Diverse Education: Farm and Classroom in One Place

Going to college in a different city was a mind boggling experience for me. The tall buildings I was so used to seeing was reduced to small homes and farms. My eyes widened every time I would see a cow grazing in the pasture. A city kid like me wasn't used to this rural form of living. But it was my home for the four years. Of course, I spent most of the time on the campus so I didn't get to see too much of the farm life. Yet, a trend is bringing the farm life to schools according to this article in TakePart. For many years, Montessori schools have been sprouting up all across the country. There are now 500 public and between 4,000 to 6,000 private Montessori schools spreading their diverse practices to children everywhere.They incorporate both indoor and outdoor learning where books and lesson plans remain in the classroom and gardening and animal care take place outdoors. One school in Hartford even teaches and encourages their students to learn the art of beekeeping. From Take Part: “Beekeeping is a microeconomy,” John Freeman, the principal of the Annie Fisher Montessori school says. The students will buy the bees and build their boxes, then do all the financial planning and work with the public to sell the resulting products, such as honey and beeswax. The young beekeepers will also study the molecular makeup of honey, the anatomy of bees and learn about the history of beekeeping around the world. “They will do this all side by side with an adult who will act as their role model,” he says. These new crop of schools focus on nurturing the creativity and the imagination of their students while enhancing their practical skills as well. However, I wonder how can a school such as this thrive in an urban setting. I think it would make a surreal experience for kids growing up in the city to be a part of. They can learn something so diverse from the natural world they grew up in. It could possibly make them more well-rounded to this expanse planet. Can something like a Montessori School enhance the quality of education for inner city kids? I think so. What's your opinion on this issue? Please let us know in the comments section below.