Gardening and Literacy: Part 1

I worked some years back as a volunteer literacy tutor and was amazed at what some of the people who I helped learn to read could do.

It is feasible that we can combine the skills that people have with their desire to learn to read and do so while building and maintaining a garden.

People learn best, through an active process, that is by doing, and in the case of the garden, the first lessons could begin with the design of the garden plan. The first step could be determining what they gardeners want to grow and drawing on seed catalogues to form the basis of a reading lesson. Seed packets can also be included as they contain information that the gardeners need.

However, before we begin designing lesson plans, there are a few things that are even more essential. One is the land. Where will the garden be located?

There are some possible options; a church may be willing to allow the use of some of its property for this [purpose, or perhaps a school or community centre?

The municipality may have available land or if there is a literacy organization they may have land.

The teaching could be handled by master or other experienced gardeners working with literacy tutors to develop the lesson plans.

How does the process of creating a literacy garden begin? Well, as with most projects, you will need to assess your resources. For example, is there a master gardeners group where you live? Is there a literacy organization? If the answer is yes, you may want to contact these two organizations in order to determine their interest.

If you are a gardener and feel comfortable with your ability to share your knowledge with others then you may want to team up with a teacher or literacy worker and get a few ideas down on paper; keep it simple what you are looking for is a discussion paper, something to get people giving some serious thought to the idea of a literacy garden.

The Backyard Classroom

The backyard classroom offers lessons in botany, biology and entomology. Plant and insect identification helps your child understand the other creatures that live in the backyard and gain an awareness of what an ecosystem is.

Children could also write or draw their experiences thus learning some basics skills in expression and communication.

I have frequently referred to a lawn as a waste of space that would be put to better use when food rather than grass is grown. However, I have also made exceptions when it comes to children as they need a safe place to play a place where their minds can soar and creativity emerge.

This outdoor classroom is right out your back door, that’s right, the back yard. In the yard, children can play and allow their minds to transport them to wherever the game takes them.

Now, because there are children playing and learning in this outdoor classroom, hopefully, no one has sprayed any toxic chemicals to kill the weeds or insects that live there.

Not only are the chemicals harmful to the children but by killing the dandelion, the ants or that wolf spider you are depriving the child of an opportunity to learn. To discover the other entities that inhabit our world and begin to grasp the web that is Life.

The first lesson the child can learn is respect; just because something is smaller, much smaller than you, does not mean that you can squish it. It also does not mean that you have to fear it, as, for the most part; it will only harm you if you attempt to interfere with its efforts to go about its own business.

I have seen too many children and quite a few adults who are afraid of insects; they may love the pretty butterfly but be disgusted by this same creature when it is a caterpillar. Flies are annoying but unless you leave a lot of garbage strewn about the yard, they will be at a minimum and even the fly has lessons.

Flies are a part of the life cycle, they help matter to decompose and return back to the earth. They are not alone in this work, but they do have their role.

This does not mean that I want them in my house nor do I want a swarm of them in my yard but a yard that is healthy and in balance will not have many flies.

A bee, well for some, the bee is a danger. They are allergic, and if there is someone in your family who has an allergy to bee stings, then the design of your outdoor classroom will not include plants that attract bees.

The backyard is where children can learn to observe and to interact with Nature but not to interfere with it. Observation is an important part of the scientific process, observation.

Children can be encouraged to make notes about what they see, to draw or photograph their discoveries. 

Let’s get back to the wolf spider, when it comes to beings that scare a large number of adults, spiders, along with snakes, are near the top. Wolf spiders are large and hairy. They are usually patterned with a mixture of black, gray, and brown.

Wolf spiders are predators, busy hunters who seek out their prey such as insects, small spiders, and similar prey. They do not use webs to capture prey. The wolf spider is an organic gardener’s friend.
Wolf spiders will only bite if picked up and if you find one indoors it is because the spider made a wrong turn. 

Children learn from imitating and they will react to spiders and other life experiences much as their parents do.

If you do not have a backyard is there a park or green space near by. These spaces offer similar opportunities for engaging nature and active learning. The big differences are the distance traveled the possibility of sharing the space with others and the need for parental accompaniment.

It is also possible that your municipality sprays the space so find out first. If you have neighbour and friends near by who have children near your children’s age, it may be possible to organize group field trips to the park; parents can take turns watching the children.

However, you do it, whether your child has a backyard or takes the trip to a local park, the time spent in play and interacting with nature can be the best educational experience he or she may get. One that can open the gates of learning, and turn education into an exciting activity that they will seek out all throughout their lives.

If you want to encourage your child to learn more about what is happening in the backyard and to gain greater insight yourself you can visit the public library, talk with the staff and tell them what you are doing and they can guide you.