Garden Based Education

Garden Based Education Casey Carlock The School of the Art Institute of Chicago Abstract School gardens are outdoor classrooms that teach to the curriculum and provide a dynamic hands-on education at amplifies core subjects such as math, science, and language arts. Project-based learning, such as gardening, has many impacts on academic achievement. The benefits of school gardening continue to grow as an experiential tool that teachers can use across the curriculum to support academic achievement, social/emotional development, and environmental awareness through stewardship. Since 1964 the Federal Department of Education has given the National Assessment of Education Progress test to American students to monitor their academic achievement. In 1994 the Clinton administration made changes to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965 called Improving America’s School Act (Congress.Gov). These changes now require every state receiving federal money for high-poverty schools (Title 1 funds) to test third through eighth graders annually in math and reading. In 2001 president George W. Bush mandated the No Child Left Behind Act, which expanded the federal role of education through annual testing, annual academic progress, school report cards, teacher qualifications, and funding changes, which are based on Adequate Yearly Progress standards (AYP). Beginning in 1994, American students have had consequences for not performing well on high stakes standardized tests, but now the penalties are even worse. Students are tracked, held back, and demoralized. Starting in Kindergarten, students in Chicago Public Schools take several high stake tests throughout the year. If a school’s tests scores don’t increase every year (AYP), the school and its teachers face dire penalties. To address underperforming schools, the current government has imposed the following sanctions: Fire the teachers! Close the schools! Turn them into Charters! Fearful for their jobs and their neighborhood schools, teachers and administrators are extremely test score data driven. Some districts have introduced bonuses and merit based pay for teachers as incentive to raise test scores, which only produces cheating, not better teaching. In 2011 the state of Georgia conducted an investigation of the Atlanta School District, which revealed that 178 teachers and 38 principals in 44 of 58 public schools had cheated on the state’s standardized test (Hing, 2011). As result of these tests, most teachers and students confine themselves within the four walls of their classrooms with the buzz of fluorescent lighting, and drill, drill, drill information, moving on before some students have gained understanding of the content. Can we create a sensory-based outdoor classroom that amplifies core subjects that are taught inside? No Child Left Inside Act of 2013 amends ESEA to award grants to states to support the implementation of state environmental literacy plans that include environmental education standards and educator training. The concept of incorporating nature as an essential part of the curriculum is not new. Dating back to the 17th century, many prominent educational philosophers emphasized direct sensory experience connected with nature as the premise of education (Subramaniam, 2002). Such philosophers include Amos Comenius, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Friedrich Froebel, Maria Montessori, John Dewey, Margaret McMillan, and Susan Isaacs. The first learning gardens were in Prussia (1811), Australia (1879), and in the United States (1891). In 1890, Henry Lincoln Clapp installed the first organized school garden movement at George Putnam School in Roxbury, Massachusetts, which lasted 30 years and involved administrators, teachers, students, and volunteers. According to an agricultural education conference report in 1910, an estimated 80,000 school gardens existed. The 20th century gave way to school gardens, community gardens, and victory gardens as a result of U.S. war efforts and educational reform. In the 1980’s, American school gardens faded from the educational landscape due to increased socioeconomic conservatism and a growing emphasis on localized educational performance standards. In 1995, there was a schoolyard garden rejuvenation because the superintendent of California schools, Delaine Eastin’s, statewide Garden in Every School policy, which stimulated school gardens across the state. Between 1995-2002 school garden in California increased by 3,000 (Gaylie, 2011). There are notably 3 peaks in U.S. national interest in school gardens: 1900-1930, a time of Progressive reforms and war mobilization; 1960-1970, counter-culture and environmental movements; and 1990-2000, a period of renewed interested in education reforms and environmental education. Another peak is happening right now as a result of climate change, efforts to reconnect children to nature, and an increased awareness of sustainability and green practices (Desmond, 2002). In a 1997 survey by the National Gardening Association found that over 3.6 million youth in America were gardening in school programs. To educate the whole child and go beyond the four walls of the classroom, every school in America should have access to a school-learning garden. Most educators would agree children learn by doing with active participation. Gardens are living laboratories where innovative teaching tools, strategies, and collaborative instruction help educators incorporate diverse hands-on activities where integrated interdisciplinary units are drawn from real life experiences rather than textbook examples, which provides an opportunity for authentic assessment. Gardening engages students and provides a dynamic environment to observe, explore, discover, experiment, nurture, and learn both cooperatively and independently in community-based investigations. Gardens support social and emotional learning by building relationships through cooperative learning and teamwork by using learner-centered approaches while exploring the study of natural and social systems (Thompson, 2007). Healthy social and emotional growth depends on a variety of social interactions, experiences, and environments. The outdoor classroom provides more freedom than the indoor environment to discover more about themselves and other people. Edna Maguire Elementary School in Marin County California serves 400 k-5 students. This school has a strong focus on environment-based curriculum, which allows Maguire students to identify and propose solutions to problems they encounter in their community. They perform action projects and communicate their findings through reports and presentations. For example, when presented with the problem of litter in their school garden, they conducted research and developed a solution. Students priced garbage cans and selected their placement throughout the school grounds. They worked with the school engineer to successfully implement their plan (Lieberman, 2005). Gardening also promotes peaceful activities and has proven to help teens cope with life changes. Horticultural therapy can engage students with special needs by filling a void that isn’t accessible to special needs students within a traditional classroom (Etherington, 2012). Research has proven that students, who garden at school, have a higher attendance rate (Lieberman, 2005). Environment based education cultivates stewardship and is the most influential on adult attitudes and actions about the environment (Pounders, 2006). School gardens provide urban students a place to explore nature by providing accessibility when they might not have the space in their own backyards. While digging in our school garden, my students from Mary Lyon Elementary School (CPS) were over whelmed by the discovery of worms and other insects that live in the soil. They had never seen a worm prior to this experience of digging a hole for a tree. As they screamed and jumped with joy, I explained to them why worms are vital to a successful garden. Gardens have many impacts on academic achievement. Research demonstrates student do better on standardized tests of reading, writing, math, science, and social studies (Desmond 2003, Lieberman & Hoody 1998). While gardening, students actively learn about weather, plant botany, conservation, and the ecosystem. Gardening contributes to literacy by inspiring poetry, short stories, song writing, and journaling. According to a 2005 study released by the California Department of Education, children who learned in outdoor classrooms increased their science test scores by 27 percent. In a study by Bethel Learning Institute on student retention, it found that hands-on learning produced a 75% retention rate. Thomas Elementary School in California has been involved in the SEED (School Environmental Education Docents) program. This program supports volunteers to work with teachers to expand environment-based education in the classroom. SEED’s employees have trained volunteers and teachers, provided resources for inquiry based garden curriculum, offered free plants, seeds, tools, and advice. The school has several habitat gardens in several locations on campus, which include a butterfly garden, vegetable gardens, and a native plant garden. Compared to a similar school, Tamalpais Valley School, where teachers implement constructivist instructional theory methods, utilizes FOSS Science Textbooks, and For Earth’s Sake, a mobile resource center that delivers environmental education materials to schools. When comparing these two school’s test scores over a 5 year data collection period, in all cases Thomas scored as well or better than Tamalpais students in Math, Reading, Language, and Spelling (Lieberman, 2005). In addition to increased improvement on test scores, researchers found a reduction in classroom management and discipline problems, increased attention and enthusiasm for learning and greater pride and ownership of accomplishments (Lieberman & Hoody 1998). Not only do gardens support academic achievement, they encourage nutrition by introducing students to new fruits/vegetables and engage students in outdoor physical activities and exercise. (Flora & Gillespie, 2009, Libman 2007). Gardening activities such as planting, digging, weeding and harvesting can burn approximately 135 calories in 30 minutes for a person weighing 125 pounds. In 2013 the mayor, Rham Emmanuel, announced his “Healthy Chicago Public Schools Action Plan,” which includes such requirements as recess, a ban on outside treats in school, weekly gym classes, and gardening programs at select schools. With high obesity rates in America, it is important to investigate creative and effective healthy eating strategies (Robinson-O'Brien, 2009). With the renewed interest in environmental education, several local and national initiatives have included curriculum to teach food and nutrition through gardening. Examples of these initiatives include: The Edible School Yard, Kids Gardening Initiative, The Kitchen Community, Woolly School Garden, Captain Planet, and many more. Although many schools choose not to have an edible schoolyard with a “seed to plate” curriculum, studies have proven that students who grow their own food are more likely to eat fresh fruits and vegetables and express preference for those foods (Libman, 2007). Some schools even offer a cooking lab program where students prepare food for their classmates. For the 2013-2014 school year, CPS reported supervising 664 schools with 480 elementary schools, 174 high schools, 10 combination schools, and 131 charter schools (CPS.edu). With the help of the mayor, Rham Emmanuel, and a grant opportunity from the Colorado based “seed to plate” curriculum by The Kitchen Community, there are now 80 CPS schools that are piloting this program. The school’s that received this grant are the receiving schools from the neighborhood school closings in 2013. The Kitchen Community might have bitten off more than they could chew. They had to install 80 asphalt to green-space gardens within 3 months and educate teachers on how to implement them as an outdoor classroom that teach to the curriculum. I am interested in the long-term sustainability of these gardens. Not one garden educator from The Kitchen Community has responded to my emails for an interview, an indication that they are overwhelmed with the school gardens they have under taken in a short amount of time. Open Lands is another organization that funds and supports school learning gardens in CPS but their primary focus is converting asphalt to green space for both perennial and edible schoolyards. Open Lands was founded in 1963. They have installed a total of 57 CPS learning gardens between 2006-2014. According to Open Lands, their learning gardens have a 91% success rate compared to the national average of 41%. Open Lands define success by A successful garden is still being maintained and used by the school after two years of installation. If a garden is maintained and used by the school after the two year period it has shown that the school has a created a successful stewardship schedule and has been successful in incorporating it into the school. The garden doesn’t have to be the prettiest, but definitely maintained. (LeVerde, 2014). They currently have two grant programs to support school gardens. Space to Grow: Greening Chicago Schoolyards, a partnership led by Open Lands and The CPS Healthy Schools Campaign. The main purpose of this program is to reconnect community with their local public school, provide green space, and contribute to the reduction in storm water runoff. Schoolyards also bring public art into communities and provide gathering spaces for art-related activities. The other grant program they offer is Building School Gardens. The purpose is to improve school campuses with open space for residents while developing a curriculum connection between the classroom and the garden. Based on each school’s interests, Open Lands work with school garden teams to identify the goals of each school, hire subcontractors to carry out the designs and structural elements, and provide all of the materials for the installation of the garden. The school can customize a garden by adding benches for classroom seating, raised vegetable beds, native plantings, and ornamental gardens with various themes. For over 20 years, Open Lands have had a partnership with Marwen, a youth art education organization. Over the past four summers, the partnership has helped students explore the relationship between art, community, and nature through the Art at Work program. The arts and gardening awaken students to the beauty of the environment and provide them an opportunity to respond to the world around them. School gardens instill a sense of place, which is fundamental to our understanding of who we are. School gardens should be whimsical and should foster a child’s sense of wonder and imagination. Just like the Burning Man festival and Visionary Environments made by outsider artists, school gardens can become an interactive art gallery accessible to the entire community. Taking into consideration the natural environment, students can create earth based installations using found materials from the garden, generate mosaics footpaths, build hand painted birdhouses, construct a gnome/fairy garden, paint a mural, etc. Many famous artists use nature as the inspiration of their creations. Claude Monet considered his garden at Giverny to be his best work of art. The possibilities for beautifying and creating a student art gallery accessible the community are endless. Nature deficit disorder refers to the hypothesis that humans, particularly children, are spending less time outdoors resulting in a range of behavioral problems. This is happening for several reasons, one of which is because parents want to protect their children from “stranger danger.” As a result, children have limited respect for their natural surroundings, lower grades in school, obesity, and are prone to attention disorder and depression (Louv, 2006). Some positive effects of treating Nature Deficit Disorder include a positive effect on attention span, stress reduction, increased creativity, cognitive development, and a sense of wonder and connection to the earth. Although this disorder is not recognized in any medical manuals on mental disorders, there is much evidence supporting Richard Louv’s hypothesis. Students develop an understanding for the natural world when they are actively engaged in project-based learning outside of the classroom. Could Nature Deficit Disorder be affecting students in Chicago Public Schools where crime is prevalent and the climate keeps teachers and students indoors? The design and implementation of a successful school garden is an ongoing, interactive process that is accomplished over several years (Pounders, 2010; Nuttall & Millington, 2008; Danks, 2010). A successful garden should have a multipurpose design, space definition, pace-making features, curriculum connections, comfort, outdoor classroom spaces, signage, a clear path of movement, balanced play options, food systems, water systems, energy systems, wildlife habitats, and most importantly community participation. It is important to slowly add new additions to the maintenance and expansion of the garden. Ideally a school garden would have a hired garden coordinator who implements an interdisciplinary garden curriculum that teaches to the Common Core Standards. If a school cannot afford to hire a full time garden coordinator they should provide professional development on garden based curriculum so teachers and staff can implement it efficiently. The administration should provide teacher collaboration time and require each classroom use the garden a least once a week, weather permitting. Environmental education presents an instructional avenue with convincing potential for school improvement and reform. Regardless of the benefits, advocates have not successfully achieved a strong existence in today’s formal education system. Why hasn’t this pedagogy become institutionalized in the mainstream educational system? With so much supportive data for school gardens, why is it so challenging to maintain and sustain them? How do school districts assess the benefits and success of the garden? Should it be part of a standardized test? The research behind garden based education sounds wonderful, but to many teachers it seems like adding more work to their already burdensome workload. With some class sizes in Chicago Public Schools exceeding 35 students and no aide, a school garden can seem like a cumbersome chore. There are a handful of schools in CPS with learning gardens and so few of them are used to their full potential. From my experience, the garden often falls on the workload of one person with no additional support or pay. Summer is a time that the garden needs the most attention. It also happens to be when teachers and students are on vacation. The climate in Chicago is less than desirable and often times many perennials die in the harsh winters. The “success” of the programs such as The Kitchen Community and Open Lands is due in part to the fact they provide professional development for the teachers and have garden educators who work with students. They also do a lot of the installation with hired landscapers. For schools that start a grass-roots garden, these are luxuries they cannot afford and ultimately their learning gardens fall to the same ruins as the once lush Victory Gardens of WWI. Let us not repeat history, lets continue to fight for “No Child Left Inside” reforms. References Broda, H. W. (2007). Schoolyard-enhanced learning: Using the outdoors as an instructional tool, K-8. Stenhouse Publishers. Bruce, T. (2011). Early childhood education. Hachette UK. Bucklin-Sporer, A., & Pringle, R. K. (2010). How to grow a school garden: A complete guide for parents and teachers. Timber Press. Danks, S. G. (2010). Asphalt to ecosystems: Design ideas for schoolyard transformation. New Village Press. Desmond, D., Grieshop, J., & Subramaniam, A. (2002). Revisiting garden based learning in basic education: Philosophical roots, historical foundations, best practices and products, impacts, outcomes, and future directions. 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