Learning through Farming in South Korea
Joohi Lee and Joo Ok Lee
“Yahoo! We’re going to the nature field!”
Children shout with excitement when a teacher announces, “It’s time for nature.” At Myungji Youchiwon (Myungji Kindergarten) the children’s favorite time is working at the nature field—the farming field.
Myungji Youchiwon is located in Kyunggido, between urban and rural areas in the north of South Korea. It serves about 30 percent of the children from families with low incomes in the area. Most of these families are farmers. The Korean government partially supports the children’s tuition. The philosophy of Myungji Youchiwon is based on an ecological approach that highly values nature and learning through nature, eco-early childhood education. To implement this philosophy, Myungji Youchiwon has integrated the nature field into their kindergarten curriculum.
The three- to five-year-old children go to the field to plant seeds, water them, trim plants, and harvest ripe vegetables, fruits, and grains. The nature field is also where children learn about plants’ ecosystems through farming. Planting experiences encourage children to become more eco-friendly and develop a better understanding of life sciences and the earth. In addition, children’s experiences at the field help them appreciate plants and the work of farmers (Canaris & Fuleihan 2006; Gigliotti 2006; Rule 2007).
Children visit the field two or three times a week for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the season and weather. A ttang sa lang sunsangnim (farm love teacher), who used to be a farmer, facilitates activities at the field while explaining the plant-growing procedures and the day’s task. The ttang sa lang teacher shows the children how to plant a variety of seeds, replant seedlings (for example, sweet potato, lettuce, cabbage, peanut, and watermelon), water and trim plants, and harvest them.
Farming to enrich classroom learning opportunity
Once the children are introduced to the nature field, they become very interested in reading about planting and plants. They read various books and discuss issues concerning plants. Sometimes, farmer parents or farmers from the community come to the class to talk with the children.
The kindergarten’s science center is a popular spot. There, children do a variety of inquiry-based experiments exploring plants—dissecting seeds, such as pumpkin or green bean seeds, and observing sprouting seeds deprived of soil, light, or water—as part of their classroom science activities. During one activity a child plants a seed in an individual transparent pot and observes the seed sprout and the plant grow. This allows children to become familiar with plant movements, such as roots growing toward water, the plant growing straight up against the earth it is placed in, and leaves growing toward the light.
Farming as an outdoor learning activity
Farming provides children with a variety of learning experiences in the growing process of plants (Rappaport 1994) and with nature. Teachers, parents, and the ttang sa lang teacher carefully design an annual plan for the nature field (see “2007 Nature Field Spring Plan”).
An essential part of the nature field learning experience is keeping individual farming journals. Children observe leaves of various plants, record lengths of stems or leaves, and draw them in their journals. They share their journals with classmates during nature field discussion times. Every time children go to the field, they are encouraged to record their observations and farming activities.
Eating food from the nature field
Nationally certified cooks at Myungji Kindergarten prepare nutritious snacks and meals (breakfast, lunch, and sometimes supper). They often use vegetables or fruits that the children have harvested from the nature field. Whenever these foods are served, children become excited. They even enjoy eating vegetables, such as cucumbers and carrots, which they may not normally eat as snacks.
One of the special events planned for the winter months at Myungji Youchiwon is making kimchi, using cabbages the children have harvested. Kimchi is a popular, spicy, traditional Korean cabbage dish used as a winter side dish, for making soups, and for other dishes. Most Korean families make lots of kimchi in late November or early December to last all winter. An entire week in December is dedicated to learning more about kimchi at Myungji Youchiwon. Children learn all about its history, different types, cooking methods, and storing methods. During this time, kimchi is served to children at almost every meal as a side dish.
Farming and family engagement
At the beginning of each semester, farmer parents and grandparents are asked to volunteer to help children at the nature field and to participate at the school as guest speakers. All parents or grandparents are also encouraged to come to the field to plant seeds or trim plants at their own convenience; the farm is open to families on scheduled weekends.
On these weekends parents can go to the field with their children and harvest whatever they want. The cooks from the kindergarten serve drinks and refreshments at the rest area. This gives families the opportunity to build rapport with their children and to build networks with other parents.
2007 Nature Field Spring Plan
Season |
Month |
Activity |
Seeding |
| Spring |
3 |
Observing the nature field
|
Crown daisy seeding |
| |
|
Making signs for the plants |
Lettuce seeding |
| |
|
Bedding teh roots in compost |
Carrot seeding |
| |
|
Observing seedlings and toiling |
Potato planting |
| |
|
Observing barley growth |
Bean planting: kidney bean, peas |
| |
|
|
|
| |
4 |
Making barley pipes [musical instruments] |
Sesame seeding |
| |
|
Pulling weeds |
Other vegetables seeding |
| |
|
Harvesting crown daisies |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
5 |
Observing barley |
Replanting tomato seedling |
| |
|
Finding and observing worms |
Replanting pepper seedlings |
| |
|
Harvesting lettuce |
Corn seeding |
| |
|
Harvesting strawberries |
|
Conclusion
The nature field provides children with a better understanding of plant life cycles, connects food with the Korean culture, and provides organic, seasonal, and fresh vegetables and fruits. Through the nature field activities, children ultimately become appreciative of farming, farmers, plants as food, and nature.
References
Canaris, I., & D. Fuleihan. 2006. The healthy snack program. Connect Magazine 19: 10–12.
Gigliotti, K. 2006. Schools can taste good. State Legislatures 32: 32–34. Online: www.ncsl.org/programs/pubs/slmag/2006/06Dec06_SchoolsTasteGood.pdf.
Rappaport, J.W. 1994. Benefits beyond botany. American Horticulturist 73: 14.
Rule, C.S. 2007. Seeds of knowledge. Vegetarian Times Issue 350: 80–83.
Joohi Lee, PhD, is an early childhood assistant professor at University of Texas at Arlington. She has collaborated with Joo Ok Lee as a consultant to implement an ecological approach at Myungji Kindergarten. E-mail: joohilee@uta.edu.
Joo Ok Lee, EdD, is a director of Myungji Kindergarten in Kyunggido, Korea (ROK). She currently teaches early childhood courses as an adjunct professor at Seo Jung University, also in Kyunggido.
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