Outdoors in Early Years – Dr M’s thoughts

Communities of Practice in the ELC Sector

In 2010 I set up Úlla Beag, an inclusive outdoor green early childhood setting with a play-based pedagogy, delivered under the framework of Aistear. My aim was to provide the experience of an outdoor play environment similar to that in which I grew up; for both my own children and children in my locality, asContinue reading “Communities of Practice in the ELC Sector”

Outdoor Environments

Underpinning STEAM concepts the natural way! Research from O’Doherty (2011) tells us that active involvement helps wire the brain; which in turn helps to enhance and reinforce concepts relating to STEAM education. This isn’t a new phenomenon, and in fact, if we think back as far as Piaget’s conservation theory (1968), we see indications ofContinue reading “Outdoor Environments”

Learning Numeracy the Natural way!

“Maths doesn’t have to be boring“ Numeracy at any age doesn’t have to be tedious and boring, or for that matter limited to the indoors. There is much more to the emerging concepts of numeracy than learning how to count, or recognising the written number or doing sums. If you stop for a minute andContinue reading “Learning Numeracy the Natural way!”

A Day in the life of a Green School

Author Denise Sheridan MA Student Ulla Beag was set up in 2010 as an inclusive green school, with a Play based pedagogy, delivered under the framework of Aistear. The aim was to provide the experience of an outdoor play environment similar to that in which I grew up; for both my own children and children in the localityContinue reading “A Day in the life of a Green School”

Lets get grubby!

Making the most of our Outdoor Environment My thoughts are brought back to Mid -Spring some 12 years ago, when completing a student Teacher assessment in a small town in Co Down. The student had planned an outdoor activity, so I was indeed intrigued to receive her proposal engaging with an outdoor activity in aContinue reading “Lets get grubby!”