Coursework and Objectives
School Learning Gardens are not a new idea in Hawai‘i, and their renewal calls upon us to strengthen our skills, educational knowledge, and understandings of the deep connections that exist between human, ecosystem, and community health. This course is designed to provide Pre-K-8 educators with the knowledge and skills needed to successfully plan, develop, and sustain Learning Gardens at schools. The aim is to support excellence and innovation among garden educators on Hawai‘i Island and to build a unified movement throughout the state. The course will build upon practicing and connecting these big ideas:
• Cultivate our sense of place in the living world
• Nurture Interconnectedness
• Foster Research and Reflection
The year-long program (June 2013-2014) will begin with a five-day Summer Intensive from Sunday evening June 9 to Friday afternoon June 14. This year a limited number of outer island teachers may also apply to attend the Summer Intensive only. The Summer Intensive will be limited to 30 participants. Feel free to contact any of us either for more information or to discuss your participation in the program.
Course Objective
This course is designed to provide Pre-K-8 educators with the knowledge and skills needed to successfully plan, implement, develop, and sustain a School Learning Garden in Hawai‘i.
Program Objectives
At the end of the year-long course teachers will:
1. Have a working knowledge of how school learning gardens can positively impact children’s cognitive, emotional, social and physical growth, including health, wellness, and nutritional choices, along with academic achievement.
2. Be able to design, create, maintain or expand a school learning garden utilizing organic practices and whole systems thinking.
3. Demonstrate and model the use of GLOs in daily lessons as a tool for reflection and/or assessment.
4. Be able to link classroom core curriculum in science, language arts and nutrition with garden skills by grade level.
5. Be able to ask STEM questions in any garden lesson and relate STEM concepts to core garden learning skills.
6. Demonstrate understanding of place-based experiential learning in the outdoor classroom.
7. Be familiar with teaching techniques and practices for effective student management in the outdoor classroom.
8. Understand and demonstrate garden skills at all grade levels.