Courtesy of Paradigm Gardens
Tucked into New Orleans’ Central City neighborhood, a secret garden hides in plain sight. Most of the area surrounding it contains more or less what one expects to find two blocks off of I-10, with the Superdome visible on the horizon: shotgun houses, corner stores, churches, a barbecue spot. Then, breaking free from the constraints of the pot-hole-pocked asphalt is a lush, green oasis spanning just one magical city block. Vegetables grow, goats bleat, a brick wood-burning oven awaits a flame and a skilled hand, and sunflowers and zinnias stretch tall toward the sky. It’s pretty clear that for kids and adults alike, a day spent among the goats and flowers beats a day spent staring at Zoom lessons on a computer screen, no contest.
This is part of why Owner/Founder of Paradigm Gardens Joel Hitchcock Tilton and six parents founded Paradigm Garden School, Louisiana’s first and only K-12 “garden school” of its kind. The group has been discussing homeschooling for over a year now, even prior to COVID-19 resulting in traditional classrooms closing across the nation. “The pandemic provided the perfect catalyst to get the ball rolling and convince the other parents, who were a bit apprehensive at first,” Tilton said.
Now, the Montessori-inspired, project-and-field-trip-based, free program has received more interest than the organizers can accommodate. “We’ve had a tremendous amount of interest, which has been humbling,” Tilton said of the Garden School. “But we want to keep it small to be able to ensure the highest quality for each student.” The parents also serve as teachers, alongside Tilton, depending on their availability. “This way the parents take an active role in their kids’ education,” Tilton explained, “which the kids love!” Ten students were lucky enough to make the limited cut, though on Tuesday field trip days—to museums, bakeries, state parks, exhibitions, zoos, other gardens, and more—the community is invited and more students attend.
On Mondays, when school is held at Paradigm Gardens’ Tchoupitoulas campus, lessons in topics including animal husbandry, beekeeping, greenhouse management, and carpentry are taught, along with Spanish and core course work. Wednesday is back to the main Central City campus, and focuses on reading, writing, the scientific method, a variety of individual projects, and music. “At the end of the day each Wednesday, we will cook a large family-style meal using ingredients from the garden and invite a few homeless individuals to join us in our large family meal,” Tilton said.
Thursdays bring math and more science; more time for individual projects, more music. Lunch is provided twice weekly by The Daily Beet, a local health food restaurant and partner of Paradigm Garden School. Head Chef and Owner Dylan Maisel will also teach a class on fermented foods. “Owning and running Paradigm Gardens over the past five years has allowed me to forge relationships with phenomenal chefs and musicians who have been more than gracious with their time as guest teachers,” Tilton explained.
These guest teachers and partners include Mason Hereford, who has received both local and national acclaim as owner and Head Chef of Turkey & the Wolf. Once filmed for Bon Appétit Magazine doing rollerblade tricks while brandishing his highly-sought-after fried bologna sandwich, it’s no surprise that the kids are excited to learn cooking from him. Turkey & the Wolf also supplies lunch once a week; another partner, Gracious Bakery, supplies snacks. Sorry, grownups, there’s no room for us to enroll—trust me, I asked.
Sunday’s school day entails the students working and running the weekly Paradigm Plant Sale that funds the rest of the week’s activities, “Teaching them hard work, and the value of hard-work and determination,” according to Tilton.
The Garden School’s diversity does not end with its curriculum. Regular students vary in age from three to sixteen years old, with a variety of learning abilities and backgrounds. Parents and students range from Bahamian American, to Trinidadian American, to Columbian, to Jewish, and beyond. In breaking the mold of a traditional classroom setting, as well as doing away with labels such as “special needs” or “behavioral issues,” Paradigm Garden School imparts practical real-life skills, while allowing students and parents/teachers alike to pursue and develop their own unique interests.
The Paradigm Gardens Plant Sale that funds the Garden School takes place every Sunday morning from 9 am–12 pm, and in addition to a variety of plants offers live music, breakfast, cold brew coffee, and goats.
