Editorial: Hands-on instruction builds learning culture
High school courses plant seeds of educational opportunity
Students at Royal Valley High School north of Topeka are growing peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes and other plants in a horticulture greenhouse program that illustrates the value of hands-on education.
The short-term outgrowth at Royal Valley, and more than 40 other Kansas high schools with similar plant system instructional programs, is a lovely salad from the garden. Long-term benefits to this form of applied instruction in gardening, construction, automotive repair, education, the arts and other fields are nourishing for the mind.
This experiential model delivers an engaging environment for learning outside typical classrooms. The approach has been linked to higher attendance and grade-point averages, as well as better student and parent interaction with schools and teachers.