What Joan’s students say about
Kids Gardening:
“Our school wants to make a garden in the
front where all there is are a bunch of trees. We want to do things such as:
a pond with a fountain, a rose canopy, a life-size sundial just to name a few....I love this idea and I hope we can do it.” -
Sahara Lance-Lawson
“It is more beautiful than I ever expected.”
- DJ Baker
“I think that our high school needed something
to give it some character. It was also nice to have a class in my schoolday that
allows me to work freely outside.” -
Brent Funderberg
“This
garden project was a great chance for the students and the community to work towards a single goal... [and] the garden is
now a place we can all enjoy.” -
Chris Bernhardt
“It has been a success so far. We hope to continue our work on it next year and every year.”
- Alex Bieri
“I
am an eighth grader at Yellow Springs High School. I am very happy that we are
finally allowed to do hands-on work outdoors instead of being cooped up in the classroom.
I’m excited about making our school look nice on the outside as well as on the inside!...I enjoy planting and
picking out flowers and also creating outdoor works of art.”
- Samantha Gault
“I think that this garden has been a wonderful
way to learn hands-on about Botany, Landscaping and Geology. Seeing a vacant
lot of land turned into a beautiful sanctuary is so fulfilling. It creates a
sense of pride among the students and community, a common bond that can bring us all closer together.”
- Christen
Mucher
“I now work two days a week at Greenleaf
Gardens [local nursery.] I think that the experience I got in the garden gave
me the final push to work there (I have been offered a job there before but I was too lazy to work.) … The garden makes
what would be a dead zone a beautiful place to walk through in order to get to the school.” - Seth Scott
What teachers who have taken the Outdoor Education
workshop say:
“The activities were applicable to my subject
area and gave me many ideas for hands-on activities both outdoors and indoors. I
enjoyed the learning and doing the activities. The material was well organized and easy to follow – great for future
references and more research. Some concepts were new, such as the sundial and
the sextant. I learned more about the need for individual hands-on students involvement
in learning. It was a pleasant atmosphere as well stimulating and challenging
academically.”
- Donna Schlicher, Springfield Christian Elementary School
“It allowed me to see how outdoor education
can be integrated into all curriculum areas. “ - Rick Shelby, Smith Middle School
This was the best class I have ever taken! I learned a lot! I had a lot of fun! Thanks!” - Kimberley S Wright, Arrowood Elementary School Kindergarten teacher
“Thank
you so much for your wisdom and wonderful teaching. Because of you and other
professors, I landed my dream job! I used your ideas of grants, gardening, and
other activities in my interviews! So happy to have had the opportunity to be
taught by you!”
- Sandra L. Vawter, Special Ed teacher, Urbana Middle School
Other comments:
“The unusual blend of art and science strikes
me as an especially creative and progressive interdisciplinary effort. I believe
that education is increasingly headed toward collaboration and integration among the disciplines and that this kind of pioneering
work should be encouraged. Clearly, there is interest in and broad support for experiential learning among Yellow Springs community members, and this hands-on project
would certainly bring direct experience and creative expression to an academic subject.”
- Ann Cooper, YS parent
“The front garden has taken away the institutionalized
look of the school.”
- Gail Zimmerman, YS parent
“My
special thanks for your help by sharing plant materials, and those notecards, tussy mussy, and color wheel which you let me
have. They were all inspiring. It
is great to see what students are capable of when led by a teacher who is as enthusiastic and talented as you are.”
- Joan Horn, Director, Outdoor Education Center, Glen Helen Nature Preserve
“It was really thrilling to see how innovative
your program is and how engaged the students seemed to be. More than all the
classes I visited, your class demonstrated the principles of multiple intelligences/learning styles that I’ve been reading
about and your … garden project seems to exemplify all the good things happening in education today.”
- Desiree Nickell,
Visiting Professor, The McGregor School at Antioch University
“Perhaps
the best example of Joan’s teaching methods is the Outdoor Science Education project … a landscape garden in the front of the school. This was just
the beginning of a long term project to utilize the extensive land around our school as a science land laboratory. But the beginning literally flowered and changed the character of our school form a sterile environment
to one that was fresh and vibrant, beautiful in any season due to the plants and landscaping planned and executed by the students. Not only were the students involved but also their parents and other community members...
In addition, a pergola is being built by the Humanities House (a high school block class) as a high school community project. Each change seems to breathe new life into our school.
Joan’s energy and enthusiasm, coupled with her vision of science, have made an impact on our school and community.” - Judith A. Duke, Yellow Springs High School Chemistry Teacher
“Joan has ‘rescued’ our science
program and elevated it to a level that has gone beyond my highest expectations. She
has done this with an array of exciting and innovative activities that have captured our students’ attention. The developing Outdoor Science Laboratory is just one example of her creative approach to education. The
students are excited about the Outdoor Science Laboratory and have a lot of ideas. She
has written grants to begin this project….Our district is moved toward a more interdisciplinary and integrated curriculum
and this is exactly the kind of project I would like to encourage our teachers to do.”
- John Gudgel, Principal, Yellow Springs High School
“The principal encourages risk taking with
a purpose. Therefore, any ideas that will benefit the students, teachers are
willing to put out the effort with the full support of the administration. An
example is the Outdoor Education Project in 8th grade Science in which students created and now maintain a small
series of gardens near the entrance to the school….Cross-discipline abounds in this curriculum. Art is readily integrated – the Outdoor Education Project is an excellent example. In speaking with the teachers and students, the designing of this project was fun and a great opportunity
to work together.”
- Richard Rothenburg, Blue Ribbon National School of Excellence
Site Visitor for Yellow Springs High School
“Joan’s most visual project has been
the installation and maintenance of a landscaped, outdoor learning garden area. Joan
was instrumental in enlisting the support of the PTA and the parent body to assist the teachers and children to build this
area. She instituted a Garden Advisory Council which plans activities aimed at
extending the garden plan, planting, maintenance, and science learning opportunities for the classes. She bases many of her learning activities on this[garden] area in the spring and fall – language,
math, and science through cooperative strategies can all be addressed in the garden.
The children are delighted with their discoveries and the feelings of self esteem they develop from their individual
and group successes in the garden.” -
Gloria Harris, Associate Principal, Hillel Academy
