Forest School

I am currently completing my qualification in Forest and Outdoor Learning (FOLA). This is my online portfolio, highlighting my explorations and learnings from this process.

Practical Skills

A big part of my Forest School training has been learning new outdoor skills and refining old ones. Assessment not only includes being...

sydneyrswitzer

Jun 20, 2024

The Shabbaton B'Teva

My Teva events had been going great, and I was discovering so many people with an interest in bringing together nature and Jewish...

sydneyrswitzer

Jun 19, 2024

What Is Teva?

In addition to my six practice sessions that I ran for my Forest School practitioner training (which were confusingly also referred to as...

sydneyrswitzer

Jun 19, 2024

Natural Cycles

I love the idea that nature comes in cycles. I didn't use to notice these, but during Covid I found one spot in the woods where I would...

sydneyrswitzer

Jun 16, 2024

The Tool Talk

When making things, we need to make sure we're doing it safely and with the right tools. Before I started this course, I rarely used...

sydneyrswitzer

Jun 14, 2024

Making in the Woods

I love making things, and I love spending time outside. Learning to make things, inspired by the nature around us, and often using found...

sydneyrswitzer

Jun 14, 2024

All of the Plants

I have a small patch of woodland near my house which I've been going to regularly, ever since lockdown began. It's a beautiful space, and...

sydneyrswitzer

Jun 6, 2024

Rain, Sun, Etc.

There were geese this morning on Loch Ettrick. Two Canadian Geese, with a few babies trailing behind them. I noticed them because they...

sydneyrswitzer

May 22, 2024

Tree Appreciation Month

Patrick and I were sitting drinking coffee in Queen's Park on a Friday morning back in January. We had brought our watercolours along,...

sydneyrswitzer

May 6, 2024

Trying Out Willow Coppicing

This week I had the incredible opportunity to learn a bit about willow coppicing. I'd previously taken a four-week willow weaving course,...

sydneyrswitzer

Feb 12, 2024

Forest School at Limmud

From December 22-27 I attended the UK's largest Jewish gathering, Limmud Festival, in Birmingham, with over 1600 people attending. Limmud...

sydneyrswitzer

Jan 1, 2024

Understanding Forest School

Here we are. It's already been a month since I've been back from our first week of training, and it already feels like it was ages ago....

sydneyrswitzer

Dec 21, 2023