Summer Institute for Educators: Using Gardens to Build Community

Poughkeepsie Farm Project's annual summer institute is designed to help educators integrate gardens into their teaching. We cover topics in literacy, social studies, science, and nutrition, as well as build knowledge about sustainable agriculture, food systems, social justice, and ecological gardening practices. Join us for three days of hands-on learning!

We examine gardens not merely as knowledge-building tools for young people, but as vehicles that empower youth to celebrate diversity in their communities. Educational gardens serve as a natural context for connecting with others and promoting dignity and the joy of meaningful collaborative work. Through the critical lenses of social justice, equity, and inclusion, we will focus on the ways we can use gardens to promote the development of positive social skills, emotional regulation, and friendship. In addition, we will provide examples of how to use the history of and literature about food and farming to demonstrate how young people can create positive change in their communities.

Learn to use your educational garden to:

• Develop a learning community

• Prevent bullying and biased behavior

• Celebrate diversity in its many forms

• Advocate for inclusion and social justice

• Enhance instruction in academic subjects