Currently educational resources for growing are limited to a number of programmes which are not ‘academic’. The debate between academic and vocational studies is an established one in the Education world. Teachers at every stage, either directly or indirectly, find themselves making choices about how they deliver the curriculum and at what pace. More often then not, teachers don’t necessarily agree with those choices. In more recent years, there is blurring of the demarcation between academic and vocational studies. In the wake of increased university fees, work based training and learning is becoming a more popular option for students. Furthermore the current increase of academies is fast changing the educational landscape in Britain today.
A structure similar to the tripartite system is emerging as the process of ‘academisation’ continues: ‘100 per cent of schools with still be converted into academies by the year 2020 as planned’, as stated Rachel Pell’s article, “Full academisation of schools still a reality, despite Government U- turn, think tank confirms”. Conditions for teachers are described as ‘chaotic… confused curriculum alongside unmanageable workload and pay’ (ibid). However the current state of affairs also creates emerging opportunities for greater flexibility in the delivery of the national curriculum. Possibly a grafting of academic teaching and vocational application; fertile ground for a growing garden in mainstream education.
There are strong examples of successful gardening projects in the US, namely Steven Riz’s South Bronx gardens. Riz describes his teaching and growing Odyssey in his book, ‘The power of a Plant. The American example is inspiring and phenomenal in its own right. The gardening and learning experiment has been successful in a number of states across the US, from crises garden nurseries for families in turmoil. There are University departments dedicated to gardening therapy for families, research published about the link(s) between raising attainment and gardening, and corporate funded programmes to help communities and schools grow together, as shown in the Riz example.
So what incipient plants can be transported and nurtured from across the continent, if any? What are the considerations that will aid a successful transportation stage. More importantly what will it take for the roots to grow into Britain’s current educational landscape.
Firstly, there are the epistemological considerations. The school structure and underlying principles behind British Education has a complex and long history. The British system has evolved over centuries and Britain has an undeniable reputation for a world class standard of education. Although that history appears in the subtlest of ways, its presence casts a long tradition with Educationalists in teacher training departments. Subjects divisions are upheld and maintained, divisions can be political. There is an overall sense to agree to disagree.
Growing food is currently not supported by any GCSE subject per se. However all the subjects in the curriculum can be linked to teaching ‘growing and gardening’; from scientific facts, to ethical debates about food and stewardship. The number of ways in which the topic can be integrated into the curriculum reflects the cross curricular and multifaceted nature of growing and gardening. A return to a holistic way of teaching gardening and growing is as panglossian as a hope to see a revival of the trivium but a plan to utilise the current educational climate is nearer to that of a practical optimist. The challenge is not where to fit growing into the curriculum but how. Aside from the epistemological considerations there are also logistical considerations.
Teachers may want to grow gardens but the logistical challenges would need to be addressed and supported at a school level. A few of the current challenges teachers face include; the demands of delivering the curriculum, meeting targets, marking, administrative tasks, acquiring resources, and individual school policy for extra curricular groups. Teachers are still able to garden with such challenges, but the seeds will germinate faster if watered from top down, and not sprinkled sporadically. The current conditions and educational upheaval has left soil that is ready to be sown.
Currently gardening is supported by museums and their educational out reach programs; the Eden project, Kew Gardens, and the Oxford mind growing, are to name a few. The groundswell of charities related to Social Horticultural therapy and gardening continue to grow.
There is capability for a garden in the current English educational landscape.