Teachers’ Perceptions of Integrating Tower Gardens into Pre-K4 Curriculum

Abstract

Schools play an integral role in providing opportunities for children of all ages to be exposed to nutrition education. There are a variety of ways children can receive nutrition education in the school setting, such as explicit lessons, modeled dialogue, and exposure to nutrition-based principles. However, there continues to be a disconnect between teacher perceptions of nutrition education and time spent implementing it in the classroom. Nutrition education can come in many forms, including hands-on gardening and explicit discussions on the impact of food choices on overall health. Effective nutrition education in any form elicits numerous benefits for children, but there are a multitude of barriers that inhibit teachers from implementing hands-on gardening into their classrooms—such as time, space, and teacher self-efficacy. Tower Gardens,<sup> </sup>otherwise known as hydro- and aeroponic, vertical gardening systems, offer an alternative to the space and time required for traditional gardening. Nonetheless, the body of literature surrounding the impact and feasibility of implementing tower gardening systems is limited, specifically in the preschool setting. Therefore, this study explored teachers’ perceptions of and experiences with implementing Tower Gardens into pre-kindergarten 4-year-old (pre-K4) classrooms. A qualitative approach was employed wherein a focus group was conducted with pre-K-4 teachers who integrated Tower Gardens through the <em>Growing Healthy Minds, Bodies, and Communities</em> Curriculum. Findings were analyzed and four themes emerged as follows: (a) novelty of Tower Gardens increases opportunities to learn; (b) a multitude of interactions with growing and food; (c) increased engagement from children; and (d) implementation and positive outcomes for teachers. These findings suggest that Tower Gardens can be implemented with relative ease in the classroom and produce positive outcomes for student engagement and interactions with foods.