Garden Mosaics:

1
Garden Mosaics

• An Adaptation of a U.S. Youth Outreach Program in
  Two Township Schools in Durban, South Africa
• Jamila Walida Simon, M.S.
• Dr. Marianne Krasny
• Department of Natural Resources
• Cornell University
• Ithaca, NY

2
Terminology

• Learner vs. Student
• Feeding Scheme vs. School Lunch
• Township vs. Neighborhood
• Poverty Alleviation Program vs. Welfare
• Ubuntu vs. Individualism

3
Role of Context

• Everyday contexts can be
• used to improve science
• learning (Kasanda et al., 2005)
• Local contexts can be used to build on the prior
  knowledge of learners (Saranson, 1971)
• Local or familiar contexts can provide bridges to
  unfamiliar concepts (Ibid, 1971)

4
Garden Mosaics Program

• NSF Funded Informal Science Education Program
• Combines science, culture, people, and plants
  through science investigations
• Targets youth ages 8-18
• Connects youth and elders
• Run out of community centers, camps, EE programs

http//www.gardenmosaics.org
5
Garden Mosaics Program in the U.S. and in South
Africa

• Neighborhood Exploration / Township Exploration
• Gardener Story
• Action Project
• Science Pages
• http//www.gardenmosaics.org

6
Neighborhood Exploration in the U.S.

• Aerial Photos and Topographic Maps
• Photos
• Collage
• http//www.gardenmosaics.org

TRUCE Fitness Youth During their N.E. in Harlem,
NY
7
Gardener Storyin the U.S.

• Intergenerational Learning
• Learning about Elders
• Examining Planting Practices
• Cultural Influences
• Science
• http//www.gardenmosaics.org

Gardener Story Conducted for the Openlands
Project in Chicago, IL
8
Action Project in the U.S.

• Youth and Learners Use Their Prior and New Found
  Knowledge to Take Action
• http//www.gardenmosaics.org

Green Teen Youth Selling Produce from their
Garden in Poughkeepsie, NY
9
Science Pages

• Colorful Illustrated Pages available online and
  in print
• Printed in English and Spanish
• Ranging in Topics from Raised Beds to Beetroot

http//www.gardenmosaics.org
10
Environment Language and Education Trust
(E.L.E.T.)

• I.N.K. Greening Project (Inanda, Ntuzuma, and
  KwaMashu three townships in Durban)
• Sandasonke Primary School
• Khethamahle Primary School

11
Research Question

• In what ways can
• the Garden Mosaics
• curriculum be
• adapted to suit
• South African
• learners
• and educators?

12
Objectives

• To examine the process of adapting a program from
  one culture to another
• To examine the South African context
• To examine how learners explore their community,
  community gardens, create and implement a plan
  for action

13
Methods

• Participant Observations
• Daily Reflections
• Focus group with learners (Khethamahle)
• Interviews of school principals
• Daily Feedback

14
Adaptation

• Township
• Exploration high levels
• of crime within the
• township
• Gardener Story strict
• roles of educators, gardeners,
• elders, and learners

15
Findings

• Terms that dont translate from one culture to
  another
• Outsiders have a unique point of entry

16
Acknowledgements

• Garden Mosaics Program
• http//www.gardenmosaics.org
• National Science Foundation grant
• Dr. Marianne Krasny
• Keith Tidball
• Kendra Liddicoat
• Learners, gardeners, educators, principals at
  Sandasonke and Khethamahle, and ELET staff