The Wild Minds Podcast

This was a powerful interview with Nadia Shaik, who is a naturalist, conservationist and land justice activist working with Right to Roam. Nadia has worked in Land Policy for the RSPB for over 10 years and is now addressing addressing issues of decolonising the sector. In this episode we discuss: The importance of valuing and protecting nature with the same passion we have for our National Health...

In this episode  I take a look at the four guiding principles that underpin the early years foundation stage in the UK and consider how these principles could also underpin wellbeing. Sometimes it appears that nature-based experiences and learning is alternative or radical, but these very same principles exist underneath our practice we are all unique in the ways we learn and develop. We all...

In this episode, I'm speaking with Sam Williams, headteacher of Redcliffe Nursery School, a state-maintained nursery school in the centre of Bristol. I particularly enjoyed the thoughtful exploration of his value of democracy and how this begins for nursery aged children. Really thinking about how a childs’s own agency, as well as being valued for what they think and say and do, links to this...

October has arrived and the days are growing shorter and colder, yet at this time of year, we also experience a last rush of some of the edible plants before the winter. For example you can find nettle, plantain, ground ivy and even cleavers, as well as all of the berries, and if you know what you are doing, its also mushroom season! Though this cycle of growth is coming to a close and death is al...

My guest today is Sophie Christophy, co-founder of the Cabin and the Lodge, both self-directed learning communities for home educated young people. In 2016 Sophie established the philosophy and concept of consent-based education, which is the theme of today’s podcast. We start the conversation about our dominant culture, and how we find ourselves within a patriarchal world view, regardless of our...

It’s good to be back for a new season and notice autumn arriving! Isn’t it incredibly difficult to get away from screens and allow time for play, reflection, rest and social connection.  On a recent walk, I saw swallows, who will soon be leaving us for southern Africa, and I did some research on Atlantic Mackerel as I saw all these people fishing – turn out they are leaving too and going...

Welcome back to Season 6! My guest today is David Cowell, Managing Director of ALP Schools, which runs special educational needs independent schools, funded by the local authority. These five schools are for young people between the ages of 6-19 and 25 who have diagnosed special educational needs. In this episode, we dive into: The potential link between criminal behavior and the kind of education...

This is the final episode of Season 5 until we meet again on September 23rd around the Autumn Equinox! I find myself once again in July, re-committing to taking time to slow down and make sure I spend time in natural spaces. I think in order to walk my talk, particularly with regard to listening deeply to the natural world and the wisdom that might arise from this encounter, I know it’s necessary...

I’m thrilled to introduce my guest, Rebecca Wildbear. Rebecca is the author of  Wild Yoga , a book that guides us to inhabit our bodies and listen to the animate natural world. She tracks dreams, invites us to embrace vulnerability, listening deeply to nature, and to be open to what arises. Rebecca holds an M.S. in Counseling from Johns Hopkins University and spent fifteen years working as a...

Welcome to Episode 38! Today, I'm delving into the transformative power of nature in education and health. I'll be sharing the backstory of Circle of Life Rediscovery, my community interest company, and our journey in offering nature-based programmes and green interventions with the National Health Service and various teams over the past 20 years. In this Episode Marina discusses: Celebrating the...

In this episode, I’m so excited to speak with Dylan Walker, who describes himself as part entrepreneur, part ecologist, and part educator. Dylan uses innovative techniques to spark our imaginations, inspiring visions of a wilder world where humans play a central and positive role. He passionately believes that cultivating a deep cultural connection with nature is the only way to safeguard our prec...

Today, I'm beginning to delve into the fascinating world of biomimicry and nature's patterns, exploring how these principles can help us become net contributors in our communities and beyond and of course other interesting ideas! I'll talk about how we could develop these natural blueprints to foster participation, learning, and positive change. I believe it's crucial for everyone to feel empowere...

My guest today is Dr Deborah Benham. In addition to her academic career as a biologist, Deborah is a biomimicry educator, a Gaia Education and Transition Towns trainer, and has huge experience in how we can draw on living systems to support solutions to societal challenges.  I am very inspired to share this episode with you! We can actually be net-contributors as humans rather than always ext...

In episode 34, Marina defines outdoor learning and shares practical examples of its implementation in schools. Additionally, she explores the broader social and economic context we live in and questions if our education system should provide more opportunities for young people to understand political and economic processes, especially with the backdrop of the upcoming UK General elections. It seem...

We're kicking off Season 5 with an inspiring interview featuring Linda Dupret, a former headteacher with extensive experience leading an urban-based primary school. Linda's passion for the outdoors drove her to integrate nature into mainstream education. I believe it’s crucial to provide young people with as many opportunities as possible to connect with nature. Outdoor learning, including approac...

Episode 32 is the last episode in Season 4! Marina is pulling together some of her thoughts about the last few weeks, and Season 5 will begin on 17th June. In this Episode Marina discusses: What's Ecocide and Why Does It Matter? ( https://www.stopecocide.earth/become ) How may our hidden School curriculum shape environmental connection? The educational value of stones, leaves, mud and sticks for t...

In Episode 31, My guest Clare Caro and I get to explore if the ‘recipe of school’ is synonymous with education. Clare works as a co-director of the social enterprise Root-and-Branch Out, and with the local home-educating community.  We dive into: What is home education and Unschooling (coined by John Holt)?·         Is it legal to home school, ‘educatin...

In Episode 30, Marina is exploring how we exile certain feelings to our unconscious, and how much we need them back, when we are ready, to be able to feel our grief and to avoid looking for relief in distractions, buying things, blaming others, so that we don’t abandon our own wild dreams and values.  Humans are certainly very complex, and I am very interested in how our suppression of feelin...

My guest today is neuroscience educator, Sarah Peyton, who is an author, an international constellations facilitator, Certified Trainer of Nonviolent Communication, and someone who has spent many years integrating constellations, brain science and the use of resonant language to heal trauma. In this episode we dive into: Flight and fight and a less known distress response ‘alarmed aloneness’ – or...

In Episode 28, Marina is feeling more reflective as she revisits some of the themes from her conversation with Peter Owen Jones last week. In this Episode Marina contemplates: A sense of sanctuary and intimacy with the non-human world, and ‘place’. The celebration of springtime and how the greening of our land informs our practice. The inner compass that pulls us home and helps us navigate the jou...

My guest today is Peter Owen Jones, who is an ecological thinker and activist, as well as a celebrated BBC TV presenter. In this episode we dive into: Are your dancing days ever done? What gets sacrificed for order? Melancholia as a teacher Plug into love as our main human job. The call of the religions of love and similarities rather than differences – are our hearts different? Jesus as a radical...

In Episode 26, Marina looks at: The importance of knowing that our behaviour does not really reflect what is going on internally and that most of the time we are not aware of our how our unmet needs are fuelling the behaviour that we need support for, not punishment. Behaviour is an outward expressions of feelings, thoughts, needs and intentions (see Alfie Kohn’s work). How do we want our children...

To kick off Season 4, Marina is speaking with Jon Cree, who is the co-author of their book, “The Essential Guide to Forest School and Nature Pedagogy”.  They dive into: What underpins a healthy model of education? How love really is an essential ingredient. A new model of partnership rather than domination Discovering wholehearted learning The role of love and understanding our needs Neurobio...

In Episode 24, Marina looks at: Our mind's potential What is your Ecological Niche? Embracing the Nature-Centric Model. Choosing where to direct your attention. Fostering a quieter mind. Action as an antidote to anxiety. Humans as net contributors. What is the next moment of experience? Show Notes:  https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-24-why-is-experiential-learning-needed-in-education...

Season 3, Episode 23: In this week's podcast, I'm chatting to Roger Duncan, an eco-systemic psychotherapist within the NHS. For over 30 years, he worked within the nature therapy world, was one of the pioneer tutors of the Ruskin Mill Education Trust, is a wilderness passage guide and developed a UK based Eco-psychotherapy course called 'Reclaiming our Indigenous Relationship with Nature'. We dive...