Trainee Teachers from Ball State University, Indiana took part in a training day at Dorrington Hall Farm to find out about how farming education can contribute to the school's curriculum. The students were particularly interested in how the farming context could be used and hadn’t realised it could support numeracy and literacy, as well as science and creativity.
The students were being hosted by Keele University. Keele regularly incorporates outdoor and farming education in their ITE courses. It was a special treat for American students to experience something of farming education at the farm, where farmers Jane and Steve Ellsmoor host farm visits for students and children alike within their Educational Access programme.
LEAF Education REC Brian was on hand to lead some of the activities and experiences and show children can be readily engaged with farming in their curriculum.
On a separate occasion the farm hosted 21 students from the university of Nagasaki, Japan as part of the programme arranged by the International Mobility department from Keele University. One of the students assisted with a lambing and said it was a once in a lifetime experience!