2016

Joy, knowledge and satisfaction – the finish of Mammadaba Masterclass

In the beautiful madness of spring flowers Mammadaba Masterclass (Mother Nature masterclass) ended with a symbolic graduation ceremony. With enduring joy and enthusiasm the teachers during the school year take children to nature, learn about it, acquire new knowledge and positive emotions, as well as draw joy and inspiration from nature to become masters of the Mother Nature master class.

This year is like a new start, as a supplement to the previously acquired and accomplished – we have a new regulation for the Mammadaba Masterclass and new works to be done! This time three master works had to be done in the master class: an outdoor master class, a wooden craftwork, and a master forest day. With great enthusiasm the participants explored trees in a closer and farther distance, made wooden works – art objects, created outdoor blackboards, decorated the green classrooms, arranged sensory trails, created wooden games, set up nest boxes, and did many other exciting and useful things for the learning process and free time. They also spent days in the forest, exploring it and learning about it.

Evrika Udalova, third grade teacher at Riga Jugla Secondary School, says that also for the large schools in larg cities it is an opportunity to explore and enjoy the beauty of nature, to feel the power of the forest: "It is an opportunity to be in nature, to live in harmony with nature, to draw new ideas. Besides, it is a wonderful way of organising the learning process to meet the values of our school, it is an opportunity to diversify the students' daily life, encouraging them to be creative and take care of nature."

Rachel Boyle, Director of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) Programme "Learning about Forests", is confident that the Mammadaba Masterclass has managed to show the whole world that by learning this way, students get a lot more. This year, 33 Latvian schools were awarded with the highest evaluation - a Certificate of Achievement of the international environmental education programme. Other 118 schools got a Certificate of Participation of the LEAF programme.

This school year, 530 teachers from 152 schools in Latvia together with their students studied not only in school premises but also outdoors – in nature. We are happy about the 390 master classes and 98 classes who have acquired the title of apprentices. The 6 594 masters will be able to recognise each other by the special Mammadaba Masterclass pins.

Every year, a Mammadaba Embassy (Mother Nature Embasies) is opened in each LVM forestry. This title in the school year 2015/2016 was awarded to eight schools: Riga Pļavnieki Primary School, Jelgava Elementary School No.2, Tīnūži Elementary School, Saldus Secondary School No. 2, Valdemārpils Secondary School, Gaigalava Elementary School, Galgauska Elementary School, and Cēsis City Pastariņš Primary School. These schools together with the 41 other Mammadaba Masterschools received special mastery forest trees of the embassy to symbolically grow a master forest of their schools.

When one door closes, a new door opens. The same applies to the Mammadaba Embassies – when one flag is lowered, a new must be raised. We are pleased to announce that after evaluation of the works accomplished in the previous school year, the following eight schools from eight LVM forestry regions have been nominated as the Mammadaba Embassy schools for the next school year:

• In Riga – Mārupe Secondary School
• In West Vidzeme Region – Laurenči Primary School
• In East Vidzeme Region – Grundzāle Elementary School
• In North Latgale Region – Meirāni Kalpaka Elementary School
• In South Latgale Region – Jersika Elementary School
• In South Kurzeme Region – Nīkrāce Elementary School
• In Zemgale Region – Jelgava Spīdola Gymnasium
• In Middle Daugava Region – Plaviņas Regional Gymnasium

Last year the Mammadaba Masterclass was graduated by 9 033 students and teachers from 133 schools in Latvia; of them 2 932 students were awarded with the title of a master, 1 190 became journeymen, and 4 798 – disciples.

The Mammadaba Masterclass is a permanent and comprehensive opportunity for schools to bring their learning process closer to nature. Teachers and students are invited to acquire the environmental education programme "Learning about Forest" which also foresees active recreation in Latvian state forests. Each school class has an opportunity to become a Mammadaba Masterclass and recieve some green prizes!

The Mammadaba Masterclass is organised by JSC "Latvia's State Forests" in collaboration with the National Centre for Education within the framework of the environmental education programme "Learning about Forests".