Christen & Andrea: Overall, our students seemed to enjoy learning about the impact they have on the environment and ways in which they can make a difference. Something we noticed is that when we presented lessons, our enthusiasm greatly affected the outcome of student engagement. The only real downside to implementing our approach was that we found it difficult to measure the success of our students' learning.
Anna: As a whole, the students seemed to greatly enjoy the garden and the hands-on nature of it. However, there was a big learning curve for me in the beginning because I was not prepared to have a majority of them (about 6 or 7 out of 9 kids) in my group be ELLs and I had no experience teaching that population. As the weeks have gone on, I've come to ASA more prepared with visuals, English/Spanish translations, videos, and hands-on items to support my after school students.
Evelyn: Taking on a full-on recycle club is still my dream, but as a first year teacher and soccer coach it may be a little difficult to handle. I have decided to continue my research on how to start up my own club and find a team member that is willing to join me on the adventure. I have to say I have learned that some students are really interested in recycling and it may be a great initiative to bring school-wide.