Creative Connections
The first Creative Connections course was piloted on the Island of Canna in 2006 and since that time has run annually in a variety of venues including Eigg and Colonsay. Working in partnership with EcoSchools Scotland and the local community, the island of Eigg has become the favoured venue for this unique course.
Course Format
The SpeyGrian approach to CPD is different from other courses for educators in several important respects. Distinctive features include:-
- At least four facilitators present, with different backgrounds to encourage a variety of perspectives
- Facilitators are 'learners' too and are an integral part of the group
- Participants' skills and interests are nurtured and they are encouraged to share these with the group
- There is plenty of personal space for thinking and reflection
- Participants are drawn from all sectors of education
- The course is interdisciplinary. The mix of arts, science and philosophy is designed to encourage 'joined up thinking' and creativity
- Participants select what they would like to do from a 'menu of possibilities' and are very much involved in planning and directing their own programme for the week. This means each participant leaves with a unique experience
- The focus is on experiential learning - much of this is outdoors
- The course format models 'A Curriculum for Excellence'
- The course takes place in a 'castaway' location where participants can immerse themselves in the natural world with few distractions
- An emphasis is placed on process
- Participants are invited to meet for a weekend 3 months after the course has taken place. At this point they can opt to join the SpeyGrian network
