A l'UM la science [S03-ep25] : Gardening at school

This week in A l'UM la science, Sylvain Wagnon, researcher at the Lirdefthe interdisciplinary research laboratory in didactics, education and training, presents his latest book, co-written with Corine Martel, a French national education inspector, Jardiner à l'école pour s'ouvrir au monde. A program co-produced with Divergence FM and broadcast every Wednesday at 6pm on 93.9.

While a liquid sky has been falling over our heads for the past few days, gardeners are celebrating, and not just any holiday: Saint Georges, Saint Marc, Saint Eutrope and soon Saint Philippe, celebrated between April 25 and May 3, are... the Riders of the Cold! Particularly in our northern regions, they mark the end of the risk of frost and therefore the start of planting. My grandmother, who used to dig and weed the soil in Normandy, swore by Saint Mamert, Saint Pancrace and Saint Servais, the Saints de Glace celebrated on May 11, 12 and 13.    

In short, it's time to get out your gloves, boots and hoe! And since the garden side is never far from the yard side, today we're bringing you a program devoted to gardening at school. The idea is not new, and carrots, cabbages and radishes have long been familiar units of measurement for schoolchildren. But gardening at school has much more to offer than just learning to count. It's also a great way to learn about chemistry, biology and history, to draw and sing, and to get a new perspective on nature and your classmates. 

The introduction to our guest's book reads: " Gardening underpins the values of patience, perseverance, sharing and respect that are essential to a democratic, inclusive and emancipating education. So gardening in schools has significant educational, environmental and social implications. " In a world that seems to us all a little colder and harsher than usual, and even if we're no saints, giving a voice to those who are betting on a gentler future seemed to us a good way of breaking the ice too. 

In the studio with us Sylvain Wagnon, researcher at Lirdef, the interdisciplinary laboratory for research into didactics, education and training, and co-author with Corine Martel, a national education inspector, of the book Jardiner à l'école pour s'ouvrir au monde published by ESF Science humaine.

At UM la science you've got the program, here we go!

Coproduction: Divergence FM / Université de Montpellier
Animation: Lucie Lecherbonnier
Interviews: Aline Périault / Lucie Lecherbonnier
Production : Tom Chevallier

Listen to the program "A l'UM la science" on Divergence FM 93.9