Growing Tiny Minds

By Hilary Young

If you’ve passed by the corner of East Passyunk Avenue and Fitzwater Street, then you’ve probably noticed the large planter boxes sitting outside of the Beanstalk School. The school, which opened its doors eight years ago, doesn’t limit lessons to the confines of the classroom. Instead, the goal is to integrate horticulture education with action – both at home and in the community.

“We believe that children learn by discovering and enjoying experiences both inside and outside of the classroom,” says Marjori Carroll, Head of School for Beanstalk.

That philosophy helped school leaders redirect engagement when the pandemic hit, by creating a participation module around gardening that kids could work on at home.

“We follow a curriculum, but it’s all hands-on project-based learning that’s really child-initiated and teacherfacilitated,”explains Monique Roye, Assistant Director. “We do this by creating a learning environment that connects to real-life interactions”

Plant management provided the perfect real-life interactions, when pandemic constraints limited in-person learning. Thus, the school-wide horticultural initiative was born. It began with Beanstalk leaders dropping off small planter boxes at each family’s home. “The kids could decorate and make it their own,” explains Roye. “Each family got a different type of crop to grow – it was a big hit!”

After returning to the classroom, Carroll’s husband aided in building larger planters outside the school for the kids to continue their green thumb lessons.

The horticulture experiment was integrated into the curriculum and has continued to grow (no pun intended) over the past few years. Now, after planting and growing their crops, each class replants their vegetables in a bed outside of the school. Eventually, the kids harvest their crops, cook a meal with their bounty, and invite the Beanstalk families to join in the fun.

“We’re an urban community, so no one really has a lot of space at home or enough dirt to grow their own fruits and vegetables,” says Roye. “It’s been amazing to see how excited the kids have been with the whole experience.”

“And the learning is all connected to a real experience,” Carroll says. “We stream through horticulture; from language to science, cooking to environmental awareness; the kids are getting more out of it than just gardening.”

In an effort to take the enthusiasm for horticulture into the wider Queen Village community, the school has engaged local businesses to participate in a composting project.

“It all ties back into the community and creating a sense of responsibility for others,” says Carroll. “We want to develop character in addition to laying the foundation of education.” ■

For more information about the Beanstalk School visit their website at https://www.beanstalkschool.com