초등학교 정서장애아를 위한 원예치료의 문헌적 탐색 및 실과교육에의 적용방안

Literature Review on Horticultural Therapy for Emotionally Disturbed Elementary Students and Its Application to Practical Arts Education

Social, psychological and mental stresses recently tend to increase mental disorders(sickness) of human-beings. Such stresses are not exceptional to elementary school children, and tend to make them impatient, aggressive and rebellious. Thus, this study was carried out to review literatures on mentally disturbed elementary school students as affected by horticultural activities, called horticultural therapy, and to develop a model for class instruction to which the horticultural therapy might be applied in elementary practical arts subject. The results from this study were summarized as follows: 1. Among all elementary school children, 10-15% students have experienced depression, anxiety or irritation, and maladjustment behaviors in their school lives. It was reported that both depression and anxiety were significantly reduced by gardening activities of horticultural crops. 2. A great number of low grade students(1-3 graders) have experienced difficulties in maintaining normal social relationship with their classmates. It was known that the difficulties were due to mental disorders, which often resulted in maladjustment behaviors. Such behaviors were also reported to be possibly reduced and/or improved by horticultural activities as gardening. 3. The model for class instruction, which the horticultural therapy was applied to the Unit Three ‘Gardening Flowering Plants and Vegetables’ for the fifth graders in Practical Arts subject, were developed for emotionally disturbed school children, and presented here in this study. 4. As a conclusion, the results from this study are expected to widen the use of horticultural therapy to elementary schools as an alternative for the children experiencing mental disorders.