>conference a few weeks ago. She's organizing a couple of masters-level
>gardening/gardening education programs and would like input on her
project.
-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!!
>>
>>
>
>--KAA12893.818869571/amani.ces.ncsu.edu--
>
>