Seller
Your price
£22.00
The Power of a Plant
A Teacher's Odyssey to Grow Healthy Minds and Schools
Genres:
Biography: general, Food & society, Educational strategies & policy, Philosophy & theory of education, Teaching staff, Teaching skills & techniques, Education
Trade or Institutional customer? Contact us about large order quotes.
Synopsis
Stephen Ritz became a teacher more than 30 years ago. In 2004, he was teaching in the South Bronx at a high school with rampant crime and a 17 percent graduation rate. After what can only be defined as a cosmic experience where a flower broke up a fight in his classroom, he saw a way to start tackling his school's problems: plants. He flipped his curriculum to integrate gardening as an entry point for all learning. What has happened since has become an international phenomenon. As Ritz likes to say, '40,000 pounds of vegetables later, my favorite crop is organically grown citizens, graduates, members of the middle class, and children who are growing and eating themselves into good health and amazing opportunities.' In The Power of a Plant, Ritz highlights how greening a curriculum allows students to grow their capacity to better their lives.
Ritz has helped increase students' daily attendance from 40% to 93%, achieve 100% graduation rates, reduce behavioral incidents by more than 50%, increase passing rates on state exams by 45%, achieve 100% passing rates on NYS Regents Exams with special needs students, and partner toward 2,200 local jobs in a community with 25 percent unemployment! The book features Ritz's cornerstone of learning, "Make Epic Happen," which is broken down into three main takeaways: collisions, connections, and co-learning. The Power of a Plant is a story of hope, resilience, regeneration, and optimism. New & Used
| Seller | Information | Condition | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | - | New | Out of Stock |
What Reviewers Are Saying
ENDORSEMENTS
"Education should unleash human potential, which is infinite in its capacity to create, know, and solve every conceivable problem. Stephen Ritz has opened a door to this unbounded field of possibilities, which he elegantly describes in The Power of a Plant."
-Deepak Chopra, New York Times bestselling author and author of You are the Universe
"Here's proof positive that one person can make a difference. Stephen Ritz uses food plants-Green Bronx Machine-to transform kids and their school environments. You can do this too!"
-Marion Nestle, professor of food, nutrition, and public health at New York University, and author of What to Eat
"Building a new and effective Good Food system is everyone's obligation, and it starts with education. Stephen's epic story teaches us how to turn every community into a place that nourishes bodies and minds. He's my hero.
-Will Allen, CEO of Growing Power and author of The Good Food Revolution
"Stephen Ritz is one of the most innovative, genuine, and tenacious educators I have ever met. He is the kind of superhero we need standing for our kids and their well-being. He uses gardening to inspire, challenge, and get kids growing in ways that transform their lives and communities. His story will touch your heart and propel you to plant a seed!"
-Nona Evans, president and executive director of Whole Kids Foundation
"In his new book The Power of a Plant, Stephen Ritz weaves a beautiful personal tale of how boundless passion, purpose, and hope can move generations of students in New York's tough South Bronx to realize their untapped human potential. Stephen uses the power of kindness and purpose to not only teach kids about the world but to create a better world for all of us."
-Daniel Lubetzky, CEO and founder of KIND Snacks
"The only thing bigger than the impact Stephen has had helping countless students understand the importance of their food choices is his infectious personality. The Power of a Plant outlines the remarkable work he has done to date and provides a blueprint for how educators around the world can implement his learnings effectively."
-Tom Colicchio, chef and owner of Crafted Hospitality
"Education should unleash human potential, which is infinite in its capacity to create, know, and solve every conceivable problem. Stephen Ritz has opened a door to this unbounded field of possibilitie
-Deepak Chopra, New York Times bestselling author and author of You are the Universe
"Here's proof positive that one person can make a difference. Stephen Ritz uses food plants-Green
-Marion Nestle, professor of food, nutrition, and public health at New York University, and author of What to Eat
"Building a new and effective Good Food system is everyone's obligation, and it starts with education. Stephen's epic story teaches us how to turn every community into a place that nourishes bodies and minds. He's my hero.
-Will Allen, CEO of Growing Power and author of The Good Food Revolution
"Stephen Ritz is one of the most innovative, genuine, and tenacious educators I have ever met. He is the kind of superhero we need standing for our kids and their well-being. He uses gardening to inspire, challenge, and get kids growing in ways that transform their lives and communities.
-Nona Evans, president and executive director of Whole Kids Foundation
"In his new book The Power of a Plant, Stephen Ritz weaves a beautiful personal tale of how boundless passion, purpose, and hope can move generations of students in New York's tough South Bronx to realize their untapped human potential. Stephen uses the power of kindness and purpose to not only teach kids about the world but to create a better world for all of us."
-Daniel Lubetzky, CEO and founder of KIND Snacks
"The only thing bigger than the impact Stephen has had helping countless students understand the importance of their food choices is his infectious personality.
-Tom Colicchio, chef and owner of Crafted Hospitality