(Fwd) teamwork for BD ed
Sarah Milstein (milstein@pipeline.com)
Wed, 13 Dec 1995 10:45:10 -0500
SANETters - this message was sent to me by a woman I met at a food systems
conference a few weeks ago. She's organizing a couple of masters-level
gardening/gardening education programs and would like input on her project.
I believe it's biodynamic-specific, but I'm not certain. -Sarah
>Eli KAufman
>
>Ph: 802-223-0469; e-mail: elisheva@igc.apc.org
>
>Sunbridge - Threefold - Woods End
>
>Sustainable Agriculture and Education
>Program
>
>I. PROPOSAL SUMMARY
>
>
>Threefold Educational Foundation, an organization
>dedicated to sustainable economic and agricultural
>development, Sunbridge College, an established masters
>level teacher training program, and Woods End Agricultural Institute
>a composting and sustainable agriculture research organization,
>request support to develop an educational program in
>ecological farming and gardening with educational training and outreach.
>
>We propose to establish a college accredited program
>providing rigorous academic study, hands-on internships
>and training resources in ecological gardening.
>
>Program outcomes:
>
>1. Educational Seminars
>Gardening and Composting Education for Teachers
>Composting Managment Seminars for Organic Growers
>Sustainable Agriculture Seminars
>
>2. Research/Demonstration Garden
>
>3. Materials and Resources;
>a. Gardening and Composting Activity Guidebook for Teachers
>b. Composting and Soil Science Education Materials
>c. Implentation of School Composting and Gardening Systems
>
>
>The Challenge
>TodayUs environmental challenges require new vision and
>creative solutions to protect the natural and social systems
>upon which all life depends. Environmental challenges
>provide a unique opportunity to transform education.
>The majority of schools focus on fragmented academics in
>a time when young people need global vision, creative problem
>solving skills, and practical skills for sustainable living.
>Composting is the key to sustainable agriculture.
>Composting reduces the waste stream by almost one third,
>and provides schools with a practical context f or hands-on
>science for students.
>
>Specific Funding Request: Gardening and Compost Education
>Education for ecological vitality is at the core of Sunbridge
>CollegesUs vision. We want our work to help educate a new
>generation to have a renewed connection to nature and agriculture.
>
>Our goal is to develop seminars, resources and strategies to teach
>the vital relationships of the soil-plant-human ecosystem and
>a practical knowledge of farming, gardening, and composting.
>Projects will cultivate the creative problem-solving, ecological
>wisdom and practical lifeskills necessary for society to sustain
>itself into the twenty-first century and beyond. We will achieve
>this by creating K-12 educational resources that teach holistic
>science through soil, compost and horticultural projects.
>
>The Gardening Education Program will be directly drawn
>from the unfolding themes of the Waldorf curriculum and
>be directed towards both Waldorf and public school educators.
>
>Timeline
>Our implementation strategy involves four stages:
>1996
>Jan-June a. Program Planning and
>Infrastructure
>September b. Seminar/Workshops,
>c. Establishing the
>Research/Demonstration Garden
>d.
>Practicum
>
>Year 2 (1996-7): e. Conference and Outreach
>Year 3 (1997-8): On-going Evaluation and
>Revision
>
>a. Program Planning and Infrastructure
>We will develop an organizational structure to coordinate
>instructors, staff and partnerships to generate our program.
>We will work in close collaboration with the Bio-Dynamic
>Association, Woods End, regional organic farmers, Waldorf
>and public schools. We will print a program brochure inspiring
>a vision of educational renewal through farming and gardening education.
>
>b. Seminar and Workshops
>We will begin with a full time one year Garden Teacher Seminar
>to cultivate a core group of master teachers for both
>Waldorf and public school settings. In addition,
>we will conduct a part-time three year program for working educators.
>Both sections will grant MS level credit.
>Graduates will qualify for Waldorf Gardening Teacher certification.
>
>c. Research/Demonstration Garden
>We have already begin preparing the garden by
>cover cropping on the orignal site used by Dr.
>Erenfried Pfeiffer for bio-dynamic research.
>The land has been laying fallow for several years.
>The site is centrally located in Sunbridge campus.
>
>d. Practicum
>Gardening student-teachers will intern with existing
>Waldorf gardening teachers.
>
>e. Conferences and Outreach
>We will offer conferences to continue the momentum
>of the program for an expanding network of teachers.
>Master teachers from our program will share their experience
>and projects with new teachers. We will provide on-site school
>support to set-up school gardens, composting systems
>and schoolyard landscape restoration.
>
>f. On-Going Evaluation, Revision and Documentation
>Hands-on science is about doing. We will develop
>project-based assessment guidelines drawn from
>Waldorf evaluative methods. Each project will be
>evaluated through team-generated assessment criteria
>involving students, teachers, administrators and Woods
>End staff. We will use pre and post assesssment to evaluate
>students achievement and growth. Our staff will
>mentor and evaluate student projects and progress.
>We will submit reports, with slide documentation,
>of school gardens, compost systems and schoolyard
>restoration projects to our funders.
>
>6. Project Team
>Gunther Hauk, M.A.C.T from the University of Tennessee, teacher of
>English,
>Stuttgart, Germany; 6 years, Gardening Teacher, Stugart and Heidenheim,
>Germany; 21 years
>
>Dr. William F. Brinton, Ph. D. (hon.), environmental scientist,
>Director of
>Woods End Research Laboratory, international expert in composting
>research
>technology and implementation,
>
>Elisheva Kaufman, M.S. in Ed., Bank Street College, Waldorf certified,
>a
>science educator specializing in gardening and composting science,
>science
>education instructor at CCNY, Antioch New England, Goddard College,
>on-site
>school improvement facilitator
>
>It is our intention to explore collaboration with the Northeast Organic
>Farming Association, the Gaia Institute of St. John the Divine, Cornell
>Cooperative Extension, and the Center for Sustainable Agriculture of
>the
>University of Vermont, to provide a broad base of resouces and support
>for our
>program.
>
>In conclusion, through establishing gardening and composting education
>program, Sunbridge College and Threeefold Foundation can take a
>leadership role
>in inner and outer ecological healing - for the transformation of
>society and
>for the survival of our planet.
>
>
>Holistic Gardening Program
>A one year intensive training in ecological approaches to
>working with the earth, children and community-sustainability.
>
>Program will grant a MS degree.
>Graduates will be certified as Waldorf Gardening Teachers (?)
>
>DRAFT
>1.Agricultural Seminar
>Wilderness Ecology - Sustainability in Natural Ecosystems - Field Study
>The Farm Ecosystem
>Soil Physics, Chemistry and Microbiology; Soil-Plant Ecology;
>Substance as Bearers of Forces
>Soil Building Practices:
>Composting (The Heart of the Garden), Building Organic Matter;
>Compost Ecology, Management / School-Community Composting
>Implementation
>Cover Cropping, Field Management, Fallowing, Rotation
>Transformation; Life Processes, Decomposing and Composing Processes
>Metamorphosis,
>Outdoors; Making different composts, kitchen and garden works,
>leaf
>composts, manure, innoculants, starters,
>additives, BD
>preps
>What is Fertilizing ?
>Green Manure, Fallowing, Conservation
>Different Manures and their Effects on Plants
>Biodiversity and Seed Saving
>Plant Propagation
>Small Scale Bio-Intensive Sustainable Agriculture;
>Daily, Weekly, Monthy and Yearly Rhythms
>Using Cosmic Influences
>Growing Vegetables, Flowers, Herbs, Fruit
>Orchard Management, Pruning, Grafting
>Understanding the Tree; Its stream of Fluids; Vertical and Horizontal
>Form and Maintenance - Cutting
>Outdoor Applications
>Weed and Pest Control with BD Methods
>Ecological Effects of Bio-Dynamic Methods
>Preparing Harvest for Market (Holistic Resource Management)
>Greenhouse Management
>Plant, Soil and Field Observation
>Understanding the Plant through the Four Elements
>Animal Husbandry, Animal Powered Farming
>Medicinal Herbs, Compost and Soil Healing (BD Preparations - plus)
>The Agriculture Lectures - Steiner
>The Elemental Kingdom
>Sustainable Economics: Theory, Successful Models, Challenges,
>Real Life Problem-Solving
>CSAs, Alternative Models
>Permaculture and Landscape Design
>Nutrition, Plants, Diet, Spiritual/Nutritional Needs in Our Times
>History of Agriculture, Indigenous Sustainable Practice (practical
>soil
>management)
>Evolution of the Earth and Man; Present and Futures
>Civilization, Cosmology and Agriculture (social/spiritual ecology)
>Seasonal Celebrations, Ancient and Co-Creative
>
>Artistic Work
>Nature Studies in Pencil, Charcol, Watercolor,
>Clay modeling of Metamorphosis
>Eurythmy in relation ot the Four Elements and the Four Seasons
>Singing
>Speech
>Individual Creative Research Projects
>
>Farming and Gardening Education
>K-12 Agriculture Education - Methods
>Farming, Gardening and Human Development
>Nature Folklore, Nature Crafts, Storytelling
>Traditional Seasonal Dances
>Celebrating The Festivals
>Child Development, Activities for Developmental Bonding to Nature
>Hands-on, Inquiry Science Education Methods
>Ecological Design Technology and Physics Education Methods
>Mapping for Young Geographers
>
>2. Community and Lifeskill Building
>Field Work, practical farm and garden work, as an integral rhythm of
>every
>day, rain or shine, just like the farmers.
>
>3. Farm Internship:a semester off campus on a working farm, with
>journals and
>an independent project to hand-in
>*******
>
>PLease pass this on to anyone who may be interested, and welcome peole
>to contact me, Will Brinton or Mimi and Ray.
>
>THANKS!!
>
>