Preschoolers Learn Empathy and Help End Poverty
Published on
October 25, 2024 at 2:21:03 PM PDT October 25, 2024 at 2:21:03 PM PDTth, October 25, 2024 at 2:21:03 PM PDT
Photographs by Tania Driediger
What does it mean to “cultivate”?
That’s just the question that preschool teacher, Tania Driediger, explored with her students at Vernon Christian School (VCS).
Tania hoped that she could teach her young students in a practical way about growing the fruit of the Spirit in their own lives. It takes creativity to teach three- to five-year-olds that they have the ability to nurture love, joy, peace, and kindness! She wanted to instill that, even at such a young age, everyone can do something to help others.
Their school's theme for the year was, "A time to cultivate," to challenge students and staff to "work the soil" of their school community to grow Christ-like character. So Tania made a plan to teach her students to grow the fruits of the Spirit by literally cultivating plants. They started with propagating donated plant cuttings—succulents and strawberry—as a lesson in tending to growth.
“Teaching my preschoolers that we could plant a garden on the opposite side of the world was a difficult concept for them to understand,” Tania explained. “How could we? I told them that first we would need to raise some money and we could do it by selling the plants we were propagating in our classroom window.”
And so the project began! The children took the plant cuttings, placed them in test tubes, and hung them in their classroom window. Little by little, they began to grow.
Over the next four months, the children patiently watered, nurtured, and observed 30 plants as they sprouted roots and grew into something that would itself bring life. In the spring, they planted succulent and strawberry runners that Tania had in her own garden and planted those too.
During that time, Tania taught them about the fruits of the Spirit, using the plants to demonstrate that we all need to intentionally cultivate and nourish the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. They learned to be servant-hearted, build community, enjoy creation, and how to build the kingdom of God in small, practical, and precious ways. As they carefully planted their seedlings, they learned patience, kindness, and gentleness.
“Even preschoolers can make a difference.” — Tania
Soon, the succulents and strawberry plants had grown large enough to transplant. They now had a hundred plants to sell! The children eagerly gathered them to sell at a fundraiser for Food for the Hungry at their Grandparents’ Day celebration. Their goal was to raise $50 for FH’s Gifts for Change Gift Guide.
Tania's students carefully watered and cared for their plants, learning about patience and gentleness in the process. They were excited to see how their plants had grown and to use them to make a difference!
“Through the generosity of parents and grandparents, we tripled [our goal]!” Tania exclaimed. “It may not be a huge amount, however, for these four-year-olds it was a learning opportunity for them to be directly involved in the process of making money to donate themselves.”
“Once we sold the plants, we could give the money to Food for the Hungry so they could provide seeds and garden tools to a family so they could plant their own garden. I think it was at that point that the kids started to understand how they could help. Some children brought their loonies from their piggy bank to add to the amount.”
The fundraiser was a huge success in so many ways. In total, the class raised $157 to buy Fruit & Veggie Seeds, Garden Tools, and a Green Thumb Bundle from the Gifts for Change Gift Guide, supporting agriculture programs for families and communities in FH Canada’s partner countries.
“I was hoping the children would understand the connection that when we grew and sold plants, that a family in another part of the world could do the same.” — Tania
“I was hoping the children would understand the connection that when we grew and sold plants, that a family in another part of the world could do the same,” Tania explains. “We have so many resources available to us.”
“Even preschoolers can make a difference!” Tania smiles.