GARDENING

NOURISHING SOIL WITH DIY FERTILIZER MAKING

GARDENING, TEACHING
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NATIONAL TREE DAY

GARDENING, TEACHING, Uncategorized

CLASS 4 CELEBRATES NATIONAL TREE DAY 2020 WITH GUM PLANTING

In late 2019, as a result of a big weather storm cell, our school lost 20 trees and has since been working on the clean-up and regeneration of the affected areas. This year, for National Tree Day, (Sunday 2 August) Class 4 got behind the Planet Ark initiative, to highlight its leadership position in environmental education and regeneration.

Head of School, Andrew Hill said, “Glenaeon’s Middle Cove campus sits on three hectares of beautiful bushland leading down to Scotts Creek. Our school emblem is an image of a tree and its root system reflective of our school’s respect for Nature and the physical, emotional and spiritual growth our students make from Preschool through to Year 12.  The school has over 300 trees on the campus. It’s an open, clean and healthy place for children to learn.”

Gardening teacher Sandra Frain explained, “Our students used leaf litter compost, a native potting soil mixture of local leaf matter which has been decomposing for over two years, rich in nutrients and wriggling with worms, to plant ‘hot pink gum’ seeds donated by the Schuback family.”

“The seeds will grow into saplings and be nurtured for replanting in an appropriate location, or gifted to parents to be planted in backyards by Glenaeon families.”

The school will also be replacing the 20 lost trees with 20 new trees that are native to this special bushland area. There are only six types of tree native to the gully in which the campus sits.

Glenaeon teachers work with students in regenerative gardening activities to ensure that they enhance and improve the space they are in, improving the land, growing flowers to attract insects, fruits and vegetables, herbs and spices not only to grow healthy food for students to eat, but for visual enjoyment, and learning how to live a more sustainable lifestyle in the future.

https://news.glenaeon.nsw.edu.au/news/issue/glenaeon-newsletter-august-6-2020/

SPRING IS COMING TO CASTLECRAG

GARDENING, TEACHING

After the very cold mornings we are having at Castlecrag, comes a period of warmth and sunshine in the middle of the day – a time to treasure and bask in it, just a little, to warm up. In this time between MidWinter and Early Spring, both bulbs and spring blossoms flower. Amongst the daffodils and jonquils, there may not be much jasmine blossoming yet, but the sweet scent is already in the air! As we cannot have parents on campus so much at the moment – we thought it would be nice to bring a little of the campus to you! It is beautiful and blooming!

TEAS FROM THE GARDEN AT CASTLECRAG

GARDENING, TEACHING

At the beginning of each gardening class for Classes 1 & 2, Sandra Frain offers the children a cup of warming tea that is made from various herbs freshly picked from the gardens at Castlecrag campus. Leaves of thyme, sage, oregano, four types of mint, lavender and lemongrass make a delicious brew with hot water added to a large teapot. Herbs can help refresh, stimulate, soothe, protect and cleanse the human body. The children have planted, watered and harvested these herbs. They can all show you where these herbs grow and how you too can ‘brew your own tea’. Sandra also helps the Kindy children choose their herbs for fresh herbal tea. Ahh… now we are ready to garden!

From the Glenaeon Newsletter June 25 2020. Full newsletter can be accessed here:

https://news.glenaeon.nsw.edu.au/news/issue/glenaeon-newsletter-june-25-2020/

GARDENING WITH CLASS 2

GARDENING, TEACHING

Extract from Glenaeon Newsletter May 28, 2020. Full Newsletter can be viewed here:

https://news.glenaeon.nsw.edu.au/news/issue/glenaeon-newsletter-may-28-2020/

“Class 2 enthusiastically helped to collect wheelbarrow-loads of natural matter from around the campus to the compost, taking turns to move the big loads in teams. Once there, it is unloaded and tipped onto the compost and celebrated with a good jump by the children on it’s springy top! The children have learned so much about the importance of recycling as much natural material as we can on campus, including plants, food scraps and paper. At Castlecrag we have a very small carbon footprint, as all of our recycling and reusing that the children are involved in make a huge difference. Gardening Teacher Sandra Frain was glad to have her larger troupe of helpers back on campus!”

MIDDLE COVE NEWS – GARDENERS FROM ALL CLASSES UNITE

EDUCATION, GARDENING, TEACHING

At Middle Cove the garden is missing its young gardeners immensely.

The “school class” that is, students still attending the campus each day, come down to the garden every morning and keep a watchful eye on the vegetables and flowers that are growing, measuring our pumpkins, watching our bees visit their favourite flowers and plant seeds for our winter harvest.  The older students have been coming down to the garden again later in the day and getting to work.  They have been helping to tend the garden beds, harvesting late summer crops, erecting protective barriers to deter our wildlife visitors and enjoying the beauty of autumn in the garden.  We are also doing some preparation in the garden to make way for the new outdoor garden classroom. The banana trees have had to be relocated for the short term.  The children have been a great help in keeping our garden well loved and cared for.  For those missing the garden, here is a video of Sandra Frain taking care of the flowers and vegetables.

CARING FOR OUR CASTLECRAG CAMPUS

EDUCATION, GARDENING, TEACHING

Whilst it’s quieter at Castlecrag, we have been busy cleaning, washing and gardening, preparing all of our beautiful classrooms and grounds for the time when we can all return. The colours of our washing, some pretty plants and the blooms are a reminder of how special this place is to us all. Whilst the children are at home, we will care for Castlecrag until you all return. Notice how the ‘Lantern Bush’ is beginning to grow its proud lanterns for the coming of Winter, and how the Cosmos flowers are simply bursting with colour! We also have five of the Middle Cove hens here on holiday and thanks to our local families for looking after them so lovingly for us!

A WASHING HANDS STORY

EDUCATION, HEALTH, PLAYGROUP, TEACHING, Uncategorized

This was written as a parent resource at the request of Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner Preschool for their children at the time of the COVID -19 outbreak.

Once upon a time two keen children were standing on a step
stool at the bathroom sink. When they turned on the tap the
water came flowing out.


All the water droplets were rushed together. Those children
were sure that they heard voices in the water calling ‘ I want
to wash their hands,’ ,’ I do too’, ‘And me too ‘, and mee
toooooo’. “Let’s do it together’ the voices said.


‘Swish, swish’ said the water drops, as they toppled down,
down, down from the faucet above to the sink below.
The children watched the water swirling and twirling down
from the faucet to the white sink below. They put some
slippery soap on their fingers and hands. Then they put their
hands under the fast running water. It was a waterfall!
The children sang while they rubbed their hands and fingers
together:

‘Fish swim in the water
Birds fly in the air.

Come and sparkle your hands here
And dry them over there’.


‘Fish swim in the water
Birds fly in the air,

Come and sparkle your hands here
And dry them over there’.

The children turned the water tap off.
They used a paper towel to dry their hands. They put the
towel into the white plastic bucket and they covered it with
its’ lid.


Later they carried the white plastic bucket out to the worm
farm. There, there would be worms who would wriggle
through the paper and turn it into the rich black soil for the
garden.


Sandra Frain
March 2020