School Gardens as an intervention

[Ullery, Sam (OSSE)]

Hi All,

I’m curious if anyone has seen, or been a part of, developing IEPs/ 504 plans that include school gardens as an intervention. For example, an IEP may require that a school provide a student with structured time in a school garden. I would love to know more about how to start this conversation with special education teams/ parents- so I’m looking for ideas!

 

Thanks,

 

Sam Ullery

School Garden Specialist

Division of Health & Wellness

Office of the State Superintendent of Education

810 First Street, NE, Fourth Floor

Washington, DC 20002
Ph:  (202) 741-6485

Cell: (202) 341-0791

http://osse.dc.gov/service/school-garden-program

Twitter: @OSSESGP

 

 

[Carrie Strohl]

I've not seen this in practice, but I've been interested in it suggesting it for a while, especially for behavioral intervention. I've discussed with school site psychologists and counselors and have considered adding something to a school garden mission/vision about promoting mindfulness. I think schools would be very apprehensive about putting this in an official IEP because it's a legal document. Schools already struggle to meet the basic accommodations for student with special needs. That said, it's a good strategy for ensuring a school garden is maintained or kept at a site and could be written in very vaguely as an accommodation (e.g., student will be allowed to take supervised breaks out of doors). There is definitely a need for more research to support the value of school gardens for special populations. 

Carrie Strohl, PhD 

"The School Garden Doctor"

Follow my blog. 

Chair, Napa Local Food Advisory Council

Carrie Strohl about.me/cstrohl

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[Kyla Van Deusen]

Great question!  I do have a school speech/language pathologists who uses the garden as a setting for lots of her work, but not sure if it's actually in the IEPs.  I will ask.

Kyla

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[Natalie McKinney]

Aloha ,

Please see below from two Hawaii educators:

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I used our school garden as an intervention last year with a student that has aggression issues. I found it to be very beneficial for him and it was a great way to build rapport. However, I did not include it on his IEP in the event that he transfers to another school or when he moves on to middle school and they do not have a school garden. I have heard from a high school counselor that she had a new student with an IEP that stated time in a school garden and she was stuck in a bind and had to call a meeting with the school team and parents to change that part of the student's plan. At times being too specific in listing interventions on IEPs or 504s may not be helpful. I think including it on a Behavior Support Plan that continuously gets updated would be more appropriate.

Bianca Youaria

Keolu Elementary School

2017 Hawaiʻi School Counselor of the Year

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Dear Mr. Ullery,

I have an 8th grade agriculture class and my classroom is next door to our FSC classroom. So, about 2 or 3 times per week the FSC students work with my students in the garden to either plant seeds, create garden beds, water plants, or catch caterpillars. I'm not sure if gardening has worked itself onto any students' IEP yet, but I'm guessing gardening could make it's way onto IEP's in the future. I attend IEP meetings for the FSC students because of my exposure to them, so it could be a possibility that gardening could be used as an intervention depending on the IEP. 

There are many benefits from this partnership from my students' perspective and from the FSC standpoint as well. 

If you are working with another teacher or class, then the gardening could be used as social interactions, otherwise it's just a great way to hit the science standards in a hands-on way. 

Hope this helps a little, please feel free to contact me if you have questions.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Ken Kozuma

Waipahu Intermediate School

FFA Waipahu Intermediate Chapter

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Hope this helps.

Aloha,

Natalie

Natalie McKinney
Executive Director
Kōkua Hawaiʻi Foundation
PO Box 866, Haleiwa, HI 96712
(808) 638-5145 Office

nat...@kokuahawaiifoundation.org
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