Time for planting!
A healthy stretch of forest in Oberursel
In honor of the 50th anniversary of Frankfurt International School (FIS), the school has begun a partnership with local forestry authorities to join in protecting local environment, while at the same time using it for teaching opportunities.
Today, the grade Grade 7 students got the opportunity to apply their science knowledge about deforestation and the importance of trees, and then joined forces to take action.
On a slope in the forest about 1km above FIS, a storm has caused some deforestation. Students and teachers collaborated with foresters to plant trees in that location. FIS donated the funds for 400 trees and students participated in the planting.
In the future, FIS will continue to help maintain the reforested area and integrate this action in their science and environmental citizenship curricula.
Today, all seventh graders walked into the woods and planted seedlings together. They helped with digging holes, planted trees, and learned about the forest in guided tours with the foresters.
There is a green forest in my hometown in Japan. I wish the school could teach japanese students the knowledge and experiences.
Their time will come, too.
This is the first time ever for FIS to engage in such a project, as far as I know.
Students need hands-on experience and this teaching philosophy is more prevalent in western cultures.
Asian education still focuses mostly on just plain book study and memorizing. See 학원 or 学習塾.