learning

I’ve started documenting what I’ve been up to in the last few years, since moving to Freo. So I’m just going to chuck it up on the BLOG for a bit to put it out there while I keep working on it. Here goes.

2003 - 2006

Based in Fremantle, Western Australia
Some work/study in Italy and UK

“Fremantle Village Early Learning Centre”
Co-founder
Establishment of a 62 place progressive early learning centre for children 0-6 years in a child care setting. More than 100 families and sector professionals involved in the development of a holistic “centre for excellence” in early years care and education.

Much inspired by the Reggio Emilia project in Northern Italy with input from Montessori, Steiner, Summerhill and mainstream approaches.

Followed a collaborative community development approach within a social entrepreneurship framework.

[Project ended after three years*, just before building work began on restoration of two adjacent inner-urban heritage buildings in the heart of the local neighbourhood catchment, within walking distance for many families and on a free community bus route.

We had received overwhelming support from local families and early learning specialists.

Developed in association with local parents and their children, early learning practitioners, Erudite Educational Consultants (from Nedlands Early Learning Centre), Reggio Children (in Italy), Reggio Emila Information Exchange in Australia, City of Fremantle, Dept for Community Development, Child Care Association of WA, Children’s Service Support Unit, Education Dept, Health Dept, Dept for the Environment, architects, lawyers, accountants, art specialists.

Stages completed or well advanced:

1. Concept development > visioning > ongoing community consultation.

2. Pedagogical research and development.

3. Business planning (including benchmarking against industry standards and highest quality, Reggio-inspired centre in the State).

4. Site selection and contractual agreements to lease

5. Environmental/architectural planning

6. Quantity surveying & building project management

7. Town planning approvals (in association with local community, Local Government Authority, town planning consultant, traffic engineer and State Gov’t Planning Appeals Tribunal. A case against the local authority was won at a state level to allow the centre to go ahead after local politics would have stopped it.)

8. Recruitment of a senior Director and one other senior staff member.

[*An campaign mounted by a disturbed neighbour ensured the Local Council impose an unprecedented noise and parking management plan on the centre’s approval, and a major reduction in numbers of children allowed to access it. When the State Tribunal Appeal was won to increase numbers to a sustainable level, this person bought one of the properties. At the same time he sent an ‘anonymous’ but traceable email threatening us with words like “dead”, “kill” and “destroy”. The police were sure who it was but could not convict him. In the interests of the children’s and our own well being, we had to walk away. And now, a new life begins…]

City of Fremantle
Lobbying & community participation to review child care policy
& strategic town planning on safe, appropriate locations for child care centres
See www.freofocus.gov.au/…. TBA

WA Child Care Advisory Committee
Advising Minister for Community Development
Community member Nov 2004 - Nov 2005
Wrote “Children at the Centre” - a visioning document for child care in the State.
Adopted as the official draft vision for child care by the committee and the Minister
(About WA CCAC)

Beaconsfield Primary School
Kindy & Pre-primary
Ongoing professional dialogue with teachers, offering assistance/encouragement/equipment.
Conducted several short sessions with children 4-5 years. Planning to do more.

Early Learning Fremantle
Co-founder
Bringing progressive early years educators and students together in the South Metro area. Including state and private, Reggio-inspired, Montessori, Steiner and alternative (Lance Holt / Summerhill inspired). Developed and manage email discussion list (now dormant)

Learning BLOG
Established one of the first weblogs to start commenting on my early learning experiences. Dialogue, reflection and discussion generated globally. Available at www.barkingowl.com/learning

“Reggio & Buddhism”
Short article published in The Challenge” - Reggio Emilia Information Exchange in Australia national journal. Available here.

Additional Education

Introduction to Reggio, Meerilinga (with Marie Martin from http://www.learningconversations.com.au/)

Advanced Study Tour to visit the Preschools & Infant Toddler Centres of Reggio Emilia, Italy

Atelierista Patricia Hunter-McGrath, Bold Park School

First Aid for Children

Other roles

Sustainable Business Network (Aust) (est. 1997)
Ongoing faciliation
See www.barkingowl.com/sustainable

The Big Love Gift Guide
“More joy, less stuff”
http://barkingowl.com/cc/
Conscious consumerism project. “Think before you buy. Gift ideas that show what a big heart you have - that bring us back together and don’t cost the earth.” Created and maintained this popular online resource for anyone wanting to think about how they spend and give. Google rates this in the Top Ten for people searching “gift + guide”, “gift guide” + christmas and No. 1 for “gift + guide + love”. Google returns over 1000 hits for “The Big Love Gift Guide”.

Photography

See a sample of my events, travel and portrait work online here. Portfolio.

Tibetan Support Network
Art exhibition & auction featuring leading West Australian artists. Works donated to help build a school in the former Tibet. Event was packed. Goodwill.
Assisted with promotion, co-ordination & artist liaison.

Treachery & Seduction on the High C’s
New operatic highlights performance. Assisted with concept, promotion & co-ordination. Generated widespread media coverage. Sell-out show.

Auto Angels
Sustainable Car Ownership
Coaching to reflect on (ethical/sustainable) business direction, goals and human resourcing.

ONGOING

Mothering Beatrice (5 years old)

Emerging art (meditation) practice
- Painting at Kidogo Art House with Paul Uhlmann: Advanced Class.
- Painting at Fremantle Arts Centre with Pam Brittain.
- Photographic projects. Portfolio online here (including some conceptual works in progress).
- Keeping a visual diary working towards paintings, photographs, conceptual works and installations

To look at what I was working on before all this…

PRE-2003 CV

And for those that don’t know what I mean by JuJu , click here. Anyone that knows The Real John and want’s to hazard a guess as to which definition I’m refering to can email me. libby@barkingowl.com

Thank you all for this. Indeed you are all good obea Jujus in the very best sense of the word. You’ve got our Mojos rising. We are convinced. From May 2006 your Brighton retreat should be up and running.

Hope reading this helps you love where you are some more, or helps you too to work out where you want to be as it has us.

xxx Libs

The first response here as the last. Short and sweet, unlike John. Well half like John. The good bit. Um. I’ll just stop there.

……………………………

1. GLASTONBURY
2. London
3. The sense of humour
4. Skiing in Europe
5. Libby, Gray and Bea will be here soon

Nowhere is faraway, everthing is on your doorstep , unlike Oz where everything is miles to reach.

Rich in Arts & culture, history & society.

Global warming is doing big things for the UK, its been the sunniest October for 100 years and you cant beat Autumn in the Uk, its beautifull.

Brighton , is different to the rest of the UK anyway, its brighter and you will find everything there & more!

1) The beautiful changing seasons, its autumn at the
mo and all the moistness and colours and the shiny wet
pavements and the crispy air, makes you feel so alive.

2) The way its so small, so easy to get about from
place to place, cosy, and the way that the chances are
you make connections with people who have heard of
people you know etc etc (e.g. lianne marx!)

3)Brighton - the beautiful easy lifestyle, the amount
of fun per square metre, the way there are groovy
lovely hippies spilling off the pebble beach, the
windier than windy wintery nights walking along the
seafront, the fact that my wonderful sister and her
unborn baby live there, that there’s so so much to get
involved in.

4) The countryside, the way its so accesible, the
stillness and quiet, and hills and peaks around
sheffield.Also the way we’re so damn close to the rest
of europe with all its variation, feels good to know.

5) the general overall down to earth ness of people
(especially up north), once you get past the bit of
british reserve, the way people don’t just walk around
like they’ve got it all handled, the way there’s so
much genuineness.

Okay so maybe these are all things you could get
anywhere, but I really appreciate the fact that I’ve
got them here, especially the ease of travelling thing
- if there’s some kind of event or course or something
happening somewhere, no matter where in the old island
it is its so easy to hop on a train, and the chances
are you’ll know somehwere who lives there cos theres
not all that far for your companions to spread out to.
Bravo for england i say.

I think there’s only one word you need.

DIVERSITY!

Here’s an exercise, spend a day in Perth and count how many people you encounter
a) wearing a turban.
b) with black skin
c) speaking a language you can’t identify
d) driving a car that’s worth more than your house
e) pushing all their worldly posessions in a shopping trolley

nuff said?

Not even married yet and already referring to David in the third person. Things are very cozy in the Melksham Loveshack!

………

I love hearing the crunch of bright red autumnal leaves underfoot during a
country ramble

I love that European shopping is only hours away.

I love that world politics is really discussed.

He loves the ever-changing country side, the unpredictable weather and damn
fine cider

And James loves CBBC - cbbc.co.uk

Vote 1, Vanessa for PM and Pammy for Pope.

……………

You were asking about daily life. I can speak for
London which I think has similarities to Brighton -
they do call it London-by-the-sea, after all.

You need to get yourself set up so that you don’t have
to travel alot to do the things you do alot ie work,
shops, school etc. Getting from a to b can be a real
pain in the arse in this country.

I’m about to skip this winter and am quite glad to do
so. But quietly I’m a little disappointed to miss out
on some bits of it. Altho I’m almost repulsed by
christmas, i think it makes more sense to be in the
middle of winter. And it does distract you from winter
for at least a month.

The things I love about winter here:

-cooking pots of good food and getting a bunch of
friends around my kitchen table to eat it on a cold
sat night or sun afternoon.
(and I always provide a scrumptious pudding too)

-sunday lunch with good friends in a good pub.

-walking in a park on a cold autumn day, kicking
leaves.

-getting cosy inside for an evening after being out in
the cold.

-crocuses appearring in Feb.

-the JOY of March when the days suddenly get longer
and then April when the days are actually really long
and leaves are back on the trees - you don’t get that
contrast of seasons in Perth.

-there’s a big change in the uk in the last few years
with more interest in food miles and seasonal food and
I’m really enjoying exploring that. I like to find out
what the farmers are growing in Jan rather than buying
some asparagus flown from chile at tescos.

-trees with blossom in March and April.

-a London thing - walking or bussing along Waterloo
Bridge. Every time I do it I get a buzz.

-walking around Spitalfields. I love the old Hugueneot
houses and they always get me excited. That’s the
architecture thing you referred to.

-the Gherkin - that’s cool too. And it’s not far from
spitalfields. You can see it from so many parts of
London.

-on a weekend, no matter what time of year there’s
always a massive choice of exhibtions, museums,
galleries, shows, events to choose from. There are
still loads of things I haven’t done in London that I
want to do.

-when it’s your holidays, the choices go way way
beyond “up north, down south, over east or Bali”!

-when it’s your holidays, you have your hard earned
pound to spend. Much better than your hard earned
dollar.

I could go on.

……………………..

(Please do!)

1. Love the fact that I am going to Seville, Spain for 3 days with a bunch of girlfriends.

2. Love the parks

3. Love the fact you can turn a corner and see something different/new that you have never seen before

4. Love the South Bank and the city at night - sitting on a bus and taking in all the old archictecture.

5.Love the season changes - the gold leaves

6. Love all the Free events for kids and concerts for all!

7. Love the fact I cycle to work past Buckingham Palace everyday.

8. Love the fact that I can pick up a cool funky top for less than £20

9. Love the fact that there are so many shoes to choose from

10 Love the mult-cultural food etc

11 Love all the markets - farmers, portobello, flower etc

12 Cool restaurants

Ok - Daily life and the art of living well in Winter.

Skiing hols. Great Theatre and Cabaret and Films.

I’m now working on Memory of london. If I think about where I am now, in Venice,- I’ d say.

Christmas time is amazing. Strolling the cobbled streets in the early evening admiring the well dressed Italians and the well dressed shop windows (In london think Fortnum and Maisons and Harvey Nich’s- where a few years ago they recreated a snow storm all around the shop on the corner of Sloane street!) .In Venice think Emporio Armani and Prada.

Cappuccino and Brioche while lookin over a misty St. Marks square - Think Turner and Matisse with Japanese tourists jumping and playing in the icy water flooding the square, wet pigeons looking demurely on.

The smell of wood smoke and the site of young people dashing about on their Vespas(when on Terra Firma as they call it) and the site of old people on their bicycles- a stereotype but it really is like that!- and lots of picturesque stray cats. - all waiting for your camera btw, libs!

But Venice is very different from London and Brighton and they both have so much to offer- and the fact that they’re so different and you can pop from one to the other is still the biggest plus to living in Europe for me!

1/ Well the first one you know all about.. Buddhafield fest, glastonbury fest, lost vagueness and other assorted cultural spiritual and totally mad things to do at any time of the day/night/week/year…

2/ Doing what i did for my birthday… the 15th oct.. had a long w/e with Maurs in Barcelona.. saw all the sights and even got to swim in the sea… substitute Barcelona for…Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Dublin, Prague ..for those w/e breaks to remember…

3/ see attached pic my families personal mountain retreat centre.. great for family and friends to hang out somewhere sooo chilled and beautiful.. can run up the mountains b4 breakfast…. of course you guys have an open invitation …

4/ Being part of the growing minority of genuinely forward thinking , progressive.. spiritual enviromentally aware people who are trying to change society here…. you never know we might be getting somewhere… but feels all the time that there are kindred spirits all over the place we can connect with locally and around europe who share some of the same vision….

5/ going on holiday without being bitten by sharks, gobbled by salties or bitten by assorted spiders snakes and other nasty beasties…

…………..

Ha!! Bill Bryson and Steve Irwin have done wonders for our rough and tough image.

This was one of the first responses and so sage. See VJ and Audrey’s to follow this theme.

………………

So dull, grey, wet days are once more upon us…but Europe is fab (Paris, Italy, skiing in the mountains, even scruffy old London’s West End… did we really deserve to get the Olympics?). I can’t think of 5 specific reasons.

Is this about object referral as opposed to self-referral? The Western mind is conned into the idea that happiness is to be found in things outside oneself - good weather, easy life, new car… - whereas blissful happiness is always there within you (the true you) if you can access it.

Here’s my attempt

I LOVE LIVING IN ENGLAND/EUROPE BECAUSE…

1. There is a real sense of making an effort to have fun… especially during the summer “season”… of getting out there and being up for it

2. Because it’s not Perth (PErth or Fremantle more precisely is GREAT, but I just don’t want to spend my whole life here).

3. Because it’s (kind of) in Europe… out in the world… yes, because of all the places to travel too

4. Because I think it’s were I belong for the next while… I reckon I will fit in (to Brighton) at least really well… like minded souls… people that “get it”

And an extra few because I’m on a roll now…

5. It’s where ‘real’ dragons and fairies live… it’s where learning about Roman History is actually interesting and relevant. So much of the cultural references I have grown up with connect me deeply to UK/Europe… It’s an Anglo-Australian dilemma (read Martin Boyd, Patrick White etc)

6. Art, architecture, music… Mmmmmmmmm. Yes. All that. oo yeah.

So in essence I suppose it’s to be around people who “get it” and are “up for it”..

The only real dilemma is…everyday life. Not the weekends and festivals and holidays abroad, but the dailies. What is the art of living well day-to-day in England (Brighton)? Obviously having pots of cash and all the time in the world and blah blah all that. But assuming we don’t as such… I would love to know what positive things anyone can say about daily life… working life… “family” life…

Is it possible to wake up in the middle of winter and start the day with a bounce… knowing your next big event is a way off? What does it take to create this?

So the big trip was such a success that we want more, more, more! So much more, infact, that we are going to have to move to Blighty to get it. All going well, we will be setting up a new Owlery in sunny Brighton (ahem) from May 2006.

The main reason for this post is to share the beautiful responses from the UK/Europe mates when asked, in a ‘cold feet’ moment, what they loved about being there most and what advice they can offer on the art of living well. As many are ex-Perth folk, it was a very interesting and compelling exercise.

Here they are then… jolly good.