About Garden Based Education

School gardens are a powerful means of instilling lifelong environmental and nutritional literacy among children. A school garden can provide a sensory-rich setting full of opportunities for experiential, multi-disciplinary learning. Research has shown that participation in garden programs benefits students in the areas of healthy eating habits, cooperative skills, social skills, and academic achievement. These living laboratories foster critical thinking skills and increased retention rate in the study of many subjects, including math, social studies, science, nutrition and geography.

Belief in garden-based learning is not new, in fact the philosopher Rosseau in the 1700’s and Maria Montessori in the early 20th century recognized the value of the garden as a teaching tool, and by 1914 there was even a federal government agency created to advocate and provide support for youth gardens. In recent years school garden programs have seen a dramatic increase in number and diversity, fueled by rising awareness of the serious consequences of childhood obesity, concern about where our food comes from, and the adoption of federal school wellness policies. California continues to be a national leader in the school garden movement, and the training and support provided by OAEC staff has been the well-spring for many of the pioneer programs in Bay Area schools such as The Edible Schoolyard.

In 2002, then School Garden Program Director Tina Poles worked closely with Delaine Eastin, former California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and a small team of educators to research and write A Child’s Garden of Standards. This guide offers specific curricula enabling teachers to link their school gardens with state standards. It is now available as a download on the California Dept of Education website under “Publications”.

In 2004, we launched a project to serve low-income schools in San Francisco. Because the urban environment offers few opportunities for children to observe and interact with the natural world, participation in a school garden program can be a life-changing experience for children in the inner city. Low-income schools face distinct challenges in developing garden-based projects, including student populations speaking multiple languages and a lack of support resources for both children and parents.

Our Urban School Garden Coordinator, Rachel Pringle, provides continuing support to each of the participating schools in San Francisco Unified School District.

Project grants from foundations enable OAEC to offer this program to school participants for a reduced fee. Over the past 10 years, OAEC's School Garden Teacher Training and Support Program has received generous support from the following foundations: Center for Ecoliteracy, Chez Panisse Foundation, Community Foundation Sonoma County, Compton Foundation, Foundation for Sustainability and Innovation, David B. Gold Foundation, Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund, Donald and Maureen Green Foundation, Laurence Levine Charitable Fund, San Francisco Foundation, L.J. Skaggs and Mary C. Skaggs Foundation, Rudolf Steiner Foundation, and the Unity Avenue Foundation. Generous gifts are also received from OAEC's members and donors.