| Purpose of the Learning Garden | | | | Partners of the Learning Garden |
| The John Muir Learning Garden is designed to give | | | | The Learning Garden would not be possible without |
| San Francisco Schools students a change to take | | | | the support in terms of time and money from a |
| learning further outside of the classroom. The Garden | | | | variety of neighborhood partners. San Francisco area |
| builds on the fundamental curriculum concerns of the | | | | businesses, organizations, and volunteer groups have |
| elementary school and provides an opportunity for | | | | all played a role in establishing the Learning Garden. |
| students to gain real life experience that | | | | Located in Daniel E. Koshland Park, the Learning |
| complements their academic studies. San Francisco | | | | Garden has benefited from the dedication of two |
| school students are able to integrate classroom | | | | part-time garden mentors provided by the Hayes |
| literacy, mathematics, science, history, and language | | | | Valley Neighborhoods Parks Group. These two |
| arts instruction through their participation in activities | | | | women, Rebecca and Aubrey, have become part of |
| in the Learning Garden. | | | | the local community as they organize activities that |
| The Learning Garden reaches out to the community | | | | raise local awareness about the environment. |
| in providing outreach services for parents, neighbors, | | | | Further assistance has come from the San Francisco |
| and interested volunteers. Mentor gardeners work | | | | League of Urban Gardeners, the Center for |
| with teachers and students to design educational | | | | Ecoliteracy, the Recreation and Park Department, the |
| opportunities. One of the interesting projects going | | | | Buddhist Peace Fellowship, and the San Francisco Zen |
| on now is the sustainable composting program that | | | | Center. All of these organizations have devoted time |
| takes organic waste from San Francisco school | | | | and money to helping the John Muir Learning Garden |
| lunches and uses it for fertilizing garden projects | | | | become an environmental center for the San |
| instead of filling landfills. This is just one of many | | | | Francisco community, especially the children that |
| projects that combine garden training with practical | | | | attend John Muir Elementary School. In particular, the |
| real world environmental concerns. The events | | | | John Muir Learning Garden is indebted to the Buddhist |
| organized in the park help students and the | | | | Peace Fellowship, which donated the initial funds to |
| community learn about how to protect the local | | | | start the Learning Garden and remains an active |
| environment while studying nature in an urban setting. | | | | community partner with John Muir Elementary School. |