How we teach might be even more important than what we teach. The work of botanist, author, teacher, and citizen of the Potawatomi Nation, Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer is foundational to our teaching approach.
Our first priority is to care for all living things from the soil to the bees to the humans. We celebrate multiple ways of knowing and learning by incorporating American Sign Language, translating lesson materials into Spanish and Vietnamese, and using songs, games, and exploration to teach. In addition to sharing a land acknowledgment with students each fall, we also work to cultivate a culture of reciprocity in every lesson through activity stations ‘For’ and ‘From’ the Garden and through grateful, honorable harvesting. We show respect by using Dr. Kimmerer’s Grammar of Animacy when talking about living things (“Who is this plant?”) and wrap up each lesson with gratitude (“Thank you, Garden!”).
We meet kids where they’re at and don’t force experiences. Instead, we offer multiple activity choices for different modes of being and knowledge. We incorporate beauty, art, joy, and a sense of wonder.
Educators teach through the lens of trauma-informed teaching. This begins with an understanding of how systemic and cultural oppression has and does affect the minds of young people. Garden Educators are compassionate and sensitive to the needs of individual students and aware of how identities intersect and interact. And we adapt our teaching to meet the needs of students with disabilities and those who are learning English.
Learn more about our curriculum and educational philosophy here
