Children and Preservice Teachers: Gardening, Academics, and Situated Disciplinary Literacy

• In Event: Engagement With Youth in the Community

Abstract

A Community Service Learning (CSL) project helped 28 children and seven preservice teachers, all Latinos/as. This CSL project took place at an after-school tutorial center in Esperanza, pseudonym for a South Texas colonia, or unincorporated area. Caring and recontructivism were the theoretical frameworks. We used child interviews, parent and child pre- and post-college surveys, parent program evaluations, and tutors/mentors’ reflections as data sources. Emerging themes were children’s access to college and outdoor education and improved academics and preservice teachers’ self-efficacy in teaching disciplinary literacy. This study is significant because it demonstrates innovative ways to expose children to outdoor activities, have access to college, and improve their academic motivation; it also helped preservice teachers to gain efficacy in subject-area teaching.

Authors

• Kathy M. Bussert-Webb, The University of Texas - Brownsville

• Maria Diaz, The University of Texas - Brownsville