Forest School Secrets

Mark's move into Forest School fulltime, from teaching, was the result of some of the darkest moments in his life.

A story highly similar to a growing number of others, who are favouring the woods instead of the classroom, as their canvas.

This episode describes the beginning of Mark's journey, in his own words. 

So the big question is this...

How are busy parents like you, who don’t teach or have time to read through tonnes of websites...

In this episode Mark takes you on a journey to the core of Forest School. That is where we find a very difficult question to answer. Why does Forest School exist?

You could call it a very philosophical question, right? As Simon Sinek writes 'Why' is the fuzziest question to figure out, but the most profound. Someone can align with another's mission when they know the 'Why'. 

You may remember from the previous episode that the question 'Why' was the new angle Mark began from, after re-considering his then lacklustre understanding and explanation of Forest School back in 2020. 

After several key months of deep thought and much procrastination as he openly admits, the penny finally began to drop for Mark.

This episode uncovers Mark's understanding of Why Forest School exists and his reasons behind the explanation. 

Stepping out into the great unknown to begin Compass Forest School full time in September 2019, was one of the most nerve wracking things Mark had ever done in his life. 

Soon after his worries would be realised via two elements he hadn't expected to confront. 

The first was that he grossly underestimated what it took to begin a small business.  

The second was that he had no simple explanation for parents, when they asked that all too familiar question; What is Forest School? 

This episode describes Mark's pursuit of a simple definition that parents could understand with a little help from the work of Simon Sinek.

Mark's move into Forest School fulltime, from teaching, was the result of some of the darkest moments in his life.

A story highly similar to a growing number of others, who are favouring the woods instead of the classroom, as their canvas.

This episode describes the beginning of Mark's journey, in his own words. 

So the big question is this...

How are busy parents like you, who don’t teach or have time to read through tonnes of websites...

So the big question is this...

How are busy parents like you, who don’t teach or have time to read through tonnes of websites. …..

How do you find out what Forest School is all about and why it works, in a way that is super simple to understand, before that kettle boils.

That is the question and this podcast will give you the answers.

My names Mark Bumford and welcome to Forest School Secrets.

In today’s episode we’re looking at what do Forest School's do? Or perhaps another way to phrase it is what happens at Forest School?

This is is quite possibly the easiest of the 3 primary questions to answer namely why, how and today what. The reason probably is because I live this each and everyday so I should have a pretty good idea, right? 

 Now, what we’re going to speak about in this episode is the vehicle that drives children toward learning how to learn in order to be set up for life success. And the subsequent simplification of your whole family’s busy life.

So the big question is this...

How are busy parents like you, who don’t teach or have time to read through tonnes of websites. …..

How do you find out what Forest School is all about and why it works, in a way that is super simple to understand, before that kettle boils.

That is the question and this podcast will give you the answers.

My names Mark Bumford and welcome to Forest School Secrets.

So in the last episode I brought in the analogy of Forest School being kind of like a bank. 

And how, if children came to work at the Bank of Forest School they would be able to earn KASH.

 Not money cash. But KASH with a K standing for the key knowledge, attitudes, skills and habits of how to learn.  

This is the currency of Forest School. 

Now that is a little whistle stop tour of the first part of this analogy…. 

I encourage you to check out episode 7, in full to gain a complete picture of what I spoke about then and will be in the rest of this episode.

At this point you could be thinking, if you’re a regular listener, ok. So where does the KASH go Mark? 

And that is a great question my friend....

So the big question is this...

How are busy parents like you, who don’t teach or have time to read through tonnes of websites. …..

How do you find out what Forest School is all about and why it works, in a way that is super simple to understand, before that kettle boils.

That is the question and this podcast will give you the answers.

My names Mark Bumford and welcome to Forest School Secrets.

 Now this was a question I pondered for weeks back in 2020 as you may know.  

It was inspired first, by my lack of being able to simply explain what forest school was to those parents who were interested enough to ask me. 

And secondly a, by chance, re-introduction to a book that had been sat on my book shelf. 

The book was by Simon SInek and was called Start With Why and it gave me a radically different angle to approach my understanding of that very fundamental question from.

So the big question is this...

How are busy parents like you, who don’t teach or have time to read through tonnes of websites. …..

How do you find out what Forest School is all about and why it works, in a way that is super simple to understand, before that kettle boils.

That is the question and this podcast will give you the answers.

My names Mark Bumford and welcome to Forest School Secrets.

From working with hundreds of families at this point, I understand how crucial making every single moment of your day is with all the commitments you have. 

Plus, clearing your calendar to make time is a time consuming thing, right? 

What if I told you there was an opportunity you're pondering right now in your life that actually creates you time, involves your child and schedules itself in your diary, without having to do too much shuffling?