Teaching the Messengers

Every spring, since my first year of teaching six years ago, I've been teaching a science unit called Life Structures, which investigates the cycle of life of plants and snails. But never have I been so excited about it until now. The timing of this unit really couldn't have been more perfect. A few weekends ago (on the first day of spring to be exact), I graduated from my Master Gardener program and became an intern. That means that I now have to complete my 90 hours of master gardening community service over the next two years. I've got lots of fun volunteer opportunities coming up that will rack up quite a few hours. But what I didn't realize is how my training would impact my teaching and how I'm reaching the greater community through my students.

To give you some context, the science unit starts out by teaching the students about plant parts and seeds. We started germinating seeds today. But where the unit lacks in providing the students with a real-life context for the information or practical gardening tips, I'm now supplementing with my ever-expanding gardening knowledge. And as I found out today, my enthusiasm is beginning to spread! One parent emailed me and said that her daughter came home ready to make plans for a vegetable garden. The same day, upon picking my students up from the school library, another student was anxious to show me the two seed books she picked up to learn more information.

I gave each of my students a spiral-bound notebook today and told them it would be their garden journal. I didn't want them to seem like just another curriculum material, so I gave them to my students as a gift that they would be able to use to keep track of their observations and scientific discoveries in their own gardens at home. I'm going to bring in my own garden journal tomorrow to show them how I keep track of my garden successes and failures.

I have trouble finding the words to describe how exciting it has been to share what I love with these curious kids that I spend so much time with. They just soaked it up and can't wait to learn more! I can't think of anyone who would be more excited about germinating seeds then they were today. When I began my Master Gardener program, I knew that I would be working to educate the community in sustainable gardening practices, but I never envisioned it happening in my classroom in such a natural and entertaining way. I also never thought about how that information would travel through my students to their parents, and maybe beyond.