- 5 reasons that highlight the importance of school gardens
- They promote healthy eating habits
- They benefit the development of children
- They involve the whole community in the learning process
- They help the social and emotional health of schoolchildren
- They help reduce vandalism and crime
- References
The importance of school gardens lies in their pedagogical function. These generally consist of an area of land in or near the school where vegetables, flowers, medicinal plants, trees, shrubs, and many other plants are grown.
School gardens sometimes also contain small animals such as ducks, rabbits, chickens, goats, and even fish. They generally come in different shapes and sizes, with different purposes.
Even if you don't have a lot of space, these can consist of plants growing in containers. However, one of the common objectives is its use for learning, recreation and internal consumption.
5 reasons that highlight the importance of school gardens
They promote healthy eating habits
The school gardens provide fruit and vegetables for better nutrition for students. The vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegetables are essential for health.
Its consumption helps prevent diseases such as cancer, diabetes and obesity. It also helps the fixation in the body of nutrients from other foods, facilitate digestive transit and reduce cholesterol levels in the blood.
A healthy diet helps optimal intellectual development for proper learning and growth.
They benefit the development of children
The importance of school gardens is also manifested in their contribution to the integral development of students.
Specialists have identified three areas of children's development that are benefited: positive predisposition for learning, resilience to changes and responsibility for assigned tasks.
Furthermore, the children involved in these activities have been shown to be more active and are better able to think independently.
They also exhibit greater presentation, communication, and teamwork skills. It is important to mention that a healthy and active lifestyle is a very important tool for learning.
They involve the whole community in the learning process
School gardens consolidate ties between schoolchildren, parents, teachers and, in general, the entire educational community. Common goals allow for a sum of efforts. In this way, simple gardening support tasks serve the purpose of the community.
On the other hand, complementary activities - such as photos, a calendar of gardening activities, special events, among others - improve the educational environment.
They help the social and emotional health of schoolchildren
One evidence of the importance of school gardens is their results. Studies show that a large number of students feel calm, safe, happy and relaxed in the school garden.
They have also shown that children who work in gardens are more likely to accept people who are different from themselves.
Even a study that included third, fourth and fifth graders showed that students who participate in gardening programs increase self-understanding, interpersonal skills, and cooperative skills.
They help reduce vandalism and crime
Scientific studies show that crime decreases in neighborhoods as the amount of green space increases.
Vegetation has been observed to alleviate mental fatigue, one of the precursors of violent behavior. Many specialists recognize community gardening as an effective crime prevention strategy in the community.
References
- FAO. (2006, September 30). School gardens. Retrieved on December 31, 2017, from fao.org.
- World Health Organization. (s / f). Promotion of the world consumption of fruits and vegetables. Retrieved on December 30, 2017, from who.int.
- Royal Horticultural Society. (s / f). Gardening in Schools. A vital tool for children's learning. Retrieved on December 30, 2017, from growingschools.org.uk.
- Denver Urban Gardens. (s / f). Benefits of School-Based Community Gardens. Retrieved on December 31, 2017, from slowfoodusa.org
- Green heart Education. (s / f). The Value of School Gardens. Retrieved on December 31, 2017, from greenhearted.org.
- Gardening Matters. (s / f). Multiple Benefits of Community Gardening. Retrieved on December 31, 2017, from gardeningmatters.org.