School Garden set stage for better Learning Environment

  

Academic achievement is the primary focus of most of the Education institutions.  Each one places an emphasis on ensuring students performance at satisfactory levels guided by local, state and national academic standards. All lessons and activities must complement mandatory standards to merit the use of valuable classroom time.

A school garden is a perfect tool to provide hands-on learning experiences for any academic subject. Science is the most common subject linked to gardens. Teachers can use the garden as a laboratory to introduce students to scientific methods through plant-related experiments. A garden provides a place to study plants, insects, birds, weather, soil, and other environment topics. It would be ideal habitat model for studying ecosystems.

The real-life experiences contribute greatly to the comprehension of students and retention of knowledge. In addition to science, a garden provides opportunities to teach mathematics, history-social science, language, visual and performing arts. Concepts that seems abstract in the classroom come alive in a garden setting. For instance, students find taking daily measurements of plants in the garden and then charting the growth rate much more exciting than charting numbers provided by a textbook.

Beyond academics, the garden provides broader life lessons including contributing to students’ knowledge of how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The Urban schools are experiencing a major health crisis as the number of overweight children is growing at an epidemic rate. Approximately one in seven children is being at risk of overweight, and almost 40 percent of school-aged children are considered unfit  making it an issue of concern to health care professionals.

Garden programs can work to combat this epidemic by teaching children about healthy lifestyles including proper nutrition and physical activity. Through a gardening program, students gain first hand experience with fresh fruits and vegetables. They discover that produce does not magically appear on the grocery store shelves and learn about the important role of agriculture in our society. The pride and curiosity sparked by growing fruits and vegetables along with the familiarity of where they come from motivates students to try them, leading to more positive attitudes and eating behaviors. Fruits and vegetables are an important part of the diet not only because they provide essential vitamins, but also because they are linked to prevention of health problems. Studies show that a majority of children do not eat the recommended amount of fresh fruits and vegetables each day, and so they are missing out on these benefits. A garden program increases produce availability and creates opportunities to teach students what they should eat through fun and hands-on experiences.

The garden provides a wide range of physical activity through digging, planting and weeding. The garden activities are often so captivating that students will not even realize they are exercising. Plus, it is an activity they can participate in for the rest of their lives.

Community and social development lessons do not receive the attention of academic achievement, but they are as crucial to the survival of our country as reading and writing. Children must learn how to take responsibility for their environment and develop a strong sense of community to ensure the continuation of our society. Gardens create opportunities for students to work cooperatively and to take on responsibilities. They will quickly learn the negative consequences associated with forgetting or over doing a job and provide positive reinforcement in response to proper care which is good work ethic.

On a personal level, gardening builds confidence, self-esteem, and pride as the students’ watch their efforts turn into beautiful and productive gardens. It also teaches them patience as they wait for a seedling to sprout or a tomato to ripen. While gardening, children interact with teachers, parents and community volunteers providing opportunities for social interaction often missing in our society because of hectic schedules and the role of technology. The garden provides children opportunities to ask questions, share thoughts and work cooperatively toward a common goal.

Through a garden, students help to beautify the school grounds. For many, it is their only chance to contribute positively to their environment. The praise they receive from other students, parents, teachers and community members will create a sense of community spirit and introduce them to the benefits of volunteering.

Above all, gardening is fun and is a skill that, once acquired, can be a lifelong hobby. Spending time outside, exploring in the soil, watching seeds grow, and harvesting the bounty can be enjoyable and memorable ways for students to spend their time.