Forest Workshop
"Circle of Fire"
In short:
For children in home education, aged1st to 3rd grade SP
3 age groups (class I, class II, class III)
5 days a week
8:00-17:00
Dandelion forest base in Borchówka
We implement the core curriculum
Tuition fees:
PLN 1,100 - for new families (paid 12 months a year)
PLN 950 - for families from the Dandelion Foundation (paid 12 months a year)
entry fee: PLN 1,100
contact:rekrutacja@fundacjadDMawiec.pl
Find out more!
What will happen?
5 days a week
8:00-17:00
educational classes 9:00-14:00
interest groups after 2:00 p.m
at other times we offer after-school care
Where?
Dandelion forest base in Borchówka (north-east of Łódź).
We have 1.5 ha of fenced forest plot. Around the forest, ponds, fields, the Moszczenica River (a stream flows through the plot) and even an MPK stop :)
Under what conditions?
We want to create a truly forest workshop where children will spend most of their time (including educational activities) actively outdoors.
We believe that "there is no bad weather, only bad clothes"
If you need shelter under the roof, we have:
- a spherical tent 70 sq m (electricity, stove heating)
- a brick house with separate rooms (running water, sewage system, electricity, heating with a stove)
- a wooden shed
Children can use the toilet (sewage) or toi-toi
How about the food?
We order lunches and afternoon teas from catering
PLN 13 (special diets PLN 14) / day (prices valid in the school year 2020/2021)
Meals can be provided on your own (e.g. thermoses with lunches)
What about education?
We conduct educational classes and implement the core curriculum. However, we do not implement all the content of education specified in the basis (e.g. in the context of computer classes).
We want to keep parents informed about their child's educational progress and, if necessary, indicate areas for work at home.
We assume that the responsibility for education lies not only with Dandelion, but also (and perhaps above all) with the child and parent.
We base our work on our own "curriculum", which includes the goals and schedule for the whole year. Due to our values, we assume great flexibility from the schedule. We may deliver the content at a different time or fail to deliver it at all (which we will keep you informed).
Individualization
In order to allow children an individual path of development, each day there is also time for independent work, in which children perform tasks at the level of difficulty of their choice in the skills: writing, reading and counting.
Our methods
We rely on the assumptions of the constructivist approach:
-
student's initiative - he actively builds his knowledge as a result of his own activity
-
independent learning, problem solving
-
emotions, movement, involvement, learning based on knowledge already possessed
-
setting challenges adequate to the child's level of development
-
relationships - with yourself, other people, nature and culture
-
Experiential Learning Model (Kolb cycle)
In our work, we use the following tools: democratic education, the Montessori method, the Dalton plan, the scouting method, the culture of the Slavs
We conduct classes:
-
Early childhood education
-
English
-
Psychoeducation (classes with a psychologist)
-
Plasticity
Examples of activities in the workshop:
-
gamesmath,field, economical, mini EduLarp, board games
-
keeping a forest workshop chronicle,writingletters, keeping notebooks
-
telling stories by the fire, out loudreadingfor and by children
-
language games and funEnglish
-
activitiesnature: observations, experiences and experiments, ecological projects
-
worksconstruction and technical: construction of a chicken coop, construction of a bread oven, use of tools (hammers, hand saws, screwdrivers, measuring tapes, etc.)
-
activitiespractical and technical: cooking, sewing, plaiting, tying shoes, performing duties (setting the meal, cleaning)
-
activityplasticusing natural materials
-
activitymusical- joint singing, creating and playing instruments, plans to record a music album with pieces performed by children
-
activitytheatrical- drama, acting, theatres, puppets, hand puppets, shadow theater
-
funmovement- gymnastic exercises, tree climbing, outdoor games (with and without a ball)
-
practicemindfulnessmindfulness exercises
-
morning circles,talking about emotions, impressions and opinions of children on various topics, philosophizing with children
In our work, we use new technologies as a source of knowledge and information (computers, tablets and the Internet will be available in the database). However, we do not conduct IT classes.
Layette
As part of the tuition fee, Dandelion provides:
-
notebooks for children
-
note pads in the field,
-
photocopying materials,
-
art and technical materials,
-
teaching aids used in the course (including LARP props, cooking ingredients, etc.)
Please provide your children with:
-
headlamp
-
clothes suitable for the weather (e.g. jackets, rain pants)
-
clothes (including underwear) for a change,
-
camping kitchen utensils - water bottle/bottle, canteens
-
pencil case 4-6 (pen/pen, 2 pencils of different softness, sharpener, eraser, transparent ruler, set square, protractor, crayons)
-
pencil case 1-3 (pen/pen, pencil, sharpener, eraser, transparent ruler, crayons)
Our roots - values
NATURE
We believe that being close to nature brings many positive effects on a child's development. It relieves stress, supports concentration, allows you to stop in the hustle and bustle of everyday life and allow yourself to be consciously present with yourself and the environment. Experiencing nature sharpens the senses, strengthens the child's body, allows him to develop independence and creativity. It significantly promotes physical development, enabling free physical activity in a varied and time-varying environment, building faith in one's own abilities and self-esteem .
The forest space constantly challenges children, provides interesting phenomena - encouraging them to develop their passions or follow their cognitive curiosity . The natural environment is also conducive to the creation of satisfying social relations - teaching cooperation and mutual trust, which are built in the face of natural challenges posed by nature.
.jpg)
RELATIONS
We assume that education is a relationship. A family atmosphere, honesty and closeness are very important in our workshop. We want members of the community to feel good here - everyone can be themselves here . We want to create a place based on mutual respect and subjectivity of community members.
We create a community - a village made up of children, tutors and parents. We all speak to each other by first name. We are all welcome here. We assume that the main creators of the workshop space and reality are children and tutors. Parents are invited to get involved in the life of the village, share their passions and stay in our space.
LIMITS
We want to build our workshop within the limits and rules resulting from the values and needs of our community members. However, we do not understand "boundaries" as a system of do's and don'ts. We want to teach ourselves and our children how to recognize their needs and emotions and to be in tune with them - to express their consent or say "no". We respect each other's limits, trying to distinguish between needs and wants (in line with the teaching thought of J. Juul).
We respect the boundaries of children, tutors, parents, and our own.
We recognize that the forest workshop is run by tutors, without whom our place would not exist. Therefore, it is extremely important for us that tutors feel motivated to their work. For this, the tutor's sense of security is essential - therefore we consider it to be the overriding criterion / value that the tutor can refer to when children are active. This means that we give children the freedom to choose and act within the safety limits set by the tutor depending on the situation.
INDEPENDENCE
We believe that children are competent and independent people. Independence and self-determination builds self-esteem and self-confidence. It allows you to get to know yourself better and on this basis to find yourself in the world. We want children to learn to make decisions and take responsibility for them. Children have the ability to make decisions within the rules of the workshop, the boundaries of tutors and other children (we recognize that "Your freedom ends where mine begins").
In the workshop, children play without adult supervision and are not constantly monitored. They can move freely around the base, within the fence. They have space to create their own projects, build bases, organize games, or simply hide in the bushes from the world :) We try to support children in independence, in line with the thought of M. Montessori "We help to do it yourself".
JOY
Joy is the basic value of the place we want to create, the way we work. We joke, laugh, and fool around. We play together and we appreciate the free play of children, which cannot be missing in our workshop. Joy is the driving force behind learning - it stimulates curiosity , allows you to better absorb the acquired information and experiences. We try to make everyone in the community feel good and be happy to come to the forest base :)!
Do you want to know more about our values and how we imagine everyday life in a forest workshop?
We invite you to read the document "Forest workshop - values"!
Our tutors
Anna Topolska
In the forest I find peace, great joy and freedom. I like accompanying children on adventures. I deeply believe that the forest is an ideal educational space. I run through the bushes, sing, light bonfires, love field games and support small people in their independence.
I am a teacher of early childhood education (I obtained my master's degree at the University of Lodz) and a graduate of the Forest School Center nature pedagogy course.
In Dandelion, I had the pleasure of working in a kindergarten and a municipal school group. I am currently teaching a second class in a forest workshop :)
Privately, I am a scout instructor with the rank of sub-scoutmaster. I had the pleasure of being trainee of the Jim Foundation, trainee of the Dalton kindergarten, animator of kinder balls.
I consider myself an enthusiast of constructivist pedagogy :)
.jpg)
Aleksander "Olesław" Madej
I am a man of many talents and professions that I am not afraid to take up. A Slav in the historical group "Oak Leaf Family". I have over 20 years of experience in cc781905-5cde-3194-bb3b-136bad5cf58d conducting workshops and classes related to Slavic culture, based on love for nature, for adults and children.
I am a carpenter by profession and I build “Grodzisko Rzeczyca”, an early medieval craftsman's settlement. I am interested in music and film. Together with my children, I would like to create a CD with songs and music videos of our work, songs that motivate to act and teach how to live in harmony
with nature.
I love playing with wood, carving and building smaller and larger structures from natural materials gives me great fun.
My dream is to pass on my knowledge and passion for nature and physical games and spending time without higher technology, and to show how important it is to build interests.
In the Dandelion forest workshop, I am a first-class tutor and initiator of projects for the entire community. Fame and see you in action!
Alek Woźniak
In all undertakings, including my own parenting, I try to promote being outside, believing that nature has a healing and teaching effect - it is the best therapist, internist and educator I know. I love sleeping in the open (even in February), climbing trees and carving sticks.
I graduated from linguistics at the University of Warsaw, studies about China at the University of London and a course in nature pedagogy at the Forest School Center. I also studied archeology and cultural studies. For four years I worked at Wolna Szkoła Ursynów in Warsaw, where I was a tutor for a group of senior classes.
In the Dandelion forest workshop, I am the mentor leading the group 4-6.
Ewa Marcinkowska
Uwielbiam pracę z dziećmi, ich energię i ciekawość świata. Czerpię z ich dociekliwości i radości życia, podążając za ich zainteresowaniami oraz wspierając je w budowaniu relacji zarówno międzyludzkich, jak również ze światem wewnątrz ich samych, którego poznanie staje się fundamentem dla ich edukacji oraz rozwoju. Swoją przygodę w Dmuchawcu rozpoczęłam jako mama leśnego przedszkolaka oraz nauczycielka jogi i koncentracji dla dzieci. Obecnie jestem tutorką w naszej leśnej warsztatowni i prowadzę blok humanistyczny dla najstarszej grupy (klasy 5-7).
Z wykształcenia jestem historykiem sztuki i certyfikowaną nauczycielką jogi dla dzieci. Ukończyłam studia doktoranckie na UŁ oraz Gazi Universitesi w Ankarze, gdzie zgłębiałam zagadnienia wykorzystania spuścizny bizantyjskiej przez Imperium Osmańskie. Prywatnie kocham podróże, wspinaczkę, długie spacery po lesie, kąpiele w lodowatej rzece, malowanie, jogę, taniec i moje dzieci.