exponent in the resurgence of Ngā Taonga Taakaro (traditional Māori games/pastimes). He uses fundamental principles of indigenous methodology to activate sensory awareness. Through basic instruction, physical activity and observation he challenges conventional thought processes to facilitate participants’ understanding of connection to themselves, others and the natural environment.

Anna Tripp, Te Rarawa, Ngapuhi, Vanua Balavu, is a former early childhood teacher having worked in both Kōhungahunga and Kindergarten. She expresses her own unique connection to the natural world through her enjoyment of crafting aro taakaro, implements of play. Maara kai, maramataka Māori and rongoā Māori are key influences that inform and guide her practice.

Tia Healey-Jellick

Kerikeri, NZ – Native Healing Herbals

Workshop Title: Using Nature for Wellness, Balance and Stability: Kawakawa Balm Making

Tia will take participants on an interactive journey from identification through to preparation and creating balms. She will delve into many aspects of nature and how to bring the experience to your children in a way that opens up and actively engages and inspires them to use nature in many ways for wellness and healing.

Personal Bio: My name is Tia Healey-Jellick I grew up in the Kaitaia area, in the Far North of New Zealand, surrounded by native bush. The forest was my solace, my friend and my healer and I have always been passionate about Aotearoa and her native plants. What started as a passion and a hobby making herbal balms soon turned into a unique business called Native Healing Herbals. As well as making native healing balms and creams I also run workshops to adults and school groups – on how to make balms, using nature to heal and bring wellness and balance. This is an empowering workshop with demonstrations and interactive exercises.
nativehealingherbals.co.nz

Nick Caulfield and Robz Jones

Raglan, Aotearoa NZ – Nature Connection Aotearoa

Workshop Title: Awareness and Holistic Observation

Nick and Robz will look to wake up the natural senses of our human animal through practical games and activities which will help you experience, observe and explore Nature through Native eyes. Discover the mystery and everyday adventures that nature holds when we know how to open our senses to her; and learn ways to share this with your tamariki in fun and engaging ways.

Personal Bios: Nick has been working with children and adults for the past 14 years. At Ruskin Mill in the UK, he witnessed and engaged with the transformative and healing nature of craftwork. After spending time at Nature Schools in America he embarked on a journey of deep nature connection and brings this, along with his passion for crafts, into his work.

Robz has been journeying with nature connection as a way of life for the past 10 years, spending much of his time immersed in nature and the outdoors practicing primitive skills and holistic observation. He has since founded Kura Taiao, a community-based Nature School in Raglan where he supports over 80 families. Together, Nick and Robz run workshops for children, adults and families around New Zealand, and provide professional development and consultation with people interested in deepening their nature connection journey.
www.nature-connection.nz

Leo Smith and Amanda Dobson

Wellington, Aotearoa NZ – Nature School NZ Trust

Workshop Title: Forming and Maintaining Successful Relationships with ECE and Schools in the Nature Play world

Nature School NZ Trust sets up Bush Sprouts programmes in local schools, early childhood centres and Kindergartens. These programmes equip schools and teachers with the confidence and experience to run a sustainable nature play programme that has their children learning and growing through play in nature. Amanda and Leo will share and discuss their knowledge and experience of forming working relationships with education providers, establishing different forms of nature play programmes and keeping these programmes and relationships sustainable.

Personal Bios: ​Leo and Linda work for Nature School NZ Trust; a Wellington Charity getting kids out learning from and through Nature Play. Leo is a mum, a teacher and a firefighter, who grew up visiting local bush with her family. After studying and working in outdoor education for many years, Leo re-trained as a secondary and ECE teacher and quickly introduced her love of learning outside into her Kindy programme. After helping many other Kindergarteners get their children into nature regularly, Leo started Nature School NZ to do this full time.
natureschoolnz.co.nz

Celia Hogan

Christchurch, NZ – Little Kiwis Nature Play

Workshop Title: Fire and Knives

Fire is one of the four classic elements in ancient Greek Mythology. Many cultures view fire as a symbol of knowledge and wisdom. Māori believe that fire is an intrinsic part of the natural environment and it connects through their whakapapa to Ranginui and papatuanuku. Fire is a wonderful addition to any nature education programme when used with purpose. In this workshop we will look at how to teach children safety to use knives, what knives can be used for, how to start fire using a flint and steel and what safety considerations we need to consider when using knives and fire in our ECE or primary programmes.

Personal Bio: Celia Hogan is passionate about getting children outdoors and into Nature. She is a strong advocate for nature play, nature connection, risky play, building resilience, and improving mental health and well-being through nature. Celia originally studied outdoor recreation and adult education. For the past 20 years she has worked for a variety of outdoor education and personal development organisations. Celia works hard to change the face of education in New Zealand. She has led a petition to enable full time nature-based kindergartens to start in New Zealand and her personal goal is to see every child spending at least 3 hours outside every day in New Zealand. To make this happen she runs professional development training, workshops and conferences for teachers to boost their confidence and help them to make it happen. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience and has survived a variety of crisis’ both professionally and personally to give some real depth to her conversations .Celia is a natural and welcoming speaker and manages to juggle speaking engagements, running her Bush Kindy sessions for pre-schoolers and their whanau, and taking her own kids on mini adventures in nature.
littlekiwisnatureplay.com

Celia Hogan

Christchurch, NZ – Little Kiwis Nature Play

Workshop Title: Supporting Children with Challenging Behaviours

All behaviour is communication. Being able to understand what that behaviour is communicating, and how we communicate in those times, is a wonderful skill to have. In this workshop we will explore how we can communicate to create balance and harmony through mindful, respectful communication skills. We will cover what challenging behaviours might be communicating, what to expect at different ages and stages from a neuroscience perspective, the importance of role modelling positive communication techniques, and some communication tools and strategies to support adults to bring calm to themselves and to the situation. There will be a mix of conversation, hands on learning and listening, using small group work, scenarios and your own real-world situations that we can work through.
Using these strategies will not only help you during these tricky times but it will also support your children’s emotional resilience giving them skills for life in regulating their emotions and overcoming frustrations and challenges in respectful ways.

Personal Bio: Celia Hogan is passionate about getting children outdoors and into Nature. She is a strong advocate for nature play, nature connection, risky play, building resilience, and improving mental health and well-being through nature. Celia originally studied outdoor recreation and adult education. For the past 20 years she has worked for a variety of outdoor education and personal development organisations. Celia works hard to change the face of education in New Zealand. She has led a petition to enable full time nature-based kindergartens to start in New Zealand and her personal goal is to see every child spending at least 3 hours outside every day in New Zealand. To make this happen she runs professional development training, workshops and conferences for teachers to boost their confidence and help them to make it happen. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience and has survived a variety of crisis’ both professionally and personally to give some real depth to her conversations .Celia is a natural and welcoming speaker and manages to juggle speaking engagements, running her Bush Kindy sessions for pre-schoolers and their whanau, and taking her own kids on mini adventures in nature.
littlekiwisnatureplay.com

Kea Spill and Ria Woollams

Matapouri, Aotearoa NZ

Workshop Title: Mucking about with Mud

Join Kea and Ria as they draw on their own experiences with clay/mud to create a simple structure using wattle and daub building techniques – essentially sticking a mud and straw mixture to a simple frame, with the possibility of artistic enhancements. This is an easy and fun building technique for the whole community, and totally suitable for any age and to create a wide range of projects. Bare feet and a willingness to embrace mud essential!

Personal Bios: Ria and Kea have been interested in a variety of mud building techniques over the years. They live in an Eco Village where they have built their own house, although they gave up on the mud house dream due to urgency for a living space. However, the compromise of a mud floor came about after experiments with clay from the land, sand and cow poo. They have also been involved in assisting in cob building, in-situ adobe, and lately wattle and daub techniques that are being used in a community house on the Eco Village.

Merryn Grace

Kaitaia, Aotearoa NZ – Anō Anō – The Upcycle Space

Workshop Title: A Ritual of Play – Remembering our Wild

Let’s explore how the whispered stories of the wild speak to us, how the seasons call us to play with them and how the moon’s cycles ebb and flow with our emotions. Come with an open and curious heart, willing to be taken on a journey … Will we spin, dance and make music? Will we be wolves, wrestling and tumbling? Will we go on an adventure, or create nature altars to honour the magic of the season? It’s up to us to listen to the wild as well as our inner child and to co-create a ritual of play together.

Personal Bio: Kia ora, my name is Merryn. I grew up in the Manawatū and now live at a place called Earth Spirit, just south of Kaitaia. On my path of reconnecting to nature and belonging, I have held Moon Circles, seasonal ceremonies and have trained as a Priestess at Highden Mystery School. I am a student of druidry, the nature-based path of my Celtic ancestors and of listening to the languages of dreams, stories, and nature. My day job is zero waste & environmental education and facilitating crafty workshops and community building at Anō Anō – The Upcycle Space in Kaitaia.

www.merryngrace.com

Wen Xiong

Whanganui, Aotearoa NZ – Wen’s Story Den

Workshop Title: The Story Catcher: Storytelling is the Seed of Children’s Creativity

In this workshop you will learn about the “The Story Catcher” project and how to use storytelling and stories to support children’s literacy, numeracy and social emotional development. We will demonstrate different ways to present fairytales, folktales or your own stories to “trigger” children’s interests through the ritual of storytelling in the ECE setting and your classroom in primary school. Storytelling encourages learning, confidence and cooperation, and covers many areas of the curriculum such as numeracy, literacy, social science, technology, art and social emotional development.

Personal Bio: My name is Wen Xiong. I am living in Whanganui with my husband and two boys. I am a qualified ECE teacher, a storyteller and founder of Wen’s Story Den. As a trained teacher and passionate storyteller, I use story-telling in my practice to foster creativity, encourage oral language and integrate curriculum areas. I use a mix of Steiner inspired storytelling, Handkerchief stories, Puppetry, simple Paper Craft stories, Cranky box stories, and Shadow puppets to engage children in the storytelling process. When I am at work, I am a teacher and learner along with a group of magical children who lead me to their deep dark forest with fairy lights. When I am not at work, I am a traveller with a pointy hat and an old suitcase telling stories to many more children.
www.facebook.com/playfulako

Dani Lebo

Whanganui, Aotearoa NZ – The ECO School

Workshop Title: Maker Space

Come enjoy hands-on learning with bushcraft, fire, and knots. You can choose to engage in the mahi you are drawn to – weaving, bushcraft, trapping, fire-making, hammocks, and zip lines. We will help you learn some new skills and add some knowledge to your kete.

Personal Bio: Kia ora, ko Dani Lebo au. No New Jersey, USA au, engari e noho ana au i Whanganui inaianei ratou ko toku whanau. I run The ECO School in Whanganui, providing accessible sustainability education through permaculture courses, community workshops, and nature play programs. Coming from a background in outdoor education, adventure therapy, and teaching I enjoy exploring the interplay between ako and kaiako. I don’t sit still much, and love play in all forms. I have a BA in International Intercultural Studies, a Masters in International Education, and level 5 Te Reo Māori through Te Wananga o Aotearoa.
www.theecoschool.net