Bringing joys of farming to city school

Schoolchildren line up to thresh rice on the ground of Choongmoo Elementary School in central Seoul, Monday. Last year, the school started a project to have students grow crops and vegetables to learn to respect life and help eliminate bullying. / Korea Times photo by Kim Bo-eun

Fall is the joyous time of harvests. And although the nation’s urban centers are devoid of harvesting, in Choongmoo Elementary School, central Seoul, there is an initiative to bring back some of the season’s associated joys.

Its school grounds were filled with the sound of blades cutting crops and threshing machines, as well as laughter, Monday, as students helped to harvest the rice crops they planted in the spring.

“Everything is fascinating and fun,” exclaimed second-grader Lee Min-so, who was evidently excited about the activities. “It’s great that we can experience farming at our school.”

Rice farming at the school began last year when the education office in Seoul invited schools to participate after signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with South Chungcheong Province to bring farming activities to schools. The province’s Hongseong County ― Choongmoo Elementary School’s partner ― is providing the necessary equipment and assistance.

The entire school, including the dedicated principal, tends a vegetable garden where lettuce, potatoes, cabbages and radishes are grown.

Students spend around an hour at the garden and fields every week, watering and otherwise taking care of the vegetables and crops they planted. They also keep a record of how long these have been growing.

Students cook the potatoes they grow and make kimchi out of the young radishes, which they enjoyed for lunch at the school cafeteria.

All of these activities, from planting to watering and caring for, to picking and cooking, make school life more exciting for the students, who would otherwise spend most of their school hours studying inside classrooms.

“School is supposed to be fun. Students start resorting to bad behavior when there is nothing to look forward to when they go to school. But if students enjoy coming to school, they naturally get along well with their friends and peers,” said Lee Jae-gwan, the school principal, clad in sweatpants and a T-shirt carrying a sickle in his hand.

Parents of students at the school also seemed to agree with the idea.

“School bullying occurs when children develop negative sentiments, whether at home or at school. When they are confined to studying, taking tests at school and attending private academies, that is when problems occur,” said Lee Nam-young, whose daughter is a third-grader at the school.

“But when schools offer wholesome activities that the children can enjoy, it kindles positive emotions, which can help prevent bullying,” said the 40-year-old mom.

Learning to respect life

Another positive effect of planting and growing crops is that students develop a greater respect for life and property.

“None of the students have stolen the vegetables or damaged crops since we started growing them,” said the principal.

Choi Hee-jung, a third-grade homeroom teacher, explained that the frequent contact with living plants and the act of taking care of them instills the value of life in children.

“They learn how to treat even the smallest forms of life ― such as bugs ― with respect. And this respect for living organisms naturally extends to respect for other people,” she said.

Farming activities have been cited as preventing bullying and violence in schools, which has become more frequent of late.

Choongmoo Elementary School received an award from the education minister in July in a contest for successfully reducing incidents of bullying.

“About three years ago, we had some bullying going on at this school,” said the principal. “But since we started growing plants and crops, we hardly ever see students engaged in loud fights.”

Another aspect of the project that parents and teachers are lauding is the fact that it is an ongoing process.

“It’s great that children can participate in and learn about the whole process, from planting to harvesting, as the project continues,” said a parent.

“What is really commendable about the project is that it didn’t just end as a one-time event. The thing is, starting up a project is not that hard, but maintaining it for a significant time period is something, especially when you’re maintaining live crops and a garden full of vegetables,” said Choi. <The Korea Times/Kim Bo-eun>

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