Glen Education Glover Street

Fostering Environmental Awareness

Cassandra March-Brown, Early Childhood Educator

As we navigate through this fast-paced, digital world, a pertinent question arises: “What is truly worthy of our children’s time?” Amidst the constant buzz of advertisements, social media, and the allure of the latest gadgets, it's crucial to reflect on what genuinely enriches our children's lives. Rather than being caught in a whirlwind of fleeting interests, we at Glover Street Glen Education Kindergarten strive to offer experiences that create a connection to the world, lifelong skills and learning.

This year, aligned with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), our kindergarten has embedded a circular and sustainable approach to learning. We've woven together gardening, environmental awareness, and cooking into a seamless cycle that fosters growth and understanding.

Our journey begins in the garden, where your children engage with nature, planting seeds and watching them grow. Throughout the year, the children have tended to the garden, watering the plants, adding their food scraps to the compost and discovering many of the animals living in the garden like worms and snails! This hands-on experience has opened up many learning experiences about the seasons, environment, animal life cycles and how plants grow. Once the plants had grown, in term 3 and term 4 the children were able to reap the rewards of their hard work and move from the garden to the kitchen. The children use their harvest to create delicious meals, learning about teamwork, cultural diversity, and the importance of healthy eating. These cooking sessions are not just about food preparation; they're about combining fun with educational experiences, nurturing independence and confidence.

We close the loop with composting. The organic remnants from our cooking enrich the soil in our garden, preparing it for the next planting season. This cycle not only teaches the children about nature's interconnectivity but also the importance of sustainability. They learn that even their smallest actions can have a significant impact on our planet.

This year has been about more than academic achievements; it's been about nurturing essential life skills and fostering a profound love for nature. Through gardening, environmental education, and cooking, we're guiding your children to become empathetic, cooperative, and confident individuals and to our team – we believe these learning experiences are true worthy of children’s time. 

We extended on the children’s interest for nature, sustainability and caring for the environment with visits to Healesville Sanctuary and the Chesterfield farm in Term 4 and were joined by our incredible families who came together as a community to makes these wonderful excursions happen! 

Thank you for joining us on this journey. Together, we're cultivating more than just plants; we're nurturing responsible, aware, and compassionate young minds for the future.