A recent visit to Cringila Public School was an eye opener to the amazing potential of learnscapes for children to learn not just about, for and in the environment, but also to gain an understanding of nutrition, develop healthy social skills and gain confidence and initiative. Teacher and Permaculture designer Aaron Sorenson holds regular sessions in the garden with students and his approach is participatory and hands-on. Students decide which tasks they would like to work on and collaborate with each other to achieve the desired outcome.
Enthusiasm is high and students often attend the garden during breaks as well as in allocated lesson times. Part of this enthusiasm may be due to Aaron’s respect for the children who he refers to as ‘garden ambassadors’. This role is embraced with pride and taken very seriously, with older students mentoring younger ones and taking on greater responsibility as their skills increase. Some children who previously exhibited pronounced behaviour problems have flourished in this learning environment, becoming easier to communicate with and manage. Successful garden learnscapes have been set up in five local schools with more planned for the future.
