Mission Discovery School Garden
We use gardens regularly. Maria Montessori, the founder of Montessori Education said, “When he (the student) knows that the life of the plants that have been sown depends upon his care in watering them…without which the little plant dries up…the child becomes vigilant, as one who is beginning to feel a mission in life.”
Our school focuses on children discovering their mission in life and gardening will be a major facilitator to that end.
"The child is initiated into foresight by way of auto-education; when he knows that the life of the plants that have been sown depends upon his care in watering them, and that of the animals, upon his diligence in feeding them, without which the little plant dries up and the animals suffer hunger, the child becomes vigilant, as one who is beginning to feel a mission in life." - Maria Montessori
Twenty-five children, regardless of enrollment in the school, can sign up to have their own 3 x 3 ft garden plot, in garden boxes to control.
Children will be free to come weed, water and harvest their gardens anytime. In the cooking camp we will be cooking food from the garden indoors & outdoors, and learning about nutrition education. A sustainable agriculture expert will teach sustainable agriculture to the children. We will re-use material i.e. eat fruit & put the rest in compost. We will teach children that everything has value. We will walk among the plants while talking about the process of the food obtaining nutrients from the air, ground and water which our bodies use when we eat the pants.
The garden will help youth adopt a balanced diet and physically active lifestyle.
We will be planting gardens outside, and learning nutrition education. As part of our program we teach sun-safety/skin cancer awareness.
We will hold a community open house harvest night in the Fall. The children will show their gardens to the community and each child will prepare a display of what they have learned about gardening. They can choose to offer their produce for sale at the event. We will also provide opportunities for children to sell their harvest at the local farmers market nearby the school. Some of the produce will be allowed to go to seed and the seeds will be collected. We will share the seeds with the community.
The school will also be hosting adult education classes throughout the summer and school year. Some of the classes will be taught outside to enjoy the beauty of the gardens. Benches and other seating areas will be placed in the garden areas to encourage everyone to spend time in the garden. The youth in the school will be encouraged to complete their required reading hours in the garden area.
We will hold a community open house harvest night in the Fall. The children will show their gardens to the community and each child will prepare a display of what they have learned about gardening. They can choose to offer their produce for sale at the event. We will also provide opportunities for children to sell their harvest at the local farmers market nearby the school. Some of the produce will be allowed to go to seed and the seeds will be collected. We will share the seeds with the community.
The school will also be hosting adult education classes throughout the summer and school year. Some of the classes will be taught outside to enjoy the beauty of the gardens. Benches and other seating areas will be placed in the garden areas to encourage everyone to spend time in the garden. The youth in the school will be encouraged to complete their required reading hours in the garden area.
