Montclair Public School has created a garden that serves as an exciting outdoor classroom for students and a space that produces food for donation to community organizations.
The Oakville school established the garden so students have a unique space to collaborate during classroom time and develop and foster ways for students to think bigger than themselves.
“We created the learning garden to extend children’s learning outside, continue to foster children's ability to be mindful, develop and learn about sustainable environments,” says Principal Andrea Gill. “We feel that outdoor learning environments are important for encouraging healthy behaviours and improving the physical, educational and mental wellbeing of children and young people.”
Gill says one of the many positive experiences the school had in establishing the garden was how the entire school was involved.
“All of the classes had the opportunity to participate in the creation of the learning garden,” she says. “Whether it was planting seeds and plants, raking leaves, shoveling dirt, digging out stumps, edging, laying mulch on the garden beds, transplanting shrubs, weeding and providing class projects as decor, such as signs, painted rocks, bird feeders. Our custodians water the gardens during the summer and we have staff with their families come and check on the gardens and weed.”
The hard work of the school has resulted in the garden yielding healthy foods that Gill says will be harvested and donated to community organizations.
“We have three garden beds and we have applied for a grant to purchase two more so we can grow more vegetables such as zucchini, brussel sprouts and beef steak tomatoes,” Gills says, noting the garden is growing kale, squash, lemon grass, rhubarb, pumpkins and more.
Students have used the food grown in the garden to make meals and recipes including rhubarb tarts and tea, bruschetta, kale smoothies and squash soup.
“During our next harvest, we are hoping to include the food in our daily Healthy Snack Cart Program and Breakfast Club,” Gill says.
Staff say the garden has had a huge impact on students.
“The garden is not only a beautiful place for students and staff to gather, it also serves as a place where students could engage with each other and build new skills,” says teacher Matt Giordano.
“With child-sized, appropriate tools, we are able to allow children to use their gross motor skills to rake the leaves, plant the seeds, pull the weeds and water the garden,” says Michelle Albin, Educational Assistant.
The environmental awareness and leadership component of the garden is a key piece of this initiative and how it connects to the
HDSB’s 2020-2024 Multi-Year Plan.“The garden connects children and young people to the natural world, creating in them a sense of responsibility about sustaining their environment and fostering Environmental Awareness and Leadership,” Gill says. “By providing student-led and teacher-led group instruction through a variety of learning opportunities, we will continue to foster a sustainable future.”
