Wendy Baker

When students are in the School Peace Garden, they become more attentive. Reticent students becoming talkative. Students are able to focus their energy to care for their plants. Students learn the routines and protocols and understand what is expected of them when they are in the garden.They enter from the garden gate with an entrance chant, go outside for 2-minutes to kilo (observe and gain a sense of place), share their observations, complete a mini-lesson (e.g., cooking, composting), work at the garden, clean up their tools, then share refreshing tea. Finally, they share their experiences. Students know how to act in the garden – be responsible, respectful, open-minded, and to try something new). Students have an opportunity to discover and learn about themselves and their environment. School Peace Gardens can integrate academic curriculum by using the Curriculum Maps or “Big Ideas” book created by Hawaii Islands School Garden Network (HISGN), that teaches sense of place, living plants/living soils, nourishment, and living systems and interconnection.