Horticultural Therapy in a Classroom for Learning Disabled Children

Author(s): Bella S. Schimmel

Source: Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture, Vol. 15 (2004), pp. 36-40
Published by: American Horticultural Therapy Association
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/44025078
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Horticultural Therapy in a
Classroom for Learning
Disabled Children

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2004 : XV JOURNAL OF THERAPEUTIC HORTICULTURE 37

Horticultural therapy uses

Ordinarily living and c
pediatricians
hospitals, clinics, and in priva
plants, their products, and the natura
referred by schools, doctors,
environment to provide
agencies andevaluation,
are brought in by
they are not functioning well
therapy, and rehabilitation within a
may be slow, they may have p
medical model. Itpsychological
is recommended fo
overlay, or they
illnesses. They need study and
people who have understanding,
emotional,and physical
recommen
educational, and/or behavioral
medical probl
evaluation, educationa

As therapists we But
seek appropriate
these are children and ado
settings in whichoffices
to provide our skill
of professionals. What
children who could use help an
Obvious places toway?
find children and
Mental health profession
adolescents who need help
the choice areto
has been inprovide
schools by using school garden
residential settings , specialized day
with youngsters who need car
programs, after school programs,
intellectual, and emotionalclin
eng

probation department camps, and sch

The term "learning disabilities
disorder in which a person s br
that of the average individual
a person s ability to speak, list
remember, and organize infor
disabilities look like those in t
often hard to identify. The p
cannot be cured. However, it c
parents, counselors, and docto
individuals can go on to lead u

Perhaps 15% of the U.S. popul

disorder, according to the Nat
quarters of students with lear
with reading and language. Th
families, and these individuals
than average intelligence. The
problems with writing and m
processing disabilities. Frequen

At preschool level one might

slow vocabulary growth and t
week, months of the year, num
shapes. Fine motor skills may
to follow directions. In early
have trouble learning new ski
planning. They may confuse b
and they have trouble learnin
may try hard and fail often, m
They become frustrated and f
themselves.

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38 JOURNAL OF THERAPEUTIC HORTICULTURE XV : 2004

The incidence of learning One disabilities increases

boy had a very special personal problem that made him where m
are very young or old, experience difficult
worry. He described being afraid pregnanci
to run fast because he might
not be able toor
deliveries, or ingested drugs breathe alcohol.
because of his asthma: "IThese
feel like I'm disabilit
being choked and
be due to oxygen deprivation, can't ask for help."
brain The solution discussed
injuiy, or brain inf
is to take his medicine when he feels an attack coming on.
In a small school on the west side of Los Angeles ther
upper elementary class of Anxietychildren
often produces confusion, withdisconnect from learning
the task at disab
Students at Charnock Road hand, andElementary
sometimes immobility. It interferes School
with learning, come fr
multiracial and ethic population,performance, and self-esteem. with many
It is important for children children
from UCLA family student to focus, dohousing
a reality check, and seek and help fromthe adults when local neig
hood. Some children aretheybussed are frightened. In this in sessionforthe children special
focused on classes
teacher is experienced, kind, packages of various
firm, kinds of seeds,and described structured
them, and and
assisted by an aide. The childrendiscussed how they are areused. Some seeds provide food and fifth-
fourth-
with average ability but with directly such as major deficits
corn and beans; others in reading
are planted to produce
spelling, speaking, and mathematics.
products we can eat such as lettuce, tomatoes,
Theand11 radishes.
students s
U shape around the teacher s then
The children desk. Although
opened and emptied the packets into a there are
different arrangements for large bowl. Each child glued a seed packet
different subjectson a colored and diff
teaching aids, this U shape sheet ofispaper a practical
and surrounded the photo of the way
vegetable to work
these youngsters. The blackboard,or flower with an arrangement plant
of seeds from the materials,
bowl, foo
catalogues, and pictures are creating a available
collage. for use. Paper, sc
glue, pencils, and colors are provided by the school.
On another day the focus was on sad feelings and they wrote
For children with learning disabilities
sentences about how each child experienced it this is important
feeling. The t
all modalities for education. children responded:
These include auditory in
visual experience, and kinesthetic sensations through
cutting, drawing and writing. I feel sad when Memory is also a proble
this class so repetition is necessary.
people make fun of me
people call me names like stupid and shorty
Goals in working with these people break my heart
children are to facilitate t
expression of feelings andI amideas, not doing my best improve
at school self image t
mastery of tasks, and facilitate learning through the u
new experiences using seeds, We talked further about what we can
fruits, do when we feel sad,
vegetables, other
and animals that live in the garden.
such as sharing The
the feeling with a friend focus
or grown-up or is to he
children explore their knowledge,finding an activity that we like feelings,
that can cheer us up. On this capacities,
the world in which they occasion live. plantsMany
were used that were growing in the garden in
youngsters, particu
those with learning disabilities,the winter. The childrenhave examined,difficulty
described, and identified in artic
feelings that they experience peas, cilantro, Swiss
so chard,
those
and lettuce and feelings
they had the are exp
and linked with horticulture activities.
opportunity to taste the various products. These types of
activities are helpful at that moment to refocus the children's
The first of the affects to attention
be to pleasurable
explored experiences. The is children enjoy
fear. The chil
open about what causes them anxiety:
the process of guessing the identity of what snakes,
they are offered robbers
people who might hurt them, dangerous
by tasting and smelling various products. This activityanimals, peop
fighting, clowns, cemeteries, provides practice for what they dogs,
killer may do at other and times to men with
And what do the children do into
turn sadness whensome measure theyof relative peaceare afraid? T
or pleasure.
responded with a wide variety of solutions, offering th
following: The affect "happy" brought an assortment of responses. The
children talked about new fishing poles, taking field trips,
I close my eyes and cover my heart going to a barbecue, using the computer, smiles and jokes,
I pray a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, new clothes, surprises,
I hide in a safe place growing things from seed and for some, being in school and
I call the cops for others being out of school. On this day we worked on
I face my fears Japanese and regular red radishes. On aluminum foil pans
I hide by the bńck wall and cutting with plastic knives, the children cut the radishes
in many pieces. They identified the parts of the radishes:
leaves, root, and stem. They counted and reported the

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2004 : XV JOURNAL OF THERAPEUTIC HORTICULTURE 39

number of created Iawondered

pieces, graph, and howatethe
thechildren
root veg
horticultural therapist. The te
Here, the experience of happiness
the houris the
related
therapist
to mastery.
spent w
children identify parts of a plant, practice small motor s
by cutting the vegetables, When Dr. Schimmel
apply their math skillscomes
usingI ft
plant pieces, and partake in
to abepleasurable
around. She gustatory
gives us expe
new
Anger is an affect which haven
causes t major trouble
tasted. And sheto tells
childru
is to
because they think it is bad really
feel nice
angry.and kind.
They need to
understand that it is a normal reaction to frustration. Ch
When when
responded that they felt angry Dr. Schimmel people laughed comes Iat f
kids told on them, people plant
calledstuff them and names she or gives did us nota
respect them, or when they how couldwe feel not left fix out. a problem. She lesse Th
have an assortment of responses to feeling angry such
As I am
hitting, going off alone, telling an able, adult, I breaking
bring some of
toys,
and banging one s head onWhen the wall. I travel, I describe wher
It is important to l
children know the value of maps expressingand directions, what one possible
feels to
someone who will listen and topography
of using appropriate and natural physic enviro
activity such as running orCoast shooting
of the United States different
baskets from California?
to How do
discharge
frustration. After this discussion
you get there? What the children
will I find in the various areastasted
of China and
described a variety of drywhere
fruitsI will go? What are the landscapes,raisins,
including rivers, and canyons
cranbe
like? What remains
mango and apricot. Dry fruits are of the ancient civilization
often which
processed with
flourished of
and we talked about the heat there? anger and the cooling e
of distraction and satisfying activities.
Walking along the streets and in the parks and school yards
There are many other areas of horticulture
in the morning to for
it is possible to collect some things which
each th
children have been exposed.season. They
In fall there are seed pods, leaves,
include and tree bark for
recycling and
the children to observe,
composting, how we can protect our smell, and draw. There are herbs
environment, and
are healthy choices of foodfrom thefor gardenyoung people
to smell and examine to
for their uses eat. Sub
in our
cooked food. In autumn
range widely and are presented in a there are colored leaves from
question and answer
format. Children guess the maple,answers
oak, ginkgo, and liquidtoamber questions,
trees. The teacher try to
out words, and frequentlywasoffer associations
surprised to learn that these fourth and fifth tograders
material
textbooks based on their own observations
did not know the seasons of the year. One atchildhome
said it was or in
community. The experience spring for
when it was them isthearest
really fall, and kind
agreed. So itof
was pleasa
challenge where everyoneimportant
is heard to discuss whatand happenssupported.
in autumn; the leaves fall.
The teacher demonstrated the body motion for fall, followed
The children may be asked by thewhat
body motion fruits
for spring, when and vegetables
plants and flowers spring a
orange. Which ones are red?up. WinterWe make
is a time a list
for some plants on
and animals the
to sleep and boar
and the children copy and read
summer them.
is the time for growthThen they
and abundance. had a c
It is valuable
to taste and describe several ofto those
to return these conceptson
to see the
how muchlist. On anoth
the children
day the children described the
remember andfruits
to reinforce theand
learning. vegetables in
bowl and drew and colored them. Other activities include
observing, discussing, andThedrawing
children in this classanimals in the
with learning disabilities have garde
including snails and earthworms.
grown, matured, and Thereafter
learned. Their verbal ability thehas focus w
on compost. What is it? How
improved.do you answers
Each individual make questionsit? Can we
and then
make an area outside the classroom
dialogues about his or herto experiment
feelings, experiences, and on
observations. The materials
producing compost? The challenge is used
to in activities
come come from
up with a
new and creatively designed
nature; activity
what do living thingseach week
need in order to grow andto engag
interest and stimulate perception
flourish? What makes and
humans learning.
experience pain? It requir
dynamic interchange between students, teachers, and th
The students
therapist. We all learn and enjoy have been
whatintroducedweto new and
do. different
We want t
children to think for themselves,
concepts that involve askobservations,
questions,
tastes, smells, and how and pr
associations from their own personal
things feel worlds.
from a tactile point Through
of view. They respond and try t
of plants and plant materials
to do whatwe encourage
is asked of them. Reading, writing,creativity
and spelling in
artwork, crafts, new ideas, and
is still new
very difficult green
for them growth.
and they are still far behind
many children their age, but they are receiving a good

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40 JOURNAL OF THERAPEUTIC HORTICULTURE XV : 2004

Bella
education for their particular S. Schimmel,
needs. Furthermore,M.D.th
from feelings,
the opportunity to work with University of Michigan
experience new
of Maryland
and interact with the natural world in aSchool of Medi
way that can h
sustain them and give them internship
pleasure at
nowLA-USC
and in Count
the f
in Pediatrics,
The use of horticultural therapy and another
integrates with theres
n
at Brentwood
lessons in reading, writing, spelling, andin math.
LA in These
Psych
Center
need drill, stimulation, and in Child
multimodal Psychiatry.
learning to piS
psychoanalysis
the basics as well as to expand at The
their limited So. Cali
experienc
We push the horizon for and is whose
those boarded in adult
learning and c
deficit
UCLA
have constricted their ability to in Child
absorb Psychiatry,
what is offered
to the average child. for Child Development and C
on UCLA committees and is Medical Director of Belmar
Child and Family Center.
My style demands the attention of these children wh
multiple modalities (sound, vision, smell, taste, and to
to facilitate learning. The teacher is aware of their def
in memory, focus, and auditory and visual processing
The children all have had school meetings to prepare
individualized educational programs for them and are
provided with the best placement possible in the publ
school system given their special needs. My job is to p
enrichment, stimulation, and gratification for learning
experience. I use plants, plant products, and my own s
and experiences as a physician and therapist to promo
positive changes.

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