Download the magazine from Greensboro Day School, with an article about Clarissa in it!

I just finished my third year teaching seventh grade life science at Greensboro Day School in Greensboro, NC. I have my M.Ed. from the University of North Carolina in Greensboro (UNCG) in middle grades education. I have also taught outdoor education, which is what brought me to teaching.

My interest in permaculture came through my encounters with Dr. Charlie Headington at UNCG. He has been integral to bringing permaculture to Greensboro through his courses at UNCG gardening program, the Greensboro Montessori School, and designing gardens around town (including the garden I use at Greensboro Day School). Charlie has been newly appointed to be the director of the Edible Schoolyard at the Greensboro Children's Museum.

In June 2009, inspired by Charlie, I was fortunate enough to receive a grant from the Parents' Association at my school to attend took the summer intensive Permaculture Certification Course at Commonweal Garden.

As I returned to the 2009-2010 school year I made it a goal to elevate the 7th grade garden to new levels. I had a goal to achieve higher yields while using the garden in more meaningful ways in my curriculum. I also have been working the lower school science teacher to develop a more complete gardening curriculum for our school.

Some of the things I have focused on upon returning:

• Making functionality a priority as a way of improving how I ask students to work in the garden.
• Making efforts to organize the students, materials and resources has greatly improved the student personal interest and investment in the garden.
• Organized shed and made it so student know where things are
• Added a water line (city water, unfortunately) to the annual beds to improve accessibly
• Hosted a family pruning day to help with our old, unkempt food forest
• Built new annual beds
• Worked with our school cafeteria and come up with a plan for growing for the cafeteria
• Exposed my students to new foods
• Offered students the opportunity to connect with the natural world on a daily basis

If you would like to contact Clarissa, you can reach her at clarissa.marshall@greensboroday.org.

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