Permaculture Teacher Training

Robin’s ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ course in Italy last July was supported magnificently by Kym Chi, a vibrant and creative young woman from Canada who travelled specially to Switzerland and Italy to spend 3 weeks supporting Robin with her Italy course and also two Women’s Weekends. On returning home Kym Chi wrote, collated and created this valuable resource which gives a good insight into the ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ Methodology and the kinds of activities, experiences and learning that people receive in Robin’s creative facilitation and teacher training courses. Robin supplied Kym Chi with some of the content explanations from her upcoming book that show the meanings associated with the Jigsaw Puzzle of ELFy, the mascot who supports Robin piece together all the elements which support group work and learning to be empowering, fun, memorable, supportive and effective. Click here to view the Notes which have many photographs and great …

Here’s a wonderful production of best practices and top tips for teachers of any subject. A free offering to the World Community as a download at printable resolution and available professionally produced from an on demand printer.    Explore :www.permaculturedesign.ca/teachersnotes Permaculture Design : Teachers Notes Envoy : Delvin Solkinson Design : Onbeyond Metamedia Editing and Contributions : Kym Chi Core Team and Contributions : Annaliese Hordern, Dana Wilson & Tamara Griffiths     Source Inspiration and Contributions : Rosemary Morrow, Robin Clayfield, Looby Macnamara. Core Insight and Contributions : Larry Santoyo, Max Lindegger, Robyn Francis. Core Inspiration and Insight : Jude Hobbs, Tom Ward, Geoff Lawton, Douglas and Sam Bullock, Michael Becker, Scott Pittman, Dave Boehnlein, Starhawk, David Holmgren, Dan Palmer and here’s the new Link for Delvin’s latest eNewsletter

What does it take to be an empowered, effective group leader, teacher or facilitator? How do we develop the skills and gather the tools, courage and attitude to be a leader yet also support the empowerment of our groups, each and every participant and honour ourselves at the same time? Robin has been living these questions and discovering some of the answers for close to three decades now. She’s written two pertinent articles in recent years that could be valuable to revisit, especially in the lead up to her new book series ‘Dynamic Teaching and Facilitation’. Both of the articles and her upcoming books address these questions. Five years ago she wrote a blog about her ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ Methodology entitled ‘Magic Happens in Dynamic Groups’. Many of the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle that she talks about in this article help to answer the questions that we’re focused …

21 people from all over the world and all sides of the country gathered at Crystal Waters EcoVillage in SE Queensland to participate in Robin’s annual Crystal Waters ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ six day training. It was her first Dynamic Groups course since offering them across Europe and returning home last August. March seems to have been a good time of year to offer this course with people attending as part of their yearly plan being put into action. Fortunately the persistent rain from earlier weeks gave way to mostly pleasant conditions so the campers were dry and sessions could take place outdoors. Good use was made of the beautiful EcoCentre, a purpose build training venue hired for the event.     One participant made this statement about the course on their evaluation form. “Magic! This word defines my synthesis of this course. Something inside me that was shut down …

In July it will be a year since Robin was in Italy offering her ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ six day course and a Wise Women’s Weekend. This time last year she was in Germany with her sights on Switzerland. Italy was a delightful adventure which saw Robin divinely hosted by Francesca Simonetti and John Button (of Nature Designs), up in the mountains behind Domodossola. She began her visit there, entranced by all the stone buildings, and also had some time off there at the end to relax after the courses. She was joined and supported by Kym Chi from Canada as her assistant for three weeks which gave more ease and grace to the trip. A theme that emerged during the Dynamic Groups course, which was held at an old abbey, now a community, in Northern Italy, was supporting refugees and cross cultural communication. Ironically there were three Australians, one …

The first in a series of Robin’s Mini books, entitled ‘Dynamic Teaching and Facilitation – The Foundations’ is almost ready to go to several proof readers before then being updated and finally making its way to the Editor. The reference book list is complete and ready to add to the appendixes. A briefing with the artist for the structural design of the book and artwork is imminent. Two pertinent questions will be sent out to over 200 of you who have done either of Robin’s ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ courses, any of the versions (TAA or BSZ) of the CERT IV in Training and Assessment or the original Skye and Robin’s ‘Advanced Permaculture Creative Teachers Facilitation course. The questions will be aimed at what really worked about the course and its content and where you’ve used, grown and developed the gifts from the course. Many of the responses will be …