From school to garden

Drawing inspiration from The Market Gardener, but for children! So that the agricultural revolution begins at school. Can the practice of educational gardening help us meet the challenges associated with education, the environment, and agriculture? This is the deep conviction that drives Karine Lévesque, a high school teacher at École Louis-Joseph-Papineau, in the Saint-Michel district of Montreal. With her students, she set up an innovative educational garden project, Les Jardins des Patriotes, which is now the envy of several schools. The author decided to follow Jean-Martin Fortier's recipe by producing a guide to equip teachers wishing to embark on the adventure of educational gardening. and share her experience with the same generosity. Given the time required in terms of preparation, canvassing, research, etc., she decided to gather all the relevant information and synthesize it, in order to make the task easier for those who would like to develop their own school garden. Therefore, equip those involved in schools or educational settings by getting them to ask the right questions throughout the implementation of their respective projects. Why set up an educational garden? Who are the target audiences involved in the project? What resources should be turned to? What links should be developed with the community? What are the characteristics of the land to be developed? What to grow? When to start sowing? What to do with the harvest? How to behave with children in the green class? So many questions that Karine Lévesque generously answers. Divided into two parts – playground side (theory) and garden side (practice) –, this guide offers stakeholders advice on project management. Evaluate your time, for example, based on the school calendar, especially during the grant application period, or determine the educational or community objectives targeted by your project and which human resources could be used most effectively. Providing horticultural, educational, and management advice, the author brilliantly outlines the multiple benefits of practicing gardening in schools. Richly illustrated with numerous summary sheets, tables, and diagrams, it will appeal to school staff, early childhood educators, and community group leaders alike. A highly relevant book, whether you want to cultivate in the ground or above ground, on a large or small surface. The goal is above all to start on a small scale, to create green spaces, and to limit concrete areas.