Ogrody szkolne jako wsparcie edukacyjne
School gardens as an educational support

Summary/Abstract: School gardens significantly complement and support traditional classroom learning and can be integrated into interdisciplinary and social education, including therapies for students with disabilities or dysfunctions. School gardens develop children through physical connection with nature, support teachers in educating the young generation and contribute to improving the biodiversity of thereabouts and protecting the environment. This article focuses on school gardens through a historical outline and educational goals and comparing them with the current view on the educational and therapeutic role of gardens. It outlines roles of school gardens in the older days and compares it to the roles they can play in modern education. Referring to Polish and international literature, this article brings forward educational, social, cognitive and therapeutic values of school gardens resulting from interaction of students with nature and the natural environment. There are numerous examples of community initiatives that led to establishing school or civic gardens, domestic and abroad. The engagement of communities and organisations in such initiatives is encouraging and shows the need for gardens at educational facilities. Such gardens are of particular importance for big city schools located in highly urbanized landscapes. European sources show examples of large-city gardens with a long-standing tradition of children’s science education going beyond basic knowledge taught at schools and being a practical introduction to the nature.

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