George Zame and Lucia Boyce clear the garden of old plants at The Farmyard.
Big kids have teamed up with little kids in a DIY garden project which has become a model of collaborative learning, reaping benefits far beyond what teachers envisaged.
A group of teenage boys from Campion College turns up every Friday afternoon to work alongside the children at The Farmyard for early learners in Valley Road.
Outside in their gumboots and wet weather gear on winter afternoons, the two age groups are working together on a project to transform the garden at the centre into a productive growing resource.
The idea came about one day when The Farmyard chef, Liane Reed, decided their garden needed a major revamp.
“The garden had the potential to supply lots of what we needed for the kitchen and also be part of the learning process for the children — but getting it to that stage was going to involve rethinking the design and some serious man power,” says Liane, a trained primary school teacher.
So Liane approached the National Certificate in Horticulture (Level One) class at Campion College, of which her son is a member, to help plan the new garden and undertake the heavy work involved in fencing the area off and forming raised beds.
“It also seemed like a great opportunity for the two age groups to work together on the project,” says Liane.
The Farmyard owner and head teacher Fiona Dawson thought there was excellent potential for collaborative learning between the older and younger students as did Campion College principal Paul McGuinness, Sue Peard who works in the Gateway and Careers Dept, and horticulture tutor Marg Scott.
Reaping benefitsNow four weeks into the project, the pre-schoolers and high school students are reaping benefits far beyond what their teachers had imagined.
“It’s turned out to be an amazing partnership,” says Fiona.
“The seven or eight Campion boys who come to The Farmyard every Friday afternoon are fine young men and really lovely in the way they respectfully interact with and learn alongside our little ones. They have excellent practical skills and are great role models for the toddlers and pre-schoolers they are working with. It’s good for the confidence and self-esteem of the older students.”
The project provides valuable practical experience and fulfils the community service requirements for the Level One students, says Sue.
Their task involved coming up with a garden plan that would be suitable for the target age-group of under-fives and then working with the young ones to bring it to fruition.
“The original garden was not easy for small children to access so the boys are building raised beds and putting in barked pathways,” says Fiona.
“The new design will make it easier for the little ones to plant and pick the produce and take it to the kitchen where they help Liane to prepare the food.
“The children learn about seasonal cycles and healthy, sustainable and organic gardening methods which is an important part of Steiner education that we practise.
“They also learn to preserve fruit, make jams and share the extra fruit and vegetables to minimise waste. Some have really grasped the sustainability concept and practise this with their families which is fantastic.”
Both age groups have taken ownership of the project.
“It’s wonderful to watch them working together. It has become a shared community project, involving many children’s families too,” says Fiona.
The construction of the garden will be finished in about three weeks but Fiona hopes the partnership will continue.
“I’d like to see it grow and for the Campion students to remain involved so they will be able to see the seasonal growth cycle first hand and the bigger picture of what they have been working towards.
“We also want to make the garden a stronger feature of our curriculum because it links well with health, nutrition and physical exercise.
“Another great aspect of the project is that we sourced everything including the manuka fencing and logs for the raised beds from our farm where the centre is located.
“One day, they all went up the gully behind the centre and the big boys carried the heavy logs down while our pre-school children carried the lighter materials.
“When I look back on when we opened two years ago, the children didn’t venture very far but now they run freely over the hills. Such resourceful learning is unfolding as they build bridges, gather resources and build huts together.
“Another area that our children are kept busy with is looking after our sheep, lambs, kune kune pigs, goats, guinea pigs, chickens and rabbits in all weather. It’s a great tool for developing their sense of responsibility, general fitness, and supports well-being.”
Excellent partnershipSue Peard says the Campion students look forward to their afternoons at The Farmyard, one of a variety of horticultural activities they are involved with.
“The first day they went, the little kids all turned up with their mini-wheelbarrows and the boys thought it was cool.
“It’s an excellent partnership. The Farmyard even included our students in a graduation farewell function being held for the pre-schoolers who were ready for primary school.
“Campion College is more than happy to support the project. It’s all about building relationships which is great for young people.”
Tutor Marg Scott says the reformation of the school garden was an excellent opportunity for the horticulture students to experience the groundwork needed to form a vegetable garden using resources found locally.
“This, coupled with the interactions with the very young children has been a very warming experience for me, as the class teacher, to watch the bonds being formed between the two groups as they work together, learning, and sharing the load of the many varied tasks,” she says.
Campion College student Daniel Reed feels a strong sense of ownership of the project and has also relined and replanted all the pots and hanging baskets at the centre. He says he thoroughly enjoys helping the young ones in the garden.