Teaching a Beginner Gardening Class Next Weekend

[catjac1975]

I am actually going to be teaching a beginner, hands on, gardening class next weekend. I'm passing out some booklets that get more in depth over certain things we'll be covering. Some of the girls coming have not started their first garden and I want to give them a clue on how to get going on the important stuff so they don't overwhelm themselves, or miss something vital and quit. I think that's the most important thing I want to get across.

"Gardening isn't always a perfect WIN, and sometimes things fail when its out of our hands. You just don't quit, but gain information to use in the future... and we move on!"

I am covering all the options to home gardening, traditional, raised beds, containers, hydroponics, ect. Then talking about organic options for gardening. Going on about composting, soil management, our zone, veggies, flowers, trees, companion planting, pruning, seed starting....

I'm trying to figure out what else we can cover? I've already put 20 pages into this booklet and I know I need to get more covered. Since this is pretty much an all day event, we start at 10:30am and quit when we've covered all everyone can handle in a day. We're having coffee, tea, baked goods and a lunch break. Looks like its going to be a beautiful weekend for it too.

So any suggestions of more I could cover, maybe some links to some of these things to see what I may have missed in my notes to print up? Sometimes, the information is in my head... I just need someone to mention it to dig it out and remember what its all about. My brain is pretty overwhelmed lately, and I just need some clarity I guess.

That all sounds like too much for a beginner. It will make gardening seem much harder than it has to be. I am an 8-10 hour a day 7 day a week gardener weather and family permitting. But, some people want to plant it and leave it. I always tell people to start small and increase gardens every year if they want. A failure does not mean you have no skill-it just means you may need more information. I am a great believer in experimentation-trying to grow what shouldn't grow in my area. If you're not an experienced teacher-don't be put off by inattentive students.
Adults are the worst students no matter how good you are. They will talk through your teaching. I have attended classes for teachers-THEY CAN BE THE WORST RUDE STUDENTS. Good luck-simpler is better. Allowing you thoughts to flow from questions is a great way to teach.

 

[brandylorton]

I am actually going to be teaching a beginner, hands on, gardening class next weekend. I'm passing out some booklets that get more in depth over certain things we'll be covering. Some of the girls coming have not started their first garden and I want to give them a clue on how to get going on the important stuff so they don't overwhelm themselves, or miss something vital and quit. I think that's the most important thing I want to get across.

"Gardening isn't always a perfect WIN, and sometimes things fail when its out of our hands. You just don't quit, but gain information to use in the future... and we move on!"

I am covering all the options to home gardening, traditional, raised beds, containers, hydroponics, ect. Then talking about organic options for gardening. Going on about composting, soil management, our zone, veggies, flowers, trees, companion planting, pruning, seed starting....

I'm trying to figure out what else we can cover? I've already put 20 pages into this booklet and I know I need to get more covered. Since this is pretty much an all day event, we start at 10:30am and quit when we've covered all everyone can handle in a day. We're having coffee, tea, baked goods and a lunch break. Looks like its going to be a beautiful weekend for it too.

So any suggestions of more I could cover, maybe some links to some of these things to see what I may have missed in my notes to print up? Sometimes, the information is in my head... I just need someone to mention it to dig it out and remember what its all about. My brain is pretty overwhelmed lately, and I just need some clarity I guess.

That all sounds like too much for a beginner. It will make gardening seem much harder than it has to be. I am an 8-10 hour a day 7 day a week gardener weather and family permitting. But, some people want to plant it and leave it. I always tell people to start small and increase gardens every year if they want. A failure does not mean you have no skill-it just means you may need more information. I am a great believer in experimentation-trying to grow what shouldn't grow in my area. If you're not an experienced teacher-don't be put off by inattentive students.
Adults are the worst students no matter how good you are. They will talk through your teaching. I have attended classes for teachers-THEY CAN BE THE WORST RUDE STUDENTS. Good luck-simpler is better. Allowing you thoughts to flow from questions is a great way to teach.

That is a very good thing that you give so much time to your garden each and every day but such a teaching lessons are going to help the beginners like me with such an experienced buy like you so. Wish us luck.