Last week I went on a teacher training course with RHS. It was at a people’s community garden in a nearby town, which turned out to be in the middle of some fabulous allotments. (I know it might sound a bit strange that a home educator went on a teacher training day, but even within home education there can be a need for continuing (professional) development 😉 )
It was a great day out, I sort of knew quite a bit of the stuff we went over, but now have it lined up in my brain in a rather more helpful way, if that makes any sense. I’m determined that I’m going to get to grips with gardening in the first instance, and the allotment in the second – I think it will be good for me, and good for the kids.
Did you notice that? I said good for me. The primary reason for doing this is because *I’m* interested in it. I suspect when I get stuck in, Smallest in particular will come along with me as she loves the garden, outdoors and nature (Tigerboy at the moment loves the WiiU, but I’m sure that with warmer weather he’ll remember outdoors as fun), but first and foremost, I get to do this.
And isn’t that the way that makes sense for me to approach it? When the children want to learn something, and express an interest in it, I facilitate that. But the best way to expose them to new stuff is for them to see it happening for real, not in some contrived fashion.
While we were learning about planting, the course leader made a throw away remark about it being a great activity to teach measurement. And I thought that this was kind of backwards. You don’t plant seeds in order to learn how to measure distances. You might learn so that you can plant your seeds, but the primary focus is the seed planting. Everything else is incidental, and surely, that’s the way learning works? There’s something wrong in an educational system that makes up activities to teach things which are useful skills, when those skills will come with just doing useful activities. Isn’t there? I’d appreciate thoughts in the usual place.
Anyway, I came back from the course with a recycled milk bottle pea sprout planter, a pot of herb cuttings, and a calendar of what to plant when to grow the 15 top recommended crops for school gardens. (Lots of this information is available online if you check out the RHS School gardening website – link at the top of the post.) Oh, and some potatoes which are currently chitting cheerfully, and will be planted out in bags very soon. Violetta they are, kind of blue. Should be good.
I also had a look at DK grow all you can eat in 3 feet which I’ve been ogling on the Book People (that’s an affiliate link btw) for a while but didn’t want to buy without knowing if it’s any good. Having now flicked through it, it’s excellent, and I’m definitely adding it to my wishlist for the next time I put in a Book People order.
All in all, I had a great day out, and if you’re looking to build up your educational gardening skills, I’d definitely explore the RHS Schools website. Some really useful stuff on there.
Disclosure: this is not a sponsored post, I paid to go on the training course. Book People links are affiliate links.
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