ABOUT US

Grow & Learn is a not for profit organisation run by writer and filmmaker, Rowena Amos. Parents can be as involved as little or as much as they wish - we welcome feedback and collaboration to explore and discuss ideas. Sessions are led by artist and educator Lucia Para and historian and storyteller Holly Medland Lees and supported by Rowena Amos.

LUCIA PARA

Lucia is an Italian artist, illustrator and early years teacher (Lev. 6 EYTS) and she comes form a Reggio Emilia inspired teaching background.

She is a creative forager with a passion for cooking (inherited from her home country) and has lead sessions for children for different Island venues (Quay Arts, Rhythm Tree Festival, Literary Festival, Learning Via Living and others).

Her pedagogy is focused on empowering children's confidence and emotional wellbeing, valuing their ideas and dreams in a supportive learning environment centred on mindful practice and respect for nature, always with a creative twist.

You can see Lucia's public talk about her approach in this talk for Portsmouth university and the videos she created for children here. All her art can be viewed on her website

HOLLY MEDLAND LEES

Holly previously ran 'Unravelled Learning' a home education workshop on the Isle of Wight, which taught history and science to children. She's an educator with a great focus on local, medieval and Victorian history, matched with her in-depth knowledge of folklore and science. She is also a trained storyteller, which makes for inspirational sessions combined with her hands on experiments.

Lucia and Holly are DBS checked.