In search of thriving fruits in the history education

In search of thriving fruits
in the history of education:
The activities of the Centre for the study of the History of
Education and the Teaching Profession for school gardens.
Antonis Hourdakis, Sofia Trouli. Marina Souka
Centre for the study of the History of
Education and the Teaching Profession,
University of Crete
Introduction
School gardens are once again on the agenda of the educational policy
in many countries around the world
• Educators value school gardens as a means of fostering hands-on
learning, teamwork, motivation, responsibility, personal growth, and
creativity and as vehicles of empowering the wonder of nature and
curiosity.
• Healthcare professionals see them as a way to counteract
contemporary threats to adolescent health such as obesity or
diabetes and promote better nutritional habits and exercise.
• Environmentalists feel that school-gardening provides an effective
method for encouraging sustainability and environmental respect
and a tool to build diversity, community participation and citizenship.
Paper’s content
A brief history of school gardens in the
Greek educational system
The experience-based pedagogical
activities of the Centre for the Study
and Research of the History of
Education and the Teaching Profession
(KEMEIEDE) for the continuation of
school gardens by modern schools.
Photos of KEMEIEDE
Brief history school gardens in Greece
• The idea of learning in nature was introduced
from the 4th century BC in the Peripatetic School
of Aristotle
• School gardens are a 19th century concept
• Two main aspects of school gardening relating
to the:
economic benefits, practical and moral
aims of school gardening
the educational and aesthetic profits
• 1829: Agrokipion, the first Agricultural School in Tirintha
• 1835: special reference is made to land that should be
given for the construction of a school and its school
garden
• 1887: three new Agricultural Schools were established
by the Greek State in Athens, Tirintha and Almyros
1908 Alexandros Delmouzos and
the renowned perivoli of Girls’
school in Volos
1904 the American Farm
School was founded
Buildings, Metcalf House
http://ouranos.afs.edu.gr/dspace/handle/5000/556
Work in the perivoli of Girls’ school in Volos
<http://www.iaen.gr/to_parthenagogeio_tou_bolou__a__-b-34*166>
• 1910-1920: more and more school gardens were
founded with the initiative of teachers’ associations.
• 1896-1913: school gardens in Crete State’s schools
1914: lower agricultural for young students aged 14-19
• 1916: ministerial circular for School Gardens and Green
Celebration
• 1920: practical agricultural schools were founded
• 1927: establishment of Sundays agricultural schools in
primary schools
• 1928: every new school should have adequate space
(land) for the creation of a school garden
• 1929: creation of a school garden in every primary
school, in order to facilitate the learning of nature
sciences and the acquisition of skills and knowledge for
cultivating
•1928-1932: intensive training courses on agriculture for
teaches in Agricultural Schools
•1930: Request to the teachers from the Greek Ministry of
Agriculture, emphasizing the importance of loving nature
and its contribution to the education, the training and the
moral improvement of Greek youth
Students in the school garden of Lidoriki’s primary
school around 1930
http://photolidoriki.blogspot.gr/2013/11/blog-post_7255.html
•1929, 1930 ,1937: publication of three guide books for
the school gardens
School garden guide (1929)
The school garden (1930)
Primary education
and agriculture (1930)
PHOTO ALBUM OF
SCHOOL GARDENS IN GREECE
1939-1960
School Garden in 1939
http://12dimdramas.dra.sch.gr/autosch/joomla15/images/History/HistoryImage0
8.jpg
School Garden in 1956
http://3dim-komot.rod.sch.gr/?page_id=44
School Garden of Baxia Driskou’s primary
school awarded by the Athen’s Academy in 1954
http://sirrakiotis.blogspot.gr/2013/09/blog-post_27.html
School Garden of Braxia (1957)
http://angelou-kea.blogspot.gr/2010_05_01_archive.html
Modern times
• 1993: Foundation of Environmental Education Centers.
• 1999: the World Wide Fund for Nature-Hellas suggested
the pilot program Schoolyards are becoming green In the
past decade
• Today the proliferation of school gardens is associated
with the sustainable development and active citizenship
education.
KEMEIEDE in the pursuit of school
gardening
School garden of KEMEIEDE
Planting of KEMEIEDE’s school garden
KEMEIEDE in the pursuit of school
gardening
• A full-day meeting on the subject of
Education – Environment - Active
Citizen was hosted in March 2014,
aiming the active training of teachers
of city’s primary schools in educational
practices such as school gardening.
• Support for schools with the scientific
information and the necessary toolkits
if they would like to create a school
garden. (www.thranio.org).
KEMEIEDE in the pursuit of school
gardening
• Retired teachers present their experiences in gardenbased learning during their frequent meetings in
KEMEIEDE within the courses of the history of the
education.
• Furthermore KEMEIEDE forges synergistic partnerships
with the local community.
Thank you for you attention!