Faciltators
Luke Freeedman
Founder / Facilitator
Luke is a qualified primary teacher, independent researcher and educational activist with over a decade of experience working with young people in a range of contexts including mainstream schools, democratic schools, forest schools and adventure playgrounds. Luke does have other interests, including making music and studying biology and human science but above all, he is an education geek; passionate about theory, passionate about practice, and passionate about the dialogue between the two.
Alison Preston
Facilitator
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Alison is the mother of two wonderful girls, a champion slam poet, and a brilliant facilitator. As a poet and creative writing teacher she brings a very special perspective on and capacity to hold space for creative practice which has the effect of liberating the voices of young people and adults alike. As a facilitator of group processes she is integral in creating the atmosphere of warmth, care, acceptance, freedom, fun and joy, which makes Banana Mountain such a special place.
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Tom Veerbeek
Music Specialist
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Tom is a talented multi-instrumentalist who supports young people to learn music theory, drums, guitar, keys bass, write lyrics and songs and perform. Tom's teaching combines technical rigor and classical knowledge with a profound love of having fun making music. Having spent his entire education as a self-directed learner, Tom has an intuitive understanding of Banana Mountain and the young people who attend. When not teaching lessons he is often found fulfilling his role as 'The Bard of Banana'.
Laura Fraser
Part Time Facilitator
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Laura is the Finca La Herradura / Unión de los Ríos project lead focused on overseeing the development of a rich and biodiverse space for art, education, regenerative agriculture, and personal growth. Laura offers young people her personal passion for art - especially land art and ceramics - and her growing interest in permaculture, creating space for them to learn alongside her as she develops her own practices.
Andy Wallace
Science & Math Specialist
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Andy is our community elder, although his irrepressible curiosity and enthusiasm make it easy to forget that. 30 years ago as a newly qualified secondary teacher in the UK, Andy ran an unsanctioned experiment in self-directed learning and made teaching in his classes optional. Although the experiment was a wild success Andy was told to conform or leave. He left. Since then Andy has raised two wonderful (now adult) children, supported countless self-directed learners, created a beautiful organic farm, co-founded a DIY festival, played countless shows as a guitarist, and never stopped fighting for what he believes is right. Andy makes science and math fun.
Emilio Roscini
Hacker
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Very little information can be verified about the mysterious character known as Emilio (apart from that he is the beloved father of one of our younger students). Rumor has is that he spent his childhood as an escape artist in a traveling circus before running away to become an electrician. However, after a time he began to yearn for the road and left his job to travel Europe with a Ska band. When fatherhood came, he knew it was time to settle, and he built himself a treetop home, not so far from Banana Mountain. At BM Emilio runs our mini 'HackSpace' where he supports young people to develop a critical and empowered relationship with technology.
© Unión de los ríos
