Garden.
Garden.
Sep 15One of the aspects of my new small school I just adore is the amazing amount of freedom with scheduling and space – it allows for real teachable moments that are engaging and organic.
Last week, knowing we were going to be starting our Butterfly Life Cycle Unit soon, I wanted to introduce my class to the school garden – specifically the milkweed. I didn’t have to schedule or arrange a time with others – out on the playground – I saw the garden was free and gathered up my friends in the outside classroom. My old school had a garden too… with a massive calendar for teachers to sign up for time slots. It worked, but required an enormous level of organization and planning – two things I’m not known for.
Sitting in the garden, with the wind blowing in our hair, I lined them up on the stone path that zig zagged throughout the flower boxes. Walking by the milkweed, I pointed out the places where a hungry caterpillar had most likely nibbled away at the plant. Then, like a real science teacher (gasp!), I tore a leaf off, bent it in half, and exposed the milky juice inside. This was a revelation to my sprouts.
Continuing on our journey we passed the ‘Pizza Garden’ where herbs and spices for school lunch pizzas are grown. I ripped off a little thyme, rubbed it between my fingers, and let each child sniff the sweet pizza smell. This was real, meaningful learning at it’s best.
I love my new small school and the freedom it gives me to be spontaneous and find teachable moments everywhere.
Sounds wonderful. You must have good gardeners too or do the teachers and children do it?
I believe each grade level (K-5) takes responsibility for one of the boxes.
I hail from a very small school and this is one of the reasons that if I were to teach, I’d go small school in a heart beat: the flexibility and ability to run with the teachable moments like this.