We Need to Keep Planting Gardens #earthday
Earth Day 2015 is just around the corner! I just about jumped up for joy when I saw this little Curious Garden video (above) on Twitter this morning. It’s a fun one that can be used in the classroom with younger students and even includes hand motions.
Aside from the fun teaching aspects of this little vid, I knew I had to share it in my post as it tells the story of a boy’s desire to plant a garden, in spite of some odds. The same story to plant an entry way garden has been on the heart of my youngest son for several years…and we are still on the journey.
About two years ago, the entry way in front of our home got a face-lift. We planted a garden.
When we moved into our home with our two teenage sons (seen below with my husband), it looked very different. It was neglected both inside and out by the previous owners for years. It took time to remove old carpet, drapes and clean out the clutter in the back yard. That said, my husband and I determined to re-do specific aspects of our home, little by little. A seed for remodeling was planted in the family. It’s still going strong today!
We started this remodeling journey 7 years ago, by removing concrete, re-designing the pool area, building a deck and adding grass to a previous all concrete back yard. Then we discovered that the beautiful tree in our front yard, had to be removed. Since it was in the entry way, we decided to bulldoze the area, and commit to new landscape. That was when we planted another seed…the seed of a design project in our youngest son who is a gardening whiz.
Over the last few months our son, Aaron (above left), has been working to update the landscape design that’s in keeping with California’s, drought tolerant focus that we’re calling California Craftsman. It includes native plants and trees that will have to be installed in ground that is the consistency of clay. In light of the fact that we are in one of the worst droughts in California history this plan is important.
Needless to say, we are now in Phase 2 of this entry way project, which includes searching for and planting additional drought tolerant plants, ground cover, updating irrigation and adding a bubbler for a light water sound. When we began this project my son relied on a paper plan designed by his Dad. I’m now “planting the seed” to have him create the design on his own and rely on his strengths as an artist to make it happen.
No matter our level of experience as educators, daily we are planting seeds in the minds and hearts of our students. It’s important that we not lose sight of that, in the midst of new educational initiatives, technology tools and web 2.0 applications. The guidance you give them, as you teach concepts, as well as the interactions you have, all “plant a seed” that will either bloom or fade away. The guiding hand of a teacher is important as is that of a parent. It’s just the matter of who is the sower.
Planting a seed of encouragement that my son will carry forward is important work to me as a Mom. I hope it is equally important to you as a teacher.
What seeds of support have you planted today in the lives of the children you teach? What gardens are you sowing to insure success? What kind of fun activities do you have planned for Earth Day 2015? Please share in the comments below.
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to TeachingWithSoul and connect with me on Twitter.
LISA DABBS
Wife. Mom. Educator. Author. She started her career as an elementary school teacher in Southern California. In this role as teacher, she assisted with a grant project and became the Project Director of a Language and Literacy program. Read more
CONNECT WITH ME
0 Comments