Lien was one of the first students who showed interest in developing a CAS project related to the school garden in 2018. When we first met, I asked her what interests she has and which of her skills we could use to develop a project that suits her and would keep her motivated. She immediately said she loves art, painting and graphic design. It didn’t take me long to think of something she could create to be used in the school garden. I was already dreaming of developing our own LIS Garden Journal. Lien loved the idea as well and so over the following months she designed several work sheets for the Garden Journal.
The sheets are available on the school garden website and I also created a Garden to Go were our students and children from the neighborhood can take a sheet and fill in their thoughts at home.
This is the reflection Lien wrote about the project after it was finished:
“I am so grateful for this amazing experience. It was, I think, my first experience, which was more long-term (as the journal would be for the next year) and I was surprised to find myself motivated the whole time. I think part of it was thanks to the wonderful cooperation with the leader of the School Garden Project, Ms. Vogel-Sirin. She provided the framework, and together we contributed ideas, which then all poured into the sketches, revision and feedback, and finally the finished pages.
First Sketch…. 
…Final Product
But I experienced firsthand how contact, consideration can be extremely motivating, through our frequent conversations, her warmth and excitement for the project and her consideration for when I had the Mock Exams for example. It gave me a sense of being appreciated and valued and also raised my excitement, all of which I want to bring to the people I work with in the future too. Creating something that could help younger students learn and improve is very fulfilling for me as well, a way to leave something helpful for them when I leave.”
