Children's Garden Teen Consultants
At the end of the event, each cloistered for an hour and a half, and put together PowerPoint presentations on their findings. The presentations contained their definitions of children's gardens, what they believe is working well, what in their opinion doesn't work, and what recommendations for improvement they had to offer -- again, from the perspective of both design and education. They presented to a group of adults who asked numerous questions of them.
The Cornell Garden-Based Learning Team is considering how to package this experience so that it's repeatable for others who would like to engage teens in this manner. Watch for a Children's Garden Consultants toolkit in the future.
Here are the PowerPoint presentations of the findings for each team: Remember that it's a point in time - the findings and opinions of one group of youth. Some of their findings may be unclear since you didn't attend the event. If that's the case, please feel free to email me for clarity ME14@cornell.edu. You may find that you disagree with some of their findings, or you think that some of them may be inaccurate from your point of view. Again, this is one set of findings, with one group, after a three-day event. The process of engaging teens and seeking their counsel is the critical piece, as is repeating this kind of experience over time.
Points raised by teens at least three times in their presentations:
Q: Does a children's garden need a focal point - a large design feature of some kind?
A: Yes, definitely!
Q: Do you think there should be a graden in every school, home, part and community?
A: There should be at least one garden in every community that's accessible to everyone, whether it's a community, school, public or children's garden.
Q: Do you think it's important that public gardens have special areas as "children's gardens?" Is it necessary in a public garden setting?
A: We think it is. A children's garden is different - scaled differently, more age appropriate for kids, and much more appealing. From what we learned, children's gardens are also visited by families, senior citizens, etc. We think they're the ideal.
Q: Have you learned more about gardens or how children learn? Can you tell me one thing that you learned about being a children's garden consultant?
A: There is so much there! [Several had never heard of children's gardens before]. We learned about the gardens themselves, and also about things we would like to recreate in our communities.
Q: What was the most exciting thing you saw?
A: Living sculpture, particularly grass furniture.
Q: What is the one most important aspect of a garden program or design that makes learning fun and exciting?
A: Passionate and enthusiastic staff.
A: The freedom to explore on your own.
A: Being able to change a child's mind ("Teenagers don't like to be outside anymore.")
© Copyright Cornell University.
Program Description
Teens chose to participate based on this description:
Are you creative, an independent thinker and interested in gardens for kids? Attend Children's Garden Consultants! Students will be divided into small groups and visit children's gardens at a local elementary school, Cornell Plantations and Ithaca Children's Garden, as well as take virtual garden tours online of the most popular children's gardens in America. Brainstorm individually, and collectively create 2 top ten lists on the do's and don'ts of Children's Gardening in PowerPoint format. Then share your opinions and make your recommendations to national garden-based learning program coordinators, children's garden staff, and others working with children who will be taking your consulting advice very seriously. Whether interested in business, elementary education or gardening, this program is right for you.
At a recent Cornell University event for teens, we set up a "Children's Garden Consultants" experience for youth ages 15 to 17. Anne Ceccarini, a plant sciences major, worked on the program for an independent study project, and then was hired after graduation to carry out the event. During this three day program, 7 teens were divided into a design team, and an educational program team. Through those lenses, the teens visited gardens, listened to presentations, explored numerous children's gardens from around the nation on-line, tried some garden-based learning activities, and had discussions on topics such as adult involvement in activities, and various approaches to design. They also learned what being a "consultant" meant and how to prepare for their final presentation.Teens chose to participate based on this description:
Are you creative, an independent thinker and interested in gardens for kids? Attend Children's Garden Consultants! Students will be divided into small groups and visit children's gardens at a local elementary school, Cornell Plantations and Ithaca Children's Garden, as well as take virtual garden tours online of the most popular children's gardens in America. Brainstorm individually, and collectively create 2 top ten lists on the do's and don'ts of Children's Gardening in PowerPoint format. Then share your opinions and make your recommendations to national garden-based learning program coordinators, children's garden staff, and others working with children who will be taking your consulting advice very seriously. Whether interested in business, elementary education or gardening, this program is right for you.
At the end of the event, each cloistered for an hour and a half, and put together PowerPoint presentations on their findings. The presentations contained their definitions of children's gardens, what they believe is working well, what in their opinion doesn't work, and what recommendations for improvement they had to offer -- again, from the perspective of both design and education. They presented to a group of adults who asked numerous questions of them.
The Cornell Garden-Based Learning Team is considering how to package this experience so that it's repeatable for others who would like to engage teens in this manner. Watch for a Children's Garden Consultants toolkit in the future.
Here are the PowerPoint presentations of the findings for each team: Remember that it's a point in time - the findings and opinions of one group of youth. Some of their findings may be unclear since you didn't attend the event. If that's the case, please feel free to email me for clarity ME14@cornell.edu. You may find that you disagree with some of their findings, or you think that some of them may be inaccurate from your point of view. Again, this is one set of findings, with one group, after a three-day event. The process of engaging teens and seeking their counsel is the critical piece, as is repeating this kind of experience over time.
Points raised by teens at least three times in their presentations:
- "Fake" materials, such as plastic, received more comments from the teens than any other topic. They despised the look of them, and kept coming back to the notion of a children's garden being, first, a garden. They also understood the need for concrete walkways for accessibility, but absolutely hated the look of them, and urged adults to consider alternative preparations in design: colored concrete, pressed leaves, anything to soften this surface.
- The need for fun. Just being educational isn't enough. Young people don't spend a great deal of time outside, and if fun is offered there, it will be more compelling
- Children's safety is absolutely critical.
- Passionate staff member are the key to the whole educational experience.
- Conservation/nature themes seemed to grab this particular group of teens. They mentioned a number of times the desire for activities with a conservation or nature focus.
- There could be a great deal offered from an intergenerational perspective, rather than limiting activities to certain age groups. A children, youth and families approach seemed compelling to this group, as did engaging senior citizens in the children's garden setting.
- Swinging from "vines" incorporated into a setting.
- A neglected garden, so that visitors can see what happens when a garden isn't cared for.
- "Teenagers don't like to be outside," so show them how to enjoy a garden: places to hang out for teens.
- Activities for everyone: intergenerational activities for all ages. Most of what they found were targeted for certain ages, such as pre-schoolers, or teens. They also liked the idea of concurrent classes - parents go to a workshop, while children attend another. They were very aware of the challenge of parents having to transport children and thought this would make it more compelling.
- Opportunities to harvest food for real animals.
- Grass structures, such as sod furniture.
- "Make and take" activities that produce something a child can take home.
Q: Does a children's garden need a focal point - a large design feature of some kind?
A: Yes, definitely!
Q: Do you think there should be a graden in every school, home, part and community?
A: There should be at least one garden in every community that's accessible to everyone, whether it's a community, school, public or children's garden.
Q: Do you think it's important that public gardens have special areas as "children's gardens?" Is it necessary in a public garden setting?
A: We think it is. A children's garden is different - scaled differently, more age appropriate for kids, and much more appealing. From what we learned, children's gardens are also visited by families, senior citizens, etc. We think they're the ideal.
Q: Have you learned more about gardens or how children learn? Can you tell me one thing that you learned about being a children's garden consultant?
A: There is so much there! [Several had never heard of children's gardens before]. We learned about the gardens themselves, and also about things we would like to recreate in our communities.
Q: What was the most exciting thing you saw?
A: Living sculpture, particularly grass furniture.
Q: What is the one most important aspect of a garden program or design that makes learning fun and exciting?
A: Passionate and enthusiastic staff.
A: The freedom to explore on your own.
A: Being able to change a child's mind ("Teenagers don't like to be outside anymore.")