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Using the Garden to Promote Reflective Writing


Squash 1
Originally uploaded by Clint Gardner
As I mentioned in the previous post, during the initial sessions of the Thayne Center for Service & Learning Garden Parties (held every Tuesday at 9:00 am at the SLCC Community Garden and open to all), I distributed "gardening journals" to those who were present. The purpose of these journals is to allow space for Community Garden participants to reflect on not only gardening, but also what involvement in the garden means to them, or the impact that work in the garden is having on them.

My own journal has charted a growing commitment to the garden and its purpose: "I am really stunned at how involved/committed I've become to this project. I think it is because the garden so clearly shows the fruits of our labors, and how working as a group we've done something so significant," I recently wrote.

I am excited to get more students involved in the project once they return in the fall. I am currently planning some projects that I want to suggest to the Thayne Center folks to take place during the garden parties.

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