1. Describe how outside-school experience(s) have expanded or deepened your subject area content knowledge, and tell how it enhanced or changed your understanding. Include at least one specific experience.
There are few experiences I can remember that directly affected my thinking in a subject area. I am sure I have had a myriad of them; however, at this moment they are escaping me. There is one; however, that comes to mind as I reach back into my childhood memories.
I remember walking to the creek near our house to catch tadpoles, observe the water skeeters, and "fish" for crawdads. My mom would let us explore freely, so it was completely child directed exploration. I, of course, thought tadpoles were fish (not frogs) and that crawdads ate meat, which was why we lured them with bacon on a string. Eventually in school I learned that tadpoles were a stage in a frog's metamorphosis and that crawdads are scavengers and will eat just about anything. Having had the creek experiences outside of school peaked my curiosity and had me more invested in learning about these particular animals during science lessons. I cannot say that these experiences enhanced my understanding of these creek dwellers, but it definitely influenced my desire and ability to learn.
Outside of my childhood, my experiences mostly lie in nature. I am an avid gardener, which is partially the reason I pursued landscape architecture during my undergraduate studies. While at UC Davis I also interned as a tour guide at the Children's Garden. This garden is primarily composed of edible crops, some fruit trees and vines, and ornamental perennials and annuals to attract pollinators. From working in this garden, exploring plants in my own garden, and reading books about gardening I bring a wealth of knowledge to the life and earth science content areas. I feel my experiences enhance my understanding rather than change it.
2. Respond to the class discussion of Ball's "The Subject Matter Preparation of Teachers." Have your initial judgments or opinions changed based on the discussion?
The class discussion of Ball's article was enormously cathartic. It was comforting to be among peers and listen to other teachers interpret the research. I felt I was given an insight that many new teachers do not receive, which is that we cannot rely solely on our teacher training, our student teacher, or the school curriculum to learn the content we are responsible to imparting to our students. We need to search out reputable resources with which to back up our opinions and refute misunderstandings. We also need to be able to admit when we do not know an answer or explanation so we do not fill our students' heads with misinformation.
My initial judgment has changed in that I originally thought Ball was arguing for teachers to use their own elementary and secondary school experiences as their resource for knowledge. I have been out of high school for nearly 20 years, so hearing the class say Ball is NOT arguing for that, but instead saying she thinks it is impossible for teachers to be experts in their content areas (especially multi-subject teachers) was a relief.
3. Where are you in developing and pursing a line of inquiry? What is your question? Are you satisfied with your question? At this point, what do you know about the research available in this area? What ideas do you have for possible experiential learning sources?
I feel that my line of inquiry is pretty well developed. I wonder how garden-based education can improve children's literacy, especially those who are considered below grade level or learning disabled. I am very satisfied with this question as I feel it is relevant to many schools in my home community in which school gardens flourish, yet literacy rates are below the state average.
Most of the research I have found addresses the needs of pre-K to 1st grade students. I am interested in finding more resources for helping students in grades 3 - 5. There have been lesson plans developed for the upper grades, but little research to support its effectiveness. I have found resources online and in my community, at libraries, and the Richmond Visitor Center.
For my experiential learning sources I am going to attend the Project EAT garden education seminar, Ardenwood Historic Farm story hour, the UC Botanical Garden "Natural Discourse" exhibit, John Muir's home in Martinez, and EcoFarm in Richmond.
In the words of Gertrude Jekyll:
But the lesson I have thoroughly learnt, and wish to pass on to others, is to know the enduring happiness that the love of a garden gives. I rejoice when I see any one, and especially children, inquiring about flowers, and wanting gardens of their own, and carefully working in them. For love of gardening is a see that once sown never dies, but always grows and grows to an enduring and ever-increasing source of happiness.
It is no use asking me or any one else how to dig - I mean sitting indoors and asking it. Better go and watch a man digging, and then take a space and try to do it, and go on trying till in comes, and you gain the knack that is to be learnt with all tools, ... and you will find out that there are all sorts of ways o learning, not only from people and books, but from sheer trying.
Posted to Megan Manley, Carrie C., and Sarah Uhler's blogs.
