"As a second grade teacher, I have participated in the
hands-on, thoroughly engaging Garden of Learning activities
for some time. The California Standards-connected lessons
enhance academic knowledge by providing situations where
students connects to their environment, developing responsibility
and ownership. The Garden of Learning implants the awareness
in our students that learning is not confined to the walls
of a classroom, but is ongoing and integral to our everyday
life."
Claudia Moore
2nd Grade Teacher
"In this era devoted to standards and testing it
is difficult to launch and sustain significant experiential
education programs. Yet our research has shown that hands-on
experience is the only way to effectively produce capable
as well as competent children. The Garden of Learning program
is an excellent model of effective experience based education,
and is frequently cited by the U.C. and the State Dept. of
Education."
Dan Desmond
University of California Cooperative Extension
"Students at all levels enthusiastically participate in
weekly lessons throughout the school year, actively observing
changes in seasons, growth, plants, insects and natural habitat.
They work in all stages of garden development from preparing
the soil to harvesting and clean up to helping get ready
for the annual farmer’s market. In addition, our young
gardeners create art, play games, learn about world food
supplies and hunger, read books, do math, all connected with
the art and science of the garden. The lessons are fully
integrated with academic subjects in an active, appropriate
and motivating curriculum that teachers and volunteers are
able to successfully implement."
Irene Lipshin
Elementary School Teacher
"The Garden of Learning is a model for powerful learning
experiences every student deserves. All of us can think back
to childhood and remember a learning experience retained
even to this day. Most likely, the experience included strong
motivation, individual or small-group coaching, active mental,
emotional and/or physical involvement, positive reinforcement,
and immediate knowledge of results.
Remember, learning how to ride a bike, roller skate, shoot baskets,
drive a car? The garden provides comparable, varied learning
opportunities on a weekly basis.
It’s a place where science, math, reading, language arts,
social studies and fine arts lessons find real-world application
and meaning, it’s the place where textbook theories come
alive and become applicable to everyday life. I can’t
imagine our school without it!"
Cathy Morgan
Principal
"The Garden of Learning is a wonderful opportunity for
our children and parents and teachers. What could be more
real world than digging in the dirt, planting seeds, caring
for seedlings, protecting plants from frost, fertilizing
the soil, and persevering for seven or eight months to see
the fruits of their labor?
The Garden of Learning supports many core curriculum areas, in
addition to giving our students opportunities to practice many
important MegaSkills. (MegaSkills are attributes such as caring,
persevering, initiative, problem solving, common sense, etc.)
The School Site Council wholeheartedly supports this program.
We also hope to continue to enlist help from the parents and
care providers of the students of this school in order to see
the Garden of Learning continue to bloom."
Elementary School Site council
"Garden of Learning was the missing piece that allowed us to start a school-wide garden program. In Garden of Learning we integrate real-life, hands-on activities that are closely linked to classroom curriculum. Our students come away with educational experiences that will stay with them throughout their lives. A must for any school."
Michael Perez
Principal
"Working in the garden gives children a broader view of what it takes to grow and produce food, something that is getting hard to connect to in our world of large grocery chains and fast food. it allows them to feed their natural love of nature and desire to explore all things living, creeping and crawling. They learn the tools they need to be part of a productive community. Garden of Learning is well planed, organized and easy to implement."
Jamie Hall
Garden Parent
"Our Garden of Learning program is a fun easy way to reach every student. I have seen students eat spinach, explore under leaves for insects, and work together in our garden. What a wonderful program!"
Alisha Marinez
Garden Parent
“We learn to take care of our earth!”
Student
“In our school garden, the whole child is getting educated.”
Samantha Ulrich
Garden Parent
“Get the Garden of Learning program. It’s an all-inclusive kit that can really get you school started.”
Stacy Frame
Garden Parent
“I am in my third consecutive year using the Garden of Learning program as a volunteer garden parent at our elementary school. The children thrive with their time spent learning about, and caring for, their garden. As a parent, I value the wonderful school environment and opportunities to learn which are nurtured by Garden of Learning.”
Kathy Kasnic
Garden Parent
“It gives kids self-esteem. It gives them a sense of accomplishment. It teaches them about life.”
Deana Rose
Parent
“We learn lots about all different kinds of plants”.
Student
“Studies have shown the impact eco-literacy has on test scores. Its time has come! Thank you Garden of Learning.”
Patricia Wallace
5th Grade Teacher
"As a Garden Parent, I've seen the Garden of Learning program reach and entertain even the toughest student"
Anthony Emerson
Garden Parent
“I love studying the insects and looking at them under the microscopes.”
Student
“I chose my children’s public elementary school, because of the Garden of Learning program."
Stephanie Rael
Garden Parent
“It’s so easy to implement. There isn’t an excuse not to have a garden program anymore.”
John Forester
Principal
“We looked at five gardens very intensively in California over fifteen years. The Garden of Learning was one of those five because it demonstrated what we considered to be the best practices in using a garden to teach science education and eco-literacy in a really effective way. If you want your test scores to improve here’s a good way to do it.”
Dan Desmond
UC Davis Center for Nutrition in Schools
“We learn about the soil, plants and the bees.”
Student
“It's a terrific opportunity for my children to learn all the basics like math, science, reading, writing and art while in the beautiful garden environment. Thank you Garden of Learning."
Carina Welsh
Garden Parent
Our Garden of Learning Program is one of the most in-depth and organized curriculums that I have seen on an elementary school campus. Everyday the garden program touches the life of a student in a positive way. Thank you Garden of Learning for your attention to detail. This program makes our school special. “
Sam LaCara
Principal
“When you plant stuff it helps the world.”
Student