Exit slip: UBC Orchard Gardens

Today was extremely enlightening in the ways that students can learn so many different skills and gain so much knowledge in a garden. Just being outside, despite the construction noise, was very centering and calming. I feel that environment really helped me personally slow down which is what I would hope for my students who will be growing up in a world where they are inundated with rushing to meet deadlines and a constant bombardment of information to absorb. The exercise where we drew man made and natural objects really highlighted that for me. Just looking at one thing for more than a 30 second span was a noticeable change in my current life. The ties from various subject areas to the garden makes that environment very valuable. As a physics and earth scientist, it is a significant personal goal in my teaching profession to be able to help my students connect those subject areas to their daily lives and inspire their interest in the world around them. It is my opinion and personal experience when you can link your knowledge together and have a natural curiosity for the world around you, everything cab be interesting or in the case of geoscience especially, it can tell a story! I do worry about students not being able to disconnect and truly immerse themselves in the garden experience but that is on me as a teacher to relate and "hook" them in. In regards to the actual produce and work involved with the gardening aspect, I see a lot of value in students understanding where their food comes from and the influence their personal consumption choices affect the planet. Lastly, being outside and sharing music is simply joyful - I hope that is something I will be able to share with my future students!