There’s nothing more satisfying than being able to take home and use the veggies and herbs you have helped to plant and grow, and the students in Mount Carmel College’s Mary MacKillop Special Education Unit would agree.
Every Friday afternoon, nine MacKillop Unit students tend to their Unit garden during their double lesson of Studies of Society & the Environment (SOSE). The garden project is embedded in the modified SOSE curriculum, undertaken by students in the MacKillop Unit who have a mild to moderate disability. The class, taught by SOSE teacher, Mr Bill Lawless, and supported by Education Support Officer, Mr Daniel Grantham, is not just about growing fresh produce, but about promoting sustainability and connecting students with healthy food and lifestyles.
The class also encourages the students to get out and about to communicate with a range of different people by visiting various community garden projects to learn about their operations and maintenance. They are also involved in the purchasing of seedlings and gardening products at garden centres.
“It’s about teaching the students horticultural skills, communication skills and developing an appreciation of sustainability, so once they finish school, they have the knowledge to grow their own,” Mr Lawless said.
The garden has been running since last year and the seasonal produce is used by the College’s Home Economics cooking classes, as well as by the Unit students.
“We also let their parents come in and pick the produce or the students take it home to cook with so they can see how their produce goes from seedling to the dinner table,” Mr Lawless said.
Year 9 Unit students, Maddie and Matthew, enjoy the hands-on SOSE class.
“The best part is that we get to use the stuff we have grown and we get to take them home,” said Maddie.
“We plant them, watch them grow, cook them and eat them.”
The Unit has three garden beds which are currently producing broccoli, spinach, snow peas, lettuce, and last season’s tomatoes are starting to emerge through the pea straw. A herb garden is also flourishing with an abundance of fragrant basil, mint, oregano, parsley and rosemary.
An irrigation watering system was recently put in place with the help of the students, and two garden boxes were made, which are currently being experimented with.
Plans for a larger scale community veggie and herb garden, to be maintained and used in collaboration with neighbours and the local community, are in the pipeline at present. It is anticipated that the community garden will promote a healthy and sustainable community and further connect the College community with the local community.
Intergenerational playgroups are truly something special — an experience that enriches the lives of both the young and the older members of our community. These playgroups are more than just a space for children to play; they are a vital platform for different generations to come together, share wisdom, and build meaningful relationships.
