5th grade teacher w/urban experience

[Rich Fitch]

Hello, everybody,

I bet northeast people like me are poring over catalogs during this spat of winter weather longing for spring. Truly magical and miserable at the same time.

I teach fifth grade in MA, and I have been teaching gardening with kids for 21 years. I'm an avid gardener at home who believes in sustainable living. I'm lucky to live outside of the city where a more rural environment allows me to live with nature. My school gardening areas in the city are usually a mix of easy vegetables and easy flowers. I've tried to plant low maintenance things that can withstand drought and overall neglect. I've done cultural gardening as well. Peppers (chiles) and basils especially. Kids love it when they can connect home and school with culinary crops.

I've switched schools where my opportunities have decreased to about an area of 400 square feet. The area is a curb-raised area along a sidewalk. I see two things when I conceptualize this area-1) a perennial/annual mixed "border," or 2) a mixed easy vegetable garden, (maybe beans, squash/pumpkin, basil, etc.). Irrigation may be a problem. I think I'm going to let the kids choose.

I get a BEAUTIFUL amount of compost from my friends at Rock Pile Organics in Westminster. I beg and borrow supplies. I have a three tiered indoor light system that is phenominal. My students have ALWAYS learned taking care of plants is taking care of the soil. I have a good inventory of spade-tipped shovels, garden rakes, forks, and other hand tools.

My biggest challenge is having people join me. My colleagues don't see the benefit of gardening in the curriculum. I've tried... Really...

I hope I can maintain my enthusiasm (and energy) to continue gardening with kids. My email at school is maynardr@fitchburg.k12.ma.us. I'm looking forward to sharing ideas and opportunities.

Regards,

Rich

[gardengirl72]

First, Go Fitchburg Falcons! Welcome to the boards. Its hard when there is resistance. Trust me, my grandmother in law, GG, can be quite the anti motivator here. The thing that has always worked for me is connecting the garden with food.

Make a nice sitting area for faculty in the garden where they can have lunch or mini meetings, and make it nice like a medieval monks garden and you will get them. Simple stuff to start, blueberry/Lingonberry and then expand from there. It may take some time but if you name it the Faculty Garden or something and feed them with vine ripened tomato-You will have them.

Hope that helps and welcome to the boards,

[MoniDew]

all I can say is, WOW! and, what an incredible impact you are making on the next generation. Your faculty is lucky to have you!

[valerieneal]

Rich,
First let me start by saying we NEED more teachers like you. Although we have chosen to educate our children at home, teachers are my heros, I was fortunate, I had some that inspired in me a love of learning.

There has been a lot of controversy about this subject lately and I finaly gave in and put my 2 cents on my blog if anyone is interested. RocksInMyGarden (http://rocksinmygarden.blogspot.com/2010/01/school-gardens.html):D

I also just ran across this new post, my reason for running over here and waned to share it with Patti, as it is near her neck of the woods.
School Adds Weeding to Reading and Writing (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/20/dining/20edible.html)

I say keep on 'diggin' Rich, gardening in schools is a good thing.:cool:

[gardengirl72]

It is so hard to fully follow thru with teaching gardening at schools in the north because of the summer vacation. You can start the garden, but it is hard to give them the full experience because they cant learn to maintain the garden. I love adding weather and climate into my teaching as well.