Totem Pole Training for Daisy Nursery Staff
News release
18th October 2013
Twenty-four members of staff from Daisy Day Nursery in South Wales are travelling across country for training sessions with early years consultants Mary Barlow and Sally Simpson.
The nursery staff, who work at Daisy Day Nursery in Llanishen (Cardiff) and Barry, are spending three Saturdays in Walsall while Mary and Sally are travelling from The Totem Pole, a training and resource centre in Grantham, Lincolnshire.
They are learning how children engage in play through active learning experiences with adults. They will then start to make changes to the spaces children explore in their settings and introduce routines appropriate to the needs of the children.
“Mary’s training sessions are always very practical, hands-on and inspiring,” said Abeer Bafaqih, owner of Daisy Day Nursery, who has co-ordinated the training.
“I’m so pleased that my staff have volunteered to spend three of their Saturdays doing this training. It’s a long way to come but it really is well worth the trouble.”
During the first session the group explored active learning and discovered the importance of play and its relationship to healthy brain development.
“With small changes to the way we work we know we can make the children’s learning more meaningful,” said Abeer.
“So, we might be exploring the play dough with the children, but we don’t dictate what the children should do with it. They might want to knead it, they might want to add things to it or they might want to make something with it.
“We are learning how to make most of the play during our day like this, and thinking about children as active learners.”
Mary Barlow added: “There is no doubt that these practitioners are going on a journey of learning – their reflection during the first day of the programme shows that.
“Sometimes the smallest change can make the biggest difference. So workshops full of ideas using open-ended and natural materials have already made a difference. Sally and I are looking forwards to the next steps!”
Notes to editors
• Daisy Day Nursery looks after children aged up to five at two settings in Llanishen (Cardiff) and Barry.
• The Llanishen setting has 57 registered places while the Barry nursery is slightly larger with 77 registered places.
• The Llanishen setting opened in 2004 while the Barry nursery opened in 2010.
• To find out more visit www.daisydaynursery.com
• The Totem Pole was established in the grounds of the Belton Woods Hotel in Grantham, Lincolnshire in October 2009. It is a unique training and resource centre for everybody caring for children which offers individuals a different way of learning.
• Early Years Consultant Mary Barlow has more than 20 years’ experience in child development and develops training programmes underpinned by best practice.
• Mary was named Trainer of the Year at the Nursery World Awards in 2011.
• To find out more visit www.thetotempole.co.uk
Jez Ashberry
Shooting Star PR
01522 528540
jez@shootingstar-pr.co.uk
www.shootingstar-pr.co.uk
t: @jezashberry
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