👩‍🏫 Our Team

Mariana Trenkova's Bio:

Bulgarian EFL teacher and teacher trainer with 30+ years of experience in Bulgaria and Australia; has led Delphin Language School in Petrich since 2006, designing language programs for different ages and summer adventure camps.

Sessions include: 

Subject: 1. EFT tapping techniques combining Matrix Rearrangement and Aromatic oils

Short Abstract: In this session, she will demonstrate practical EFT tapping techniques for children across age groups and show how to combine them with Matrix Rearrangement and Aromatic oils to help children and teens reduce anxiety and fears that interfere with learning. Participants will leave with simple, classroom-ready steps and language they can use immediately.

 Subject: 2. Traditional Bulgarian Outdoor Games

Short Abstract: She will teach a variety of games we play with children in the forest. We will be playing the same games together with the teachers.

Subject: 3. Using an AI tool to create videos for the school setting

Short Abstract: In this session, she will train teachers on using AI tools in the Forest School setting and discuss their use in nature-based education.

Yesim Guner Tunali's Bio

My name is Yesim Guner Tunali, and I am from Turkey. I aim to create an interactive and fun learning environment for little learners. Furthermore, I want to guide and encourage children to think outside the box and develop into critical thinkers.

My passion is to work with younger children and support them in connecting with nature through holistic learning activities. I trust that the early years of a child’s life are full of knowledge. I believe education is ongoing and interwoven across all developmental domains. I believe it is imperative to make this ongoing learning safe, positive, and fun as we strive to guide them into the next stage of their development with confidence in themselves and excitement for continued learning. I love horses, and I believe implementing Equine-Assisted Services in my setting is essential to supporting children and their parents.

 About My Education and Qualifications:

I have completed my CACHE Level 5 and Level 3 SENCO qualifications in the UK. I am an Equine Assisted Services Practitioner and Permaculture Designer. I have taken certifications from Finland to teach permaculture to children. I have also completed my Forest School and Pedagogy training in Flensburg/Germany. Additionally, I hold a master’s degree in financial economics.

Subject: 1. Forest School Approach and differences in its application across a variety of countries, with examples.

Short Abstract: We will discuss the Forest School approach and reflect on other practices in other countries. We will also visit and observe children at Delphin School in Bulgaria and analyse.

Subject: 2. Implementing Permaculture Ethics and Principles in Forest School Approach ​

Short Abstract:   We will be talking about Ecosystem and Permaculture, and also how we can design a permaculture project together with children in a forest school setting. We will also discuss sustainable practices and their effects on future education.

Subject: 3. Practical Skills, using tools and being creative in nature.

Short Abstract: We will collect natural materials and create in nature using practical tools, such as a knife and a saw. We will learn how to use the tools safely to teach.

 Subject: 4.  Safeguarding, Risk Assessment, Health and Safety Procedures.

Short Abstract:    We will be talking about considering the risks in nature, and we will discuss how to create a risk assessment form. We will also discuss the importance of first aid tools and the qualifications required to be a first aider.

Nergis Tinali's Bio:

Nergis Satıcı has an engineering background and over 25 years of professional experience in corporate governance, sustainability, and leadership. She brings together analytical thinking and human-centred learning approaches, designing development experiences that connect structure with meaning.

She is also a drama facilitator, certified coach, and active mentor with many years of hands-on experience. Throughout her mentoring work, she has supported young professionals, women, and students through both one-to-one and group-based development processes. Her coaching practice focuses on helping individuals build self-awareness, recognize their potential, and make decisions aligned with their values.

By integrating drama methods into learning environments, she creates safe spaces where emotions, roles, conflicts, and multiple perspectives can be explored experientially. Her training courses are participatory, reflective, and strongly connected to real-life situations, encouraging both insight and action.

She believes that learning is most powerful when it is rooted in human stories, lived experience, and genuine interaction—and she designs all her trainings with this philosophy at the core.

 Subject: 1. Recognising and Transforming Conflicts in Relationships (60 minutes)

Short Abstract: This workshop aims to make visible the seen and unseen barriers to communication in relationships through drama-based methods. Drawing on everyday relational experiences, participants explore communication patterns at physical, emotional, and cognitive levels.

Through role work, enactment, and reflective exercises, conflict is approached not merely as a problem to be resolved but as a space for awareness, learning, and transformation. The workshop creates space for participants to recognise their own relational language and to explore healthier communication alternatives.

Subject: 2. Create Your Personal Vision (60 minutes)

Short Abstract: This workshop is designed to help participants internalise what they have learned throughout the training and integrate these insights into their future direction. Through a reflective and creative process, participants are invited to pause, reconnect with their intentions, and clarify what they wish to carry forward. The session offers space to translate learning into personal meaning, helping participants leave with a clearer sense of direction, ownership, and continuity beyond the training experience.

Lauren Kenney's Bio:

Working most recently as a Nursery Manager, bringing over a decade of experience in Early Years Education. I have worked within the UAE for the past 12 years and have held a range of leadership and teaching roles across Early Years and Key Stage 1.

 I hold a PGCE in Early Years Teaching, along with CACHE Level 3 and CACHE Level 5 qualifications. My classroom and leadership experience has developed a strong understanding of early childhood development, curriculum delivery, and effective team leadership. As Nursery Manager, I am committed to supporting educators in creating engaging, hands-on learning environments that encourage curiosity, independence, and confidence in every child.

I am passionate about empowering teams to deliver inclusive, developmentally appropriate learning experiences and strongly value building trusting partnerships with parents to ensure each child feels safe, supported, and happy throughout their nursery journey.

 Subject: 1. Creating Belonging in the Early Years

Short Abstract: She will discuss inclusive practice for Children with SEND.

Subject: 2. Leadership that Children Can Feel

Short Abstract: She will discuss how early years leadership shapes everyday experiences.

Dominika Brozynska's Bio:

I am an educator with experience in international and alternative education settings in Poland, the UK, and Dubai. With a background in philosophy and early years pedagogy, I am interested in how philosophical thinking, dialogue, and values of freedom can be meaningfully introduced in education.

 I focus on exploring different educational methods and ideas that support children’s holistic development, with particular emphasis on critical thinking, communication, and reflective dialogue. My experience includes traditional educational settings such as schools, as well as university conferences, workshops, professional learning events, and alternative education projects. I am especially interested in democratic education approaches that view children as capable participants in their learning. I strongly believe in creating environments where children feel safe, respected, and curious, and where freedom, trust, and relationships support children in exploring the world and their own thinking at their own pace.

Subject: 1. LEGO-LOGOS: Thinking, Talking, Building

Short abstract: This workshop presents LEGO-LOGOS, a method inspired by philosophical dialogue in which logos refers to reasoning, language, and shared meaning. By using LEGO building blocks as thinking tools, teachers support learners in expressing ideas, listening to different viewpoints, and developing understanding through dialogue and exploration.

Subject: 2. Democratic Education: Freedom, Responsibility, and Community in Learning

Short abstract: This workshop explores freedom in education as a foundation for learning. Through examples of democratic education and reflective discussion, participants will consider how small shifts in practice can support children’s agency, responsibility, and community life (https://democraticschool.bg).

Daniela Bakalova's Bio:

My name is Daniela, and I come from a small town called Petrich in Bulgaria, where my deep connection with nature first began. I have a strong passion for working with children and supporting their learning through meaningful experiences in the natural world. I work with children aged 6 to 11, creating environments where curiosity, creativity, and confidence can grow naturally.

I aim to inspire love for learning by encouraging children to explore, question, and discover through hands-on experiences in nature. I believe that nature is a powerful teacher, offering endless opportunities for wonder, problem-solving, and emotional growth. Through outdoor exploration, children learn not only about the world around them but also about themselves.

I am currently pursuing a master’s degree in education, which allows me to deepen my understanding of child development and learning theories and apply them in practice. For the past four years, I have been working as a Forest School teacher at Delphin Green School, where I design and lead engaging outdoor learning sessions that nurture resilience, curiosity, and a sense of belonging.

My work is guided by the belief that every child learns best when they feel free, inspired, and connected to nature. I am dedicated to creating enriching learning experiences that empower children to become confident, curious, and compassionate learners, rooted in respect for themselves, others, and the natural world. 🌿✨

Subject: 1. Animal yoga workshop

Short abstract: This workshop blends movement, creativity, and imagination through animal-inspired yoga and origami art. Yoga helps children build physical strength and regulate their emotions. Animal poses and storytelling elements make yoga engaging and fun, stimulating imagination and joy.

 Subject: 2. Origami Workshop

Short Abstract: Origami, on the other hand, benefits fine motor skills, concentration, patience and cognitive development.  Teachers will learn to fold paper animals inspired by the yoga session.