In implementing food and agriculture education, the Taitung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station (TTDARES) of the Ministry of Agriculture held a class on millet with Kao Shih-chung, who was named one of the 2nd Top 100 Young Farmers, as the speaker on October 13 (Friday), 2023, at Sanmin Elementary School in the town of Chenggong. The class gave teachers and students (105 in total) a closer look at the agricultural industry and, in particular, taught them about cultivating millet and the grain’s connection to the locality.
First, the way millet is used and its symbolic meaning in Indigenous culture were discussed. Through the use of props, students were introduced to different varieties and their uses and shown how to keep birds away. As for the hands-on aspect, students were taught how to plant millet. Teachers at the school expressed that such hands-on instruction allowed students to not only experience the fun of farming but also see how hard farmers work to produce foods we eat and gain an understanding of millet in Indigenous culture, all of which contribute to fostering a sense of care for the land in students.
First, the way millet is used and its symbolic meaning in Indigenous culture were discussed. Through the use of props, students were introduced to different varieties and their uses and shown how to keep birds away. As for the hands-on aspect, students were taught how to plant millet. Teachers at the school expressed that such hands-on instruction allowed students to not only experience the fun of farming but also see how hard farmers work to produce foods we eat and gain an understanding of millet in Indigenous culture, all of which contribute to fostering a sense of care for the land in students.
