Sharing Challenges Discussion - Spring 2024 by Teaching in Nature's Classroom

What are some common themes I have observed?

gesept9 — 2024-02-10 19:57:07 UTC

As of now with just three shared stories I would have to say a common theme I hear is the teachers enthusiasm with their students.

Thank you

September Dykema

Garden Educator

MAISD

Montague,MI

Have I experienced any similar challenges?

gesept9 — 2024-02-10 20:05:53 UTC

One challenge that I feel is common at any age is how to keep kids engaged. It is easy to read the books and curriculum but then learning how to tailor each class of students is sometimes challenging. My second grade students are busy and full of energy.

Thank You,

September Dykema

Garden Educator

MAISD

Montague,Mi

Share any challenges that I have overcome.

gesept9 — 2024-02-10 20:09:50 UTC

This is my first season as a Garden Educator so at this time I don't have a big challenge to share. However this fall I will write back.

Thank you,

September Dykema

Garden Educator

MAISD

Montague,Mi

What follow up questions to ask in regards to challenges.

gesept9 — 2024-02-10 20:17:53 UTC

The one question that I would love more information on is how do you keep your students engaged in a meaningful way? I am always interested in new ideas that teachers, educators have for their students.

Thank you,

September Dykema

Suggestion

2024-03-01 16:24:02 UTC

I think my biggest suggestion is to not give up. If your supervisors aren’t on board find a different approach. If your garden didn’t thrive due to poor placement, try a different spot. If something died, try and figure out why and try again. If volunteers are scarce try a new way to entice them to come help. I find it easy to give up when things are hard but keep on pressing on for the kids, for you, for the success of the garden. McKenzie B

Getting Started & Saying Consistent

2024-03-01 16:29:48 UTC

I think it so easy to have the garden idea, knowing the benefits but doing all the hard work to get it going, keep it going, staying consistent, and then making it to harvest is a common challenge. It’s not just a 1 day project. It’s a big, many months project. Keeping everyone helping and doing the work for such a long time is a challenge. People want to plant and harvest but the work in between is sometimes a real struggle, especially when it’s summer and school is no longer in session. McKenzie B

Common Themes/Challenges

2024-03-26 17:57:08 UTC

A common theme that I have noticed is keeping students motivated from Joan and Susan. Also having adequate help in the summer months when school is not in session as well as space issues.

Physical Gardens

2024-03-28 17:22:17 UTC

From what I've heard, physical gardens seem to be the biggest challenge. Whether it is lack of access, knowledge, or visibility these spaces seem to need more support.

Similar Challenges

2024-03-28 17:24:16 UTC

I feel very confident with my gardening skills and have no complaints with the current school garden space I am working in. It is large and many people know about it. This hasn't always been the case though.

Advice for Garden Spaces

2024-03-28 17:26:33 UTC

If you're looking to enhance your gardening skills, one of the best things you can do is keep gardening and invite people to assist who have more experience than you do. Master gardeners would be a great aid to a beginning gardener. As far as challenges with physical spaces, I would also lean on others to aid in construction, marketing, and enhancing the garden space. Finding volunteers is easier said than done, but both of these challenges are something that comes with time and dedication.

Questions

2024-03-28 17:28:05 UTC

With those who are beginning gardeners I would ask them what kind of education they have had thus far. Taking a beginning botany course, learning from master gardeners and community volunteers, reading books, and experimenting are all wonderful ways that I learned how to care for a garden space better.

Some common themes

2024-04-08 15:44:17 UTC

A common theme I observed, sadly, was garden space destruction/ disrespect, which included both stealing from the garden and damaging garden supplies.

Another problem I noticed had to do with garden management, especially relating to having a full-time staff member. It's really important to have a full-time staff member as a garden educator to get the best use out of the space, but more often than not a school district does not have funding for a role such as this and/or doesn't understand that it's necessary.

Jenny Shanks - Farm 2 School Hayward WI

Suggestions

2024-04-08 15:48:56 UTC

Though this is very dependent on the teachers' interests/ dedication in the district, I believe building a network of teachers who work to maintain the garden would be important. Especially if the focus is on science teachers, students could have the ability to get out in the garden every week as a part of a learning project.

Themes

2024-04-08 23:10:06 UTC

Funding, Funding, and Funding. Being in a rural community, I cannot imagine how difficult it would be to obtain water and paying water bills to sustain a garden.

Getting everyone on the same page seems to be an issue as well.

Challenges

2024-04-08 23:12:15 UTC

My lack of experience and knowledge in starting a classroom or school garden is a challenge that I seem to share with others.

This training has been a good place to begin my journey.

Funding!

2024-04-09 16:44:41 UTC

Funding gardens, garden coordinators, and supplies to run gardens is definitely a theme in the group discussion. Many of these positions are run by part-time employees, volunteers, or grant funded positions. If we could wave a magic wand to ensure all educational garden spaces were adequately funded the results would be tremendously beneficial to students, schools and communities.

-Tracy Wirak-Cassidy

Haines, AK

Funding gardening education

2024-04-09 16:47:42 UTC

YES! I am a full-time education coordinator for my local watershed council and part of my role is to the run the educational garden space. It's a really wonderful spot and serves all the students in our community, but it costs a lot to run it! The time that I could spend developing educational programming is cut short by grant writing and fundraising for the garden.

-Tracy Wirak-Cassidy

Haines, AK

Take a Master Gardener's Course

2024-04-09 16:51:52 UTC

I grew up gardening and have always had a small vegetable garden everywhere I have lived. However, when I moved far north to Alaska I had to learn how to grow in a different climate. When I took over Marvin's Garden, our educational garden space, I had to learn how to produce a lot more food and get kids involved! I felt overwhelmed! I signed up for an Alaska specific Master Gardener's Course through our local extension service and state university and it was extremely helpful. Not only did a learn a lot more about growing in this new climate, but I was able to connect with other Master Gardeners in my region which was very helpful.

-Tracy Wirak-Cassidy

Haines, AK

Finding volunteers? Engaging older students?

2024-04-09 16:59:29 UTC

The garden requires a lot of time and I have had limited success hiring part-time employees to manage the garden. How do others recruit volunteers or find help completing simple garden tasks when students aren't available? For example help with raised bed construction, weeding, watering and re-seeding.

My other question is how do other garden coordinators increase high school student participation? There is a lot of older students to learn in the garden, but I have struggled to get them to participate in educational programming. Any ideas?

-Tracy Wirak-Cassidy

Haines, AK

2024-04-09 19:16:03 UTC

There were a few common themes I observed: Funding, water, relationship with maintenance.

2024-04-09 19:17:05 UTC

Yes. I would like to say funding for sure because I would love to have a perm position at the school I at.

2024-04-09 19:18:16 UTC

One person mentioned no garden experience. I would say sometimes you just have to start! Just do! You learn along the way. Keep going!

2024-04-09 19:18:57 UTC

I did not hear anyone state a challenge that they overcame.

Challenges

2024-04-10 19:37:29 UTC

Funding, locations, and enough hand-power to achieve successful gardens. Another theme is increasing student autonomy in the choices for their garden spaces.

Suggestions

2024-04-10 19:40:09 UTC

Working teachers who are not gardeners, we encourage them to start small. Give yourself permission to begin a garden program and to allow it to grow each year. It might be one or two tomato plants this year and add basil next year. Also, document what and is getting planted and where. This will help with sharing the history of the garden space.

keeping children motivated and keep them interested

2024-04-11 17:52:39 UTC

money and space

2024-04-11 17:53:55 UTC

Questions

2024-04-12 12:55:51 UTC

What are some ways you've found effective for ensuring a school garden's sustainability without a full-time garden educator? I am serving as an Americorps member right now and I'm very excited about my upcoming program, but am worried that my efforts will die back after there's no longer a member here.

-Jenny Shanks, Hayward WI

Common theme

2024-04-12 18:26:51 UTC

One common theme I am hearing is that there is a lack of resources. This could be time, money, volunteers, or education for other adults.

Similar challenges

2024-04-12 18:28:49 UTC

At this time, I am working just on my home garden. I would imagine that there will be days when I lack motivation to do the work in the garden to keep it thriving.

Advice

2024-04-12 18:33:10 UTC

Starting plants indoors has been a super fun way to extend the growing season with the kids!

Time and volunteers issues

sacredearthcg23 — 2024-04-14 04:05:45 UTC

Time and volunteer to maintain the garden spaces is one of the common issues. The sun in the springtime has a way of stirring up the motivation in people to start gardening, however, when it come to having time and designated people to maintain the garden it is difficult because of vacations and summer breaks. Also have experience personnel who might be able to set up a plan is slacking, therefore, garden fall by the wayside.

Velvet Welch

Volunteers Challenges

sacredearthcg23 — 2024-04-14 04:08:44 UTC

Getting adults to come out and support the community garden is my challenge. The children and youth are eager to learn, but because it is only me it burns me out. This year I am looking to try to pay an incentive to get support. Hopefully donors will sponsor a child to assist.

Velvet Welch

In considerate Neighbors

sacredearthcg23 — 2024-04-14 04:11:16 UTC

I think if the neighbor is letting their yard be an eyesore, a good way to get them interested is to get the children to cut his grass and invite the neighbor over to help create a compose and spread the grass clipping on your garden beds as a mulch.

Velvet Welch

Cutting down plants

sacredearthcg23 — 2024-04-14 04:14:54 UTC

I would like to ask me friend who said they are having problems with Maintence crew cutting down some of the plants, it they have thought about purchasing flags and putting them in the plants as well as putting cages and boarders around the plants for protections?

Velvet Welch

Seems like several are having a difficult time in finding a place for the garden. Some do not have enough space and some have issues where they want to put it. You must have a water source or it will not work.

2024-04-19 21:55:22 UTC

Time

2024-04-19 21:57:37 UTC

Finding time to work with the students at school is difficult. They have a tight schedule. I will try and work with some during their recess for those who really want to work in the garden.

2024-04-19 21:58:24 UTC

Don't give up, It is very rewarding to see the interest the students have in the garden. Find volunteers.

Common Themes

schipull2 — 2024-04-23 01:17:35 UTC

I heard a number of people talking about how to best determine a place for the garden based on the space available and water access. If it is like our district, there is the constant red tape of having every department sign off on a project after an application process, a site visit and lots of discussions. Too many hoops to jump through and people give up on the garden.

Similar challenges

schipull2 — 2024-04-23 01:22:23 UTC

I have been a garden teacher for many years and the funding is still not there. The district loves the idea of gardens and gardening classes, but does nothing to help teachers that are spending time writing grants, seeking donations and fundraising despite being extremely busy with their day to day tasks.

Advice/suggestions

schipull2 — 2024-04-23 01:26:44 UTC

Getting children outdoors is critical to their well-being so don't give up. In our district we have put together a group of educators (totally a grassroots effort) to create an outdoor learning team. We constantly go in front of district leadership to talk about the work we do, why it is important and to share new ideas and data. I think they have figured out that we aren't going away, although they have not decided to fund us as a department YET!

Follow-up Questions to challenges

schipull2 — 2024-04-23 01:31:54 UTC

I would ask about the process they used to try and find a solution. I would also ask them who else they might consider talking to about challenges. We have a garden chat that is used by teachers across the district. I might also ask about some outside of the box possibilities that might help them view the problem in a different way.

Common Themes

2024-04-25 22:57:33 UTC

It seems we all have a problem getting enough volunteers to maintain things in the summer. I am currently working with our volunteer coordinator to get help for our gardens as well!

Allie C

Eugene, OR

Similar challenges

2024-04-25 22:59:29 UTC

I felt a lot of commonality with many of the challenges shared. Esp garden maintenance and finding volunteers.

Allie C

Eugene, OR

Suggestions

2024-04-25 23:02:53 UTC

I think for all of us we need to get creative in how we find and reach out to volunteers. Get on Facebook gardening groups, call local churches, garden groups, local colleges, etc and just keep calling and looking.

Allie C

Eugene, OR

Follow up

2024-04-25 23:04:49 UTC

I'd like to know more about how people in colder climates navigate the growing season and how to grow as much as possible when the season starts to get chilly.

Allie C

Eugene, OR

Finding passionate people to help with the garden. Students think the food just comes from the store so we need to teach them about farmers and gardening and how the food got to the store.

2024-04-26 13:16:23 UTC

Getting enough people on board so it's not just left up to a few.

2024-04-26 13:17:30 UTC

You have to have the passion to keep this project going.

2024-04-26 13:18:03 UTC

The challenge of getting help with the garden is to find the right people. I am also the Farmers Market Manager here and I am going to ask some of them to come and share with our students. They have hoop houses and other vast information they can share. I want to take some field trips to some of our larger farms in the area. I hope to let the staudents participate in the farmers market to bring even more lessons on finances the public.

2024-04-26 13:24:12 UTC

Scaling up and Water access

qydc123 — 2024-04-26 18:28:56 UTC

Thank you for sharing everyone! I have also experienced issues with scaling up for a school garden and letting the kids do the work! The other issue at our urban farm is having plumbed water. If our source relies on our cistern being full enough and the pump being available and working, it still takes too much time to get the water everywhere it needs to be, and often enough!

Common theme

2024-04-26 19:14:24 UTC

One of the major themes I found was finding the proper space for a garden. Lots of schools may not have the proper space, water access, or ease of access that school gardens require.

Resources for beds and other supplies

2024-04-26 19:18:14 UTC

My school opted for felt beds. This was much easier economical choice for us. Additionally we realized that our parents were just as excited about the garden and wanted to contribute. We sent out a link to an Amazon wish list for those who wanted to help support the start of our garden. We were so fortunate that within 24 hours all of our supplies were purchased. I know not every school is in a position where parents have the ability to help, but there is no harm in putting it out as a possibility. There is no way we would be able to get our garden started as quickly as we did without their help.

Similar Experiences

maeb7122 — 2024-04-30 03:46:27 UTC

A similar challange I have experienced is getting started from a point of inexperience. I think this can be a benefit sometimes though, because even though it may be uncomfortable, we can experience things and learn together with the children.

Similar Challenges

2024-04-30 17:17:09 UTC

I am still pretty new to this-gardening and teaching with my own kiddos, but I know finding time will be a big challenge with the little kids/baby. Keeping the kids engaged in a fun, yet productive way in which they are excited to be in the garden. (Our family dog lives at the farm, so I am nervous she's gonna wreck all our hard work....so praying she stays out of the garden... )Asking for help is not my strong suit, but I know I may have to at times. I am so grateful for this class and all the ideas/things that others are doing and learning from it all!

Cheyenne Runck

Common Themes

2024-04-30 17:19:14 UTC

Funding

Keeping kids focused/engaged in meaningful ways

Help/Time/Resources to keep the garden running optimally

Cheyenne Runck

Advice/Suggestions

2024-04-30 17:33:41 UTC

For me I plan/hope to create a weekly work in the garden space schedule starting mid-may and plan one or two things for the kids to "Help with"or "Learn about" and we will be out in the garden more than that, but would like to have a little of pre-planned for more structured learning for them to experience.

Asking for advice/joining our community garden space to learn from others will be beneficial for me. Making connections with others in similar situations (homeschooling/gardening with kids) will also be helpful.

Cheyenne Runck

Follow Up Questions

2024-04-30 17:40:17 UTC

In form of funding what grants or other places are out there to seek out funding to help cover costs for growing a garden for homeschooling or for learning with gardening. Or where would one look for more funding.

~Cheyenne Runck~

Follow Up

2024-04-30 23:56:24 UTC

How do you delegate/designate jobs/responsibilities when working in a school garden? What grades/whole school/etc?

What are some good goals for a newbie homeschooling mom to try to accomplish with a first year garden learning experience for a 4.5 yr old, 3 yr old, and 6 mo. old?

Cheyenne Runck

What are some common themes you observed?

2024-05-01 01:46:55 UTC

Seems like there are a lot of people out there eager to research and learn more. I also noticed that making time for the garden is something that needs to be looked at. People also seem to be searching for making connections to have community through the classroom garden. (Lexi S)

Have you experienced any similar challenges?

2024-05-01 01:48:42 UTC

Yes, the squash bugs! They are terrible! We fought them for a season and in the end decided to rip out all the plants effected. We chose not to plant squash or pumpkins the following year. This is the second year since the squash bugs and I am not even sure we will attempt until next season. (Lexi S)

Advice or suggestions

2024-05-01 01:50:29 UTC

No, not specific advice but I am gathering the key to success is communication and helping others to see the value in the garden. Seems like the passionate "We can do this." attitude makes it happen. (Lexi S)

Follow Up questions

2024-05-01 01:53:44 UTC

I guess I would encourage everyone to brainstorm possibly with others on what to try next to help each challenge turn into a success story. Garden based education is defiantly worth fighting for, the amazing thing is there is community out there that is fighting for the same thing. (Lexi S)

Challenges

2024-05-03 18:42:29 UTC

I have lack of knowledge in gardens but from taking this class I have learned a little bit about how to work with the kids in a garden and make it fun. I have noticed that I am not the only one who is in this position.

Common themes

2024-05-03 20:00:58 UTC

Seems to be consistency and maintenance. I also noticed keeping kids engaged or more knowledgeable in gardening.

Similar Challenges

2024-05-03 20:01:58 UTC

Yes, definitely for consistency and maintenance. We have some schools where the teachers are super invested and great at implementing the outdoor classroom, and others don't care for it. Once we have gardens established a teacher will take it over, but then they will leave the school. We also have had past issues with maintenance crews spraying areas or cutting/ removing plants.

Advice

2024-05-03 20:06:27 UTC

Just keep gardening! Knowledge comes with time. I would also say don't be afraid to reach out for community partners. We work with our Extension office and have Master Gardener volunteers who work with all the school gardens. This has helped our organization tremendously.

Questions

2024-05-03 20:07:25 UTC

What's some of your favorite garden lessons to keep kids engaged? Always looking for new creative ideas to implement in the outdoor classroom.

2024-05-06 00:35:20 UTC

Two things that resonated with me are the upkeep but also turnover. As a child care center turnover or changing staff schedules has been particularly challenging. There is a workerforce shortage which hasn't allowed us to spend as much time in recent years on the garden area. That is now changing as I have purposefully capped our enrollment and it is myself and another veteran teacher.

The upkeep of weeding and watering has been a bit challenging but we can't control the weather so we press on.

~Elizabeth B.

2024-05-06 00:38:29 UTC

We have had a lack of staff consistently for quite a few years now. My best advice I've learned is to just jump in. I've been pleasantly surprised how many children have actually enjoyed weeding or moving dirt.

When it comes to weather, the best thing we have found is to still continue to press on, even if the draught takes it.

~Elizabeth B.

2024-05-06 00:40:27 UTC

This was reassuring in a way because I know we are not alone in our challenges. Staffing, monetary, and how to get people involved. It has been good to see how people have creatively overcome this or if they haven't overcome it, we're in good company.

~Elizabeth B.

2024-05-06 00:42:02 UTC

I wasn't noticing anything overcome in this series but again good to hear we are not alone in some of these areas.

~Elizabeth B.

2024-05-06 00:42:31 UTC

Are there any organizing aps you have found helpful for volunteering?

~Elizabeth B.

What are some common themes you observed?

2024-05-09 16:41:36 UTC

A common theme that I observed was that of staff and teacher turnover. Fortunately with being a farm, work that has or is being done is quite noticeable and that visual perspective as well as record keeping/documentation speaks volumes. We are part of a Leisure Services Department so as we grow (expand garden/farm animals/programs/events) and are utilized more and more by the public that is justification for the City to provide additional staffing to help meet needs.

Have you experienced any similar challenges

2024-05-09 16:51:50 UTC

Keeping kids engaged involves staff creativity and innovation. We utilize a lot of hands-on activities and incentives at our farm to keep the kids focused on the task at hand. Magnifying glasses, microscopes, bug boxes, root-worm viewers, compost tumblers, replica insects and their stages all come in handy. You can never have enough and they are all reusable (usually a one time investment).

Tammy Peterson, Manager

Patti Johnson Farm

Pinellas Park, FL

Advice on Challenges Encountered

2024-05-09 17:12:15 UTC

Ideas for keeping kids engaged:

*Hands-on activities

>Garden Trivia Wheel
>Scavenger Hunts/Treasure Hunts

>Making/Painting of Garden Stepping

Stones

>Creation of a Class Banner (Garden

themed) that can be put on fence near

garden

>Making Bee Houses, bird houses..
>Using Magnifying Glasses, Micro-
Scopes, Bug Boxes, Root and Worm
Viewers
We usually provide incentives such as farm/garden stickers, flowered or insect designed pencils that are inexpensive when bought in bulk.

Tammy Peterson, Manager

Patti Johnson Farm

Pinellas Park, FL

Challenges Overcome

2024-05-09 17:38:27 UTC

I encourage everyone to network with the community gardening/farming agencies within their area and to join gardening and/or environmental groups. Having been at our educational ag farm now for a couple of years we have networked with our local Extension Service, 4-H, Church Groups, Homeschool Groups, other farms.....and are now sharing resources and ideas. We have also joined the Southern Urban Agricultural Coalition which just had a speaker on composting at their last meeting. These are great ways to meet people. Why reinvent the wheel if you don't have to? I would also recommend as others have said in their comments to take advantage of Project Learning Tree, Project Wild, Aquatic Project Wild Trainings. Before taking on the manager's position at the farm I managed recreation centers and was an environmental educator before that. I had experience with butterfly gardens and native plants - not vegetable gardens...Networking is everything! Never stop learning and growing.

Tammy Peterson, Manager

Patti Johnson Farm

Pinellas Park, FL

2024-05-13 13:25:29 UTC

It was interesting to actually hear the variation of challenges others had, from lack of water to enthusiasm to consistency and in some cases, lack of experience gardening. One other person had the same challenge we have, which is having a small space that may not allow kids enough opportunity to engage in enough gardening activities.

2024-05-13 13:27:09 UTC

One other person had a small space to deal with, which limited how much kids could do in the garden. We may be dealing with the same situation. If the first rounds of kids do all the planting for the season, we’ll have to find unique ways to keep other rounds of kids busy, week to week, for the rest of the season.

2024-05-13 13:28:53 UTC

I would like to know what the head of the community garden that lacks water ends of doing. There seems to be so much love and care in what they’ve done and the cause is immensely important. I also love how community members have stepped up to help. I really hope a kind sponsor steps in and gives them a hand.

2024-05-13 13:31:03 UTC

I would like to know how people who are dealing with a lack of enthusiasm overcame those challenges. It’s difficult when people don’t believe in the life changing power of gardening. I suppose it’s one of those things you have to actually do to fully understand all the beneficial aspects. I would like to know how they will move forward to encourage those who don’t see this as a priority.

2024-05-20 02:15:02 UTC

The lack of funding for gardening programs seems to be an ongoing problem for many.