The Garden

The sun shines down on a flawlessly warm summer day. The children, 1^st graders, are out in the garden.

What can we observe?

What do we see, smell, hear, taste, and feel?

I watch in amazement as students gaze at sunflowers, vegetables, bugs, and dirt. They ask questions, they are engaged, they are learning.

“Hey Ms. H, look at THIS!” Little *Adam who has a difficult time focusing, sitting still, and listening stretches out his hand and holds out a rolly polly. For the moment, he is completely engaged in explorative learning- opening up his mind to the world around him.

All of the children in Mrs. Uribe’s class for the moment are unfastened. They are marveling at the earth. They explore growth and changes, just as they themselves are growing and changing.

And I can’t help but feel that I am apart of something vibrant and idiosyncratic. I am able to witness the garden, where children are authentically learning.