As you may have realized by now, this blog is really every single idea that pops into my head about school! So, here's another one! Enjoy the photos of center time while I brainstorm ways to keep any new addition to our outdoor learning area safe.
The area in which we are located was probably originally developed as a way to house the workers from the nearby factories which, for many, are no longer in existence. The neighborhood surrounding the school is a working class area. The houses tend to be very small and many families are struggling. When we created a small garden, the children rarely were able to harvest the vegetables, as the neighbors would come over and help themselves to the produce!
We have also had problems with vandalism of the current outdoor learning area and previously on our playground. People have climbed the fence to enter, destroyed things inside and have left graffiti and trash. Needless to say, we are a bit cautious about any new addition to our outdoors!
So, here's where my idea comes in. As soon as possible, I'm going to talk to our principal about the idea of starting a Community Garden, rather than a preschool garden. We certainly have the space if the district is willing to allow us to use it (still up in the air about this). We are housed within a small elementary school. So, not only would our children learn about where their food comes from, but the elementary classes could help with this as well.
If we could drum up enough support from the neighborhood, and get enough people on board, we really could have a rather large community garden! If the community surrounding the school as well as the older elementary children who live in the neighborhood around the school, felt that this belonged to them as well, I'm hoping they would help keep an eye out for any vandalism while we couldn't!
So, I've emptied the contents of my brain onto the blog now! Ideas are still rummaging around in there somewhere! I'll let you know what happens with this one!
The area in which we are located was probably originally developed as a way to house the workers from the nearby factories which, for many, are no longer in existence. The neighborhood surrounding the school is a working class area. The houses tend to be very small and many families are struggling. When we created a small garden, the children rarely were able to harvest the vegetables, as the neighbors would come over and help themselves to the produce!
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| Rocking Out on the key board! |
So, here's where my idea comes in. As soon as possible, I'm going to talk to our principal about the idea of starting a Community Garden, rather than a preschool garden. We certainly have the space if the district is willing to allow us to use it (still up in the air about this). We are housed within a small elementary school. So, not only would our children learn about where their food comes from, but the elementary classes could help with this as well.
So, I've emptied the contents of my brain onto the blog now! Ideas are still rummaging around in there somewhere! I'll let you know what happens with this one!
I don't know if you are looking for more brainstorming, but I'm excited by your idea and want to throw something out.
ReplyDeleteWhat if you got the community involved and made sure that they understood that preschoolers valued this space?
What if your students were to sprout their own seeds, and raise them in an indoor garden till they were large enough to transplant? And then you took the class door to door in the neighborhood to give away these sprouts with some information about the community garden project. And then you plan a day for planting, and invite the neighbors to bring their seedling to the garden if they want to be a part of the project. You could win the hearts of the neighborhood, because preschoolers are pretty irresistible, plus everyone that brought a sprout back would be personally invested in the garden project. It might be a way to drum up neighborhood support and a neighborhood "watch" at the same time!
Dorothy- GREAT IDEA! This would be a great way to entice the neighborhood to become more involved- and make sure the children are initiating this! Thanks so much for brainstorming with me :)
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