The Upper School manages a small organic vegetable and herb farm . Right : students prepare a hole for an erosion-controlling tree .
elements of the campus to better allow students to independently grow and learn outdoors .
Of course children need teachers too , and Butler Montessori ’ s help students develop a well-balanced understanding of their relationship to the natural world . They motivate children by tapping into the curiosity and joy developed through meaningful outdoor experiences . All classes , at all ages , enjoy frequent nature walks through the campus ’ s varied terrains . Children learn to observe and enjoy what surrounds them : animals , plants , rocks , streams . Students can then analyze their observations : gathering and classifying leaves , for example .
The adults encourage students to use natural resources to develop their aesthetic and physical skills . Children plant and care for gardens , learning the needs of living things and the rewards that come from nurturing them by gathering blossoms to practice flower arrangement . Butler Montessori ’ s teachers help students find opportunities to protect the world that surrounds them . Students learn
about erosion by building and observing model rivers in the banks of their stream . Later , students help plant trees on and off campus to prevent excessive sediment from clouding local waterways .
Children move beyond the campus to experience similar connections throughout their years at Butler Montessori . The school takes advantage of the opportunities provided from its location within Montgomery County ’ s Agricultural Reserve . Elementary students visit local farms ; middle school students meet local farmers to learn how to optimize their farm yield while protecting the local environment . Children travel beyond the reserve to explore the interrelationships within ecosystems and opportunities for stewardship in varied locations , from the shores of the Chesapeake to the forests of the Rocky Mountains .
So much time spent playing and learning outside fosters a fierce love for the campus and the surrounding world . How could it not ? The more a person learns about and enjoys a place , the more they will value it . Butler Montessori ’ s students , adults , and wider community willingly invest sweat equity to enhance and protect the campus . The student-led group “ Save the Earth Project ” regularly inspires each class to remove litter from the grounds . Students even range onto the adjoining state park to collect trash and improve the experience for visitors .
Every spring , Butler Montessori invites volunteers to join the “ Get Out and Garden ” festival on campus . Beyond tending gardens , adults and children work together to maintain outdoor learning areas , remove invasive plants , and restore habitat . Every day during the school year , parents and students strive to avoid food waste by planning careful lunches . Some classrooms maintain systems to collect what little organic leftovers are available for composting .
Why would a school need compost ? Beyond the needs of the classroom gardens , the Upper School ( middle and high school ) students manage a small organic farm . Starting in seventh grade , the students work together to plant , maintain , and harvest a variety
plenty I autumn harvest 2024 49