Review Overview > Teachers' Reviews

Reviews from Teachers & Child Professionals

"Children love The Enchanted Forest story and I find it works particularly well for children with ADHD and learning difficulties
Donna Doherty (Elementary School Teacher), Dublin Ireland

As a support teacher, the story stimulates creativity in the children. It's also useful in getting children to concentrate and is beneficial in helping them discuss their emotions.
Myra Wang (Remedial Teacher, 6-12 years) Toronto, Canada

The Enchanted Forest Imagination Gym Program helps widen the teenagers imaginations and gave them freedom to express themselves with creative writing and drawing.
Conor Thornton, (Youth Reach program for 15-18 yr olds)
Manchester, England

I discovered how useful it was as a calming tool if the children were restless. The teacher can learn a lot about the way an individual interprets the world. I try to encourage children to think about issues that arise from the story and discussions can lead children’s thinking to a higher order.
Patricia Cornyn (Special Needs Teacher), Providence, Rhode Island

“Find the story relaxing, enjoyable, peaceful and contemplative....sound effects very realistic”
Natalie Deburk (Clinical Psychologist), Trenton, New Jersey

“I have been looking for relaxation CD’s for some years now which would be suitable for children. I am thrilled with The Enchanted Forest ImaginationGYM® Program. The amount of artistic creativity, imagery, and language development that evolves from each and every child is a joy to observe and to build upon each week"
Katie Maguire, Knoxville, Tennesse

“The children are enchanted with the program, the story and the music. They are willing to listen to it repeatedly. It is an excellent cross-curricula tool from oral language lessons to special education lessons about feeling and emotions”
Marina Milkutz, Little Rock, Arkansas

“I have been using The Enchanted Forest program for some months now and I am extremely happy with it. The program is having some amazing, extraordinary and very practical effects e.g. some hyperactive children become so relaxed they fall asleep!

From my experience, the program is a MUST for all teachers and parents. I can foresee it having a wonderful and very beneficial place on our school curriculum”
Annie Enzure (Remedial Teacher), Salt Lake City, Utah

"I have been working through photography with the children from the Enchanted Forest Project for the past six months.

As a way of further exploring the imagination, we have worked with digital cameras and computers using images both supplied by myself and created by the children themselves to illustrate their own individual concept of The Enchanted Forest.

They were extremely responsive to the location days.

Over the past six months I have watched them share ideas, grow in confidence in regards to pushing the limits of their imaginations as well as learn a great deal in regards to the technical aspects of photography and image making .

The end result is the images we put on exhibition today. I believe the girls are very proud of their work ….as am I!

Emma Burke-Kennedy (Photographer, Gallery of Photography)
Dublin, Ireland

"To Whom it may Concern.......
I am currently the deputy director in the Institute of Child Care Research at Queen’s University, Belfast and prior to this was a senior lecturer with special responsibility for all M-level courses in special education in the Graduate School of Education (GSoE) at the same university.

I first learned about the Imagination Gym in the autumn of 2003 and was extremely impressed by the "Enchanted Forest" program, both from a practice and a theoretical perspective.

After having examined the program in detail I decided to invite Rosaleen Durkin to do an input on a module on emotional and behavioural difficulties which I co-ordinate and teach for the Graduate School of Education.

This module attracts a mix of students including practicing teachers from primary and post-primary mainstream schools and special schools, as well as professionals from voluntary organisations and those with curriculum and policy responsibilities.

The input was extremely well received and several of the students have now introduced the program to their classrooms. Alternatively, they have built on the basic ideas in the program and adapted these to meet the needs of their own pupils, this flexibility being one of the many strengths of the ideas under-pinning the Imagination Gym.

I believe the program has much to offer and can be of immense benefit in all schools. It is adaptable to meet the needs of pupils of all ages and I would highly recommend it"

Rosemary Kilpatrick
(Deputy Director, Institute of Child Care Research)
Queen’s University, Belfast