Grow & Learn going from strength to strength

The Grow & Learn program uses a community garden as an outdoor classroom and is part of an ongoing partnership between Dodges Ferry Primary School and Okines Community Garden.

The program has been boosted with the help of a Community Action Grant from the Tasmanian Community Fund (TCF).

Linked with the national curriculum, the program covers topics that enhance the educational outcomes for children, appealing to a diverse range of learning styles.

Grow & Learn sessions see eager students getting hands on with educators as they discover the wonders of mini beasts in the frog pond, tend to the school garden plots, and learn about scarecrows, bee hotels, no-dig gardens, composting, and food webs.

Here’s what the team said about last year’s program:

“The Grow & Learn program was embraced by students in Grade 3, 4 and 5 at Dodges Ferry Primary School. Led by our amazingly talented educators, Sonja and Nicola, the students discovered the special recipe to making great compost, and then got their hands dirty and created compost for Okines Community Garden.”

“Grow & Learn will kick off again in March, and in addition to the immersive, experiential learning with the students, a reference group has been established which will meet each term. The Grow & Learn reference group includes the deputy principal, students, community representatives and representatives from Okines Community House and Southern Beaches Landcare Coastcare group. The goals of the reference group include looking at options to fund the program beyond 2025, and to create a toolkit for schools to set up a Grow & Learn program within communities across Tasmania.”

“Feedback from the educators and teachers has been overwhelmingly positive. Students are naturally curious about the world around them and they've been very engaged in the Grow & Learn program. There's something special about learning in an outdoor environment, outside of the classroom, which leaves a lasting impression on the students. Hands always shoot up when the educators call-out for volunteers to grab a shovel or wheelbarrow during Grow & Learn sessions in the Okines Community Garden.”