One Day Workshop with Sue Lewin and Sharron Lindh

Workshop One
Title: Sustainability: Connecting with the land through music and dance.

Abstract:
‘Beneath the concrete, beneath the street, beneath the houses and the places people meet.
There is the soil, the clay, there is the sand, Beneath the cities and the towns, there is the land.’

This interactive music workshop will explore traditional and original songs and dances of the land and its creatures. As children spend more time indoors, they can be disconnected from the source of their food and necessities, and the cycle of natural life.

We will introduce :

• Ways to encourage and develop positive connections to the earth and a desire to look after the land in which we live.
• Understanding of the sources of our food.
• Ways to imbed indigenous perspectives into the early years curriculum
• All of these will be introduced through the medium of songs and dances.

Workshop Two
Title: ‘When you’re in the rainforest, underneath the trees, Leave only footprints, take away only memories, ‘

Abstract:
We live in a country which is known for its bush and beach and yet more and more children have little connection to the land itself. If children and adults alike are so far removed from all creation, how can we truly embed love and deep respect for our Earth Mother? As children eagerly learn technology, we must first guide them to their own unique and natural connection to the Earth and all living things. Respect is shown by understanding where things come from, our beautiful Mother Earth gives us all the ingredients we need to create the sustainable lives we lead today.

This hands-on workshop explores how to assist children to connect with living things and the environment, by encouraging a sense of belonging, place and future. Sharron and Sue will lead you through stories, songs and dances which encourage and help us ponder ways to help our children learn about keeping this land safe and well and why it matters.

This will be done through:

• Links to EYFS – Belonging. Outcome 2 ‘Children connected to their world’
• Current literature on sustainability
• Concepts of embedding first nation perspectives in the curriculum