Let’s “Mix it Up” with a School Garden to promote engagement

This story explores the evidence, said to be lacking, that our brains have particular “learning styles.” This message is still taught in teacher school. http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/08/29/139973743/think-youre-an-auditory-or-visual-learner-scientists-say-its-unlikely How about we teach children by “mixing it up” as this story promotes. As 2014 approaches, trying something new that’s really old might become vogue again. Why? Because all schools cannot all be “above average” by 2014. And even if a school as a whole tests proficient, certainly there will be groups left behind in the Annual Yearly Progress measures. Gardens would help “mix it up” and bring something new into the learning environment. We can teach standards through gardening. It doesn’t give the repetition that you can get in a classroom, but sometimes less is more when they are really paying attention.  On the other hand, how can I work in gardening when I have 33 fourth-graders in the class that I soon begin long-term subbing. I am looking forward to it, but yowza! IMHO, this story pushes it overboard, based on what I have seen teaching. We have preferences for how we remember details, or get engaged in a topic. And in what kind of environment we are talking about the brain operating? Brains working in a class of 33 is nothing like one brain working one-on-one with a teacher and/or assisted by computer learning or something else hands-on.