the Edible Schoolyard and A Night in the Global Village

First I will discuss, The Edible Schoolyard. The Edible Schoolyard is an outdoor classroom where children harvest, plan, and even eat what it is they grow. It started out as a way to improve on the school lunch program but has involved into a major teaching tool. The students learn about harvesting, planting, cooking, and agriculture in general. They even learn all of the other subjects as well such as science, social studies, math, history, etc. The students are involved in their education and are able to become engaged. They are able to learn in a hands on and kinesthetic type of learning.

I feel that the edible schoolyard is a fantastic idea. It allows the students to become physical and engaged in all sorts of subjects. It offers a great reward system and sense of pride for the students. They are able to learn while working and in the end they are able to enjoy all of their hard work and gain of knowledge by feasting and cooking what it is they have harvested. I feel as though it is a great educational tool and idea in this day and age.

Now I will discuss, A Night in the Global Village. A Night in the Global Village is a program where children spend one night in the Global Village and focus on poverty and hunger. They learn and become emerged in the lifestyles of those less fortunate who live in poverty and hunger. The Village offers living conditions like that in Guatemala, Thailand, Zambia, as well as, Appalacia, and Refugee Camps. The students are seperated into these groups and must stay the night in these simulated types of areas. They are to speak to no one else in the same language and some are even to pretend that they are pregnant or disabled. The groups are provided with a bucket of resources, but no one is given everything that they need. They have to go to the other "village groups" and bargain for what it is they are lacking. The refugee camps however, are given nothing. The students have to cook their own food and do chores such as cutting and preparing wood for the next group.

I feel as though this program is outstanding. I love this idea. As a teacher it is one thing to teach your students about poverty and hunger and those who experience it on a daily basis. But, it is another thing to be able to have your students actually experience what it would be like to be one of those people. I feel as though EVERYONE should have an opportunity to experience how these people who suffer with hunger and poverty live. I feel that the world would be a better place if everyone was able to actually realize what others go through in their lives.