By Brendan Rees
Green-fingered pupils at Tooradin Primary School have been busy thriving in their school vegetable garden.
With no qualms about getting their hands dirty, the students have enjoyed fortnightly gardening classes in planting and cultivating their own class garden beds.
The sessions are aimed to be a relaxed and engaging learning environment, allowing students to connect with the garden and natural space.
“They are developing a rich understanding of where their food begins, how it grows, the time and care it requires and ultimately how healthy it is to be eating the organic foods,” said Wellbeing Coordinator Rachel Davis.
“They have huge smiles as they are pulling out the old produce, finding bugs and replanting the vegetables they will be using in the coming months to cook up into a delicious feast in the school kitchen.”
Ms Davis said the vegetable garden was important for a child’s development, nurturing their body and mind for a healthy future that connects them with their environment.
“(It) demonstrates that learning occurs far beyond the classroom walls,” she said.
“The benefits are for both their physical and mental health and in fact students are proving that they can concentrate for longer periods when they return to their classroom after spending regular time out in our outdoor classroom.”
Ms Davis said the students also participated in outdoor writing tasks focussed around garden adventures and science based activities.
