A Shared Harvest: Presentation of Findings from ''School is Such a Chore! Agriculture as a Lens for Enhancing Learning and Life Skills'' (2023-2026).

Everyone was invited to dinner last night with Dr. Bonnie Stelmach, our research partner from University of Alberta. We gathered at Telford Hall - despite the snow storm - to talk, listen, and celebrate the many ways in which the unique focus of our public charter school impacts our students, staff, local communities, and the greater educational community as well. 

Dr. Bonnie explained the principles of community-based research; that it has practical relevance to those studied; includes the community in data collection; that findings are shared in accessible ways; and that it is a collaborative process that puts the community at its centre and expands impact.

The findings of this research can be understood under four key areas:

-Agriculture makes learning purposeful and imperative.

-Students learn and develop through high-stakes, adult-like responsibilities.

-Agriculture makes learning joy-full, wonder-full, and awe-full.

-Agriculture develops citizenship and stewardship. 

Each of these areas is incredibly important. Dr. Bonnie made strong connections highlighting the value these give to learning and developing minds, that is often missing or in decline throughout society. There were many positive and poignant examples given of how our unique programming will benefit and help to grow our students into capable, competent, and successful citizens of local and global communities. 

A continued theme throughout the presentation was the reciprocal relationship between the school and community, which many of us view as being inextricable; you cannot remove one from the other; each supports and benefits the other. 

Dr. Bonnie is an inspirational member of our community. She expressed how deeply connected she is to our school, and how deeply it has impacted and changed her view of both education and research. It has set a new trajectory for her, and we look forward to seeing where the seeds we have planted together will take her.