Below
is a writeup of the work of Carolyn
Nuttall one
of the leading Permaculture Teachers focus on Children's education and
also a resource page of PC resources for children
hope this
helps
wes
Carolyn
Nuttall, permaculture in schools pioneer
by Russ Grayson - last modified 25-07-2007 21:38
Carolyn Nuttall
based her first book, 'The Childrens Food Forest', on her experience
with primary children in food growing projects at Brisbane's Seville
Road State School, where she was a teacher. The book marks the start
of the use of the permaculture design system in schools and pointed to
an alternative direction for environmental education. More recently,
Carolyn wrote a workbook for use in schools and has been guest speaker
at conferences of the Australian City Farms & Community Gardens
Network (www.communitygarden.org.au), which hosts permaculture in
schools practitioners. That
'The Childrens Food
Forest' is still in print is testament to its value after all these
years.
The latest addition, added
today, is a fantastic new book - Outdoor Classrooms, A Handbook for School
Gardens
http://www.outdoorclassrooms.com.au/- from well-known
Permaculturists and primary school teachers: Carolyn Nuttall and Janet
Millington. Arming the next generation with a practical, sustainable
skillset is more than expedient, and this book will help teachers and
parents do just that.
Here's an editorial blurb on
the book:
The Outdoor Classroom handbook - a must-have for school
gardens
Queensland teachers Janet
Millington and Carolyn Nuttall have officially launched their book
Outdoor Classrooms - a handbook for school gardens.
The book is the culmination of
many years teaching in and out of the classroom, of practical
gardening experience and learning how best to integrate a garden into
a school community and creatively weave the outdoor classroom through
all levels of curriculum.
School gardens are proving to be more vital than ever in these current
times and Janet Millington, who lives at Eumundi on the Sunshine
Coast, said that was one of the prime reasons they wrote the
book.
"Food issues, economic
concerns, human and planetary health, and future sustainability are
all under intense scrutiny. School gardens address these concerns
while teaching practical life-long skills children will carry into
adulthood," Ms Millington said.
"Teaching a child how to live
more sustainably is one of the most important lessons we can offer for
the future. Outdoor classrooms create the perfect environment for
self-learning and self-directed development to occur.
"It's okay for them to
explore and be creative in the garden. They can be as hands-on as they
want, getting dirt under their nails and plenty of exercise."
School gardens also have a wonderful flow-on effect beyond the school
fence line.
"Children become really excited
about growing their own food. They appreciate how difficult it can be
at times to do it successfully. They are so proud of their abundant
harvests they often can't wait to start a vegie patch at home to
teach the rest of the family how to do it too.
"A successful, supported school
garden has the potential to benefit an entire community," Ms
Millington said.
Carolyn Nuttall, who lives in
Brisbane, said their combined experience in designing, creating,
maintaining and teaching in school gardens ensures the book is both
teacher-friendly and relevant to today's curriculum.
"We've aimed to make the book
as practical and useful as possible for teachers, while maintaining a
high level of creative learning and new ways of looking at things,"
Ms Nuttall said.
"Teachers have a busy workload
and anything that can make their lives easier is appreciated by
them."
The book explores the many
benefits a school garden offers when it is creatively used as an
outdoor classroom.
"Children experience a joyous
wonder at seeing a seed become a plant and that plant become lunch,"
Ms Nuttall said.
"The outdoor classroom offers a
unique space to learn skills of production, resourcefulness and care.
It allows children to exercise their natural curiosity and creativity
as learners.
"It has never been so critical
to take the young into the outdoors - away from computers and white
boards into a classroom where they learn practical skills for life and
preparation for the challenges of the 21st century," Ms Nuttall
said.
Both Carolyn and Janet share a
passion for creating a wonderful, nurturing outdoor learning
experience for all school children - and what better place to start
than in a garden!
Childrens
Permaculture Resource Network
http://childrenspeaceguild.webs.com/cprn.htm
The C.P.R.N.
serves as a clearing house of Permaculture-related information. It was
created as a constantly evolving hub of print material, online
resources, history, and support to further expand the network of
childhood education.
Additionally, the
C.P.R.N. carries a selection of books, zines, and pamphlets for
children, parents, and educators. Topics include Permaculture,
Primitive Skills, Gardening, DIY, and Self-Sufficiency among
others.
For a current
list of available titles, to recommend a contribution, or for more
information about joining the network contact:
childrenspeaceguild@yahoo.com