Last weekend the Zubitxu Forest School in Gorliz organized a course in bushcraft techniques. About a dozen people, most of whom are involved in education, took part in the course to learn techniques that can be applied to a school environment. The instructor was Gabriel Vairoletti, one of the founders of the Ses Milanes Forest School in Bunyola, Majorca and truth to say, they couldn`t have got a better instructor. The course lasted all day Saturday and most of Sunday and the participants learnt a variety of techniques to light fires and to tie knots in order to put up swings and platforms in the trees using ropes but more importantly how to use them with care when working with children. Although safety is the main factor to be taken into consideration, the whole point of Forest Schools is for children to learn how to do things for themselves and to learn to work out things for themselves and overcome initial hesitations. The course came to an end on Sunday with Gabriel showing an impressive range of food that can be cooked over the fire including hunter bread, pizza and empanadas ending the weekend on a high with everyone agreeing that it had to be repeated. On Monday morning the kids from Zubitxu were treated to a real surprise when they found so many new constructions in their forest. And after everything that their teachers learnt over the weekend the year will end with even more! And as a last reflection isn`t it sad that there aren`t more opportunities for kids to learn how to develop new skills, work in cooperative teams and learn to work in harmony with nature.
