Toucan Kids Fun! Bespoke Local Arts, Outdoor & Yoga Summer School - Week Long Childcare

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Hello,

I have created a unique programme of art, geography, and yoga based activities which will take your child on an adventure outdoors in their local area and beyond. On Day One they will receive a passport and each day through crafts, yoga and stories they will visit a new place and experience a new culture!

I will only enrol five children a week on this unique summer programme and I charge £200 per child for the week from 9am to 3pm. We will meet in the Rye each day and begin our journey on our yoga mats before embarking on some arts and crafts fun in a small space at The Bussey Building, not far from the park! The afternoon programme is made up of excursions in the local area, trip to Dulwich Park and Gallery, swimming and cooking class in the local vegan cafe.

I am currently looking to run this the week beginning:

22nd August (five days)

29th August (five days)

About Me!

I was born and raised in Leicestershire. As a child I loved dance, drama and singing. I continue to enjoy all sorts of different pursuits, including yoga, running and plenty of travel overseas, when I am able to. I have been lucky enough to live in Singapore and Shanghai, but the wonderful city of London has always been truly ‘home’. My parents are in London and I have many wonderful friends in this city. I am so looking forward to travelling and experiencing new cultures in the coming years now we are able to do so again.

I have been very fortunate in my life and worked for Dulwich College in London, Shanghai and Singapore.

It was in Asia that I really discovered my love of travel and yoga. I also led the outdoor learning when working at Dulwich College Singapore and was responsible for setting up various growing spaces across the school, organised wholly school trips to Bollywood Veggies so the children could learn about plants and walking barefoot in a rice paddy, led cooking classes and taught the nursery how to make vegetarian food using the plants grown in our allotments.

We created a Year One and Nursery children's cookbook with recipes that were inspired by our favourite stories and picture books. I also raised money for a Cambodian charity through my Funky Flower Festival which used recycled materials to create huge art installations across the school. It brought together the entire school and parent community of 1500 people.

This event was an end of year outdoor festival in which children sold the plants we had grown, performed in a choir, unveiled their art installations, including one which was made up of over 400 pebbles decorated by individual children. We also created a huge hanging array of flowers made from plastic bottles, old umbrellas and many other recycled materials that spanned the vast corridors across the school. It was one of my proudest achievements whilst working there and this festival still carries on today.

One of the joys of living in Singapore was experiencing all the different cultures and teaching many children from all over the world. Together, as a class, we learnt about many festivals, traditions and sampled an array of culinary delights together as part of the wonderful school celebrations and curriculum. At home, I often bake and enjoy trying out the many recipes I have collected over the years.

Whilst in Asia, I also discovered my love for running, despite the humidity! In 2015, I did my first 10km Run for charity and then another just before leaving and continue to enjoy running to this day. Last year my running shoes gathered a little too much dust, however, and I plan to get back to this pursuit again, and, perhaps, even take part in a race again later in the year. At the moment I am learning conversational Italian and all about Italian cooking through taking classes online and in London.

In every setting I have ever worked in, I have always enjoyed helping to add to the wider life of the school. I like to do a little gardening, alongside the children, and have attempted to grow many flowers and vegetables in the past as part of different topics. Outdoor play, the seasons and nature are so important and provide children with lots of learning opportunities that cannot be experienced inside. However, we do find ourselves in a country that seems a little obsessed with getting children to write from such a young age and I have become somewhat disillusioned with our education system since returning to the UK.

As a Year One teacher, I am now forced to push children to write and train them to pass entrance exams and the 7 plus. I do this well and that is because I know how to balance this alongside teaching them about growth mindset and managing their emotions. I am highly skilled and I can integrate and weave this into my tutoring sessions to maximise results in children no matter what the subject area.

It is ludicrous and so sad to believe that pushing children is going to get the desired results! We live in uncertain times and it is clear that the skills they will need to succeed in this world are far beyond the traditional subjects that we seem to focus on. A child's educational journey should fit the child and have the child at the centre of it. It should be perfectly matched to suit them. It is so important we teach children about keeping their body and mind healthy and how to do this. Ultimately success in children is seen in the fact they have friends, they are confident, take risks, push through mistakes and strive to achieve their best.

Last year, I completed a Rainbow Yoga Course for children which supports children to become storytellers through movement, and the use of many colourful props and music. Through these sessions we learn to work in small groups and weave a unique story together through yoga and dance. The approach is really unique and helps develop language as well as physical skills.

At Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School, I ran a yoga club and we had a lot of fun with this approach. I find dance and yoga have really benefited me over the years and are truly beneficial in times like the present. More than ever we all need to find ways to switch off, step away from technology, and relax and unwind. I think that I can use my knowledge of the traditional Pre-Prep environment to help your children receive a truly broad and balanced education and tutoring experience.

Education is far more than the academic subjects, it is also about helping to promote values, dispositions and attitudes. I am really interested in the growth mindset of children and truly believe this builds the bedrock to success in any child succeeding in school or beyond.

Children must first learn that 'mistakes are good' and that mastering anything takes hard work and commitment. ‘Taking risks’ is learnt through so many varied experiences, like sport, playing instruments, drama, trips, team games to name but a few, and should therefore be a vital part of any holistic education.