Quote:
Originally Posted by Ganoderma
that is easier said than done man.....i have tried at my school many times.....and "these kids today" (grandma quote) just don't find dirt and plants as interesting as they used to.
winter vacation again here, maybe its time to try another plant project with one of the classes  |
I have done some courses with young kids. They seem to divide into two groups the engineers and the plant people.
With the engineers you give them a hose lots of water, tools and set them lose to make the Aswan Dam in the middle of your garden. The other kids like plants with
stories or that you can
eat or
do something with. That might involve tricking another kid into eating a"mild" chilli. ("Bi-Bell" chillies are hot at one end only)
I was lucky having a good teacher who knew all the kids so could handle discipline; that left me to play with the kids. I don't think it would have worked near as well without that.
It is not what you teach but how you teach that is important.
There are plants that smell of chocolate chewing gum, lemons, nutmeg etc. Even medicinal plants like Aloe vera can be given an interesting spin. I usually invent something about red Indians cowboys and curing arrow and gunshot wounds.
Miracle fruit is amazing for everyone if you can get it to grow.
Eventually my kid's Mums'/Parents', who came to collect them (in the 4WD) bought a large piece of plastic, wrapped their child and took them home to hose them down.
The more chaos the better, I thought. When all else fails you hit petty cash for ice-blocks
The end always justifies the means
I am told by Mums I meet occasionally that I have corrupted a few kids, who have their own patch of dirt at home, so that makes me feel good. The parents seem pleased, and often amazed, too.
The group of amazed Japanese school headmasters who happened to visit the school, and had the embarrassed Oz headmaster explain to them that this was "gardening", probably still dine out on the
strange people from down under.
i suspect with older kids a bit of rebellion, clandestine gorilla gardening and bucking authority MAY be away of going.
I may get a chance to try out that theory soon, and mean to check out how to make
'plant seed bombs' on the net.
