With K-12 class sizes growing kids don’t get hands on experience in subjects like science that help them learn concepts. One teacher to 25-30 kids doesn’t allow for much personalized attention.
University of Oregon environmental studies students, along with others have been working alongside community members to make positive impacts in environmental education.
School Garden Project is a local nonprofit that provides resources to elementary schools in and around Eugene. The organization sprouted from an old UO class where students went to local schools for a term and helped teachers set up gardens. Each week UO students would visit their assigned school and teach kids about science, healthy eating and gardening skills.
After the term ended many teachers still sought help finding supplies and needed assistance in the garden so the School Garden Project was formed in order to provide continuous help.
Today, the program extends to over 10 schools around Eugene and is growing with the help of the university. While it is no longer directly connected to the university, many of the volunteers and interns are students.
“It’s amazingly helpful to have the university around,” program director Jenny Laxton said, “it really helps nonprofits thrive.”
Another program benefiting the education community is environmental studies Environmental Leadership Program. This two term class is designed to serve community partners through conservation, community involvement and environmental education programs.
Students in the environmental education program spend winter term learning education theory and building a curriculum for grades 1-5. This curriculum is later given to the school to ensure concepts that are learned in one grade continue on in later grades.
Having college students teach helps inspire younger kids and allows for hands-on learning. According to Katie Lynch, co-director of ELP, university students become role models for these children, specifically in areas where they may be the first generation in their family to attend college.
Senior environmental science major Madison DeLong taught at Adams elementary school last spring with ELP. DeLong and partner Kailyn Haskovec taught first graders about where their water comes from and the animals found around the McKenzie Watershed.
DeLong and Haskovec taught the kids a game to learn about the food chain, where there were predators and prey. At the park one day DeLong saw some of her students playing the game while teaching family and friends about the food chain.
“They ran up to me and were like ‘Madison, you’re the water lady!” DeLong said. “’Look, we’re playing the game!’ That was really, really amazing.”
Along with teaching experience, ELP students also gain professional development skills like public speaking and group collaboration.
Both DeLong and Lynch agree that ELP is work that contributes to the community and is also very demanding.
“That’s the most proud I’ve ever been in my college career,” DeLong said, “and it’s also the most work I’ve done and you can see that reflected in the students learning … It gives a lot of hope to teachers and parents and sets an example for everyone about how a productive community partnerships can work.”