18 Apr Inspiration beyond the classroom
It is always our goal, as teachers, to inspire students and have them take their learning outside of the classroom. Last year, Mrs. Preston did just that with her 6th grade botany class, and the “fruits of their labor” are visible not only in their classrooms, but on our campus and in home gardens as well.
Mrs. Preston began with a few seeds, a grow light, and a passion for teaching. Soon there were carnivorous plants, plants growing in bottles, orchids, bulbs, bromeliads (air plants), seed experiments, plant and flower dissections. Students planted beautiful Dutch Iris and daffodil bulbs which can be seen blooming (again) on the west side of our campus.
Quickly, students began to see the real-world application for all their classroom knowledge. One such student that was “bitten by the gardening bug” is Elaine. “This teen prefers to shop the gardening department clearance rack to see what plants she can nurse back to health rather than shop the make-up aisle,” Mrs. Munoz, Elaine’s mom, explained. “She enjoys propagating leaves and watching their growth stages. She studies different conditions for how certain plants thrive. She is learning how to compost, create viable seedling conditions, what plants are compatible, environmental conditions, labor, and design landscaping. The best blessing from MLCA is this gift of education in learning God’s creation and beauty and sharing it in service to others.”
What a wonderful example Mrs. Preston is of what we do here at MLCA each and every day. Our mission is to mold and shape the minds and spirits of all students to become what God has created them in Christ to be.
