Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning Courses

What a surprise! The opening evening saw Robin and 13 others acknowledged and honoured as Elders of the Permaculture Community. It was explained that you had to be over 55, contributed substantially over many years to Permaculture and be present at the Convergence. Robin accepted the plaque with tears in her eyes and a joyous heart.  Robin was one of four key note presenters at the Australasian Permaculture Convergence in March. She presented directly after David Holmgren on the first day and led the 200 attendees in an interactive greeting, icebreaking, networking and theme building session entitled ‘Social design and the culturing of Permaculture.’ It was obviously enjoyed and appreciated by all with everyone feeding back their theme groups suggestions with enthusiasm and team support. A lot was achieved in the one hour session and the energy of it carried out into the rest of the convergence. Robin’s workshop the …

Robin’s offering just 2 ‘Dynamic Groups’ Courses this year as she’s busy writing a series of books on ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’.  23rd to 27th August in UK at The Sustainability Centre, Hampshire ENGLAND with Looby Macnamara as a Special Guest. Enquire and Register with Looby at www.designedvisions.co.uk    Click here to see the poster and details 15th to 20th November in Australia at Crystal Waters Permaculture Village, SE Q’ld. Enquire and Register with Robin via email – robin@earthcare.com.au  Click here to see the poster and details

Robin Clayfield is celebrating over 21 years of training teachers, facilitators, trainers,  presenters and group leaders. She is writing it all down and indulging in a partial sabbatical time so will only be offering one ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ Creative Facilitation and Teacher Training this year.  It will be a 6 day residential intensive adventure and not to be missed if you’ve been waiting awhile to do one of Robin’s highly acclaimed and respected courses. 13th to 18th October 2014 at Crystal Waters Eco-Village in SE Queensland Click here to view a poster for the course There is a ‘Sliding Scale’ for payment, concession prices and payment plans available.

Published on Sep 6, 2013 This is Robin Clayfield from Australia explaining her progression from teaching Permaculture, to a specialization of aiding group dynamics to function better by embracing creative techniques.

Have you ever gone to sleep in a class, lecture or meeting? More importantly, have participants in your groups gone to sleep or looked bleary eyed and started yawning? This is a signal, not to go faster and try and get through copious notes more quickly, but to have a break of some kind.  A Variety of Ways to TAKE A BREAK… * The obvious one is to have a tea break. Preferably offering fruit, filtered water, juice and healthy light snacks. Too much sugar and heavy cakes can give a sugar spike to the blood sugar followed by a big drop in energy later on. * Change chairs and visit an open window on the way. Take 3 deep breaths of the fresh air * All stand up and have a big stretch and a yawn by massaging the jaw * Use any ‘Cross-Crawling’ activity. Have a look at …

Magic Happens in ‘Dynamic Groups’ and Learning Happens Easily. Why is that so? It’s been an exciting and rewarding journey for Robin Clayfield since she first began Teaching Permaculture Creatively in 1990. She and Skye (now from Brazil) had taught a 2 week Permaculture Design Course the year before, using lecturing, small group work, demonstrations, hands-on garden and design exercises and other standard educational practises. That’s how they’d been taught through school, Uni and in their Permaculture course as students. The course went very well, people were inspired and learnt lots, though they reported a sense of ‘information overload’. It also didn’t feel right to Skye and Robin that they were teaching Soils to Soil scientists and Building Design to Architects. Many interesting discussions followed and the next course saw ‘Needs Based Learning’  implemented and ‘Creative Facilitation’ of relevant, diverse and empowering activities, many developed especially for the people in …