How a Student-Run School Farm Is Redefining Special Education and Life Skills

Send us Fan MailI sat down with special education teacher Alanna O’Donnell to explore how urban farming, gardening, and raising chickens are transforming learning for students with significant disabilities at P177Q, the Robin Sue Ward School for Exceptional Children in Queens, New York. Alanna shares how her background in service and community work shaped a teaching philosophy rooted in empathy, real-world learning, and trust in student capability. When traditional classroom approaches fell short, she turned to hands-on, outdoor learning—starting with a school garden and eventually bringing chickens into the school community.The conversation dives into how caring for animals became a powerful educational tool. Through daily farm routines, students developed emotional regulation, communication, life skills, and confidence—often without realizing they were “learning” in the traditional sense. Alanna describes how students counted eggs, built coops, voted to name chickens, and learned to navigate both success and failure, including thoughtful conversations around loss. These experiences provided structure, purpose, and dignity, especially for nonverbal students and those who struggled with abstract instruction.The episode also highlights the broader impact of the program, from a student-run farm and micro-enterprise to statewide recognition at an agricultural competition—the first time special education students were invited to participate. While they didn’t win, the experience affirmed the power of inclusion, visibility, and high expectations. Alanna reflected on what this model reveals about education, food systems, and community, and why experiential, farm-based learning offers a compelling blueprint for preparing students with disabilities for life beyond the classroom.Chicks in the City InstagramNew York Ag in the ClassroomRobin Sue Ward School for Exceptional ChildrenFull Blogpost about the Podcast Interview with Alanna O'DonnellThank you for taking the time to listen to The Agri-Tourist Podcast, for supporting our inspirational guests, and for sharing my personal journey back to agriculture.  Agri-Tourist.comHeartBeet FarmsInstagramAbout Jen Ross, The Agri-Tourist Podcast HostGlobal Agritourism Network