Fifteen years ago, Alice Waters introduced Berkeley middle school students to the joys of growing, cooking, and eating their own food. Her ideas have inspired countless schools and started a revolution across the country.
FIVE PRINCIPLES FOR AN EDIBLE EDUCATION BY ALICE WATERS
I. FOOD IS AN ACADEMIC SUBJECT
Ecology and gastronomy bring alive every subject from reading and writing to science and art.
II. SCHOOL PROVIDES LUNCH FOR EVERY CHILD
Good food is a right not a privilege. It brings children into a positive relationship with their health, community and environment.
III. SCHOLS SUPPORT FARMS
Cafeterias buy fresh food from local farms, not only for reasons of health but to strengthen local food economies.
IV. CHILDREN LEARN BY DOING
Children work in the vegetable beds and on the cutting boards to awaken their senses and open their minds, both to their core academic subjects and to the world around them.
V. BEAUTY IS A LANGUAGE
A beautifully prepared environment, where deliberate thought has gone into everything from the paths to the plates on the tables, communicates to children that we care about them.