What is a Montessori Farm School?
 

Fifty years ago, Doctor Maria Montessori had a unique vision for adolescent education:

…during the difficult time of adolescence it is helpful to leave the accustomed environment of the family in the town and go to quiet surroundings in the country, close to nature. Here, an open-air life, individual care, and a non-toxic diet, must be first considerations in organizing a “center for study and work.”

—Maria Montessori, From Childhood to Adolescence

Today this vision is being realized in Montessori schools across the country. At a Montessori farm school, young adolescents live and work together to develop independence, responsibility, and maturity, while experiencing deep intellectual and personal growth. Students live at the school, caring for animals, working in a market garden, cooking meals, cleaning and maintaining the school buildings–doing all the work of building and sustaining a community. At the same time, they take part in hands-on, engaging academic work that integrates the study of humanities, science, language, mathematics, and artistic expression. A day-only enrollment option is also available.

A Center for Study, and Work

The school provides a broad and deep range of experiences to meet a young person’s needs for intellectual stimulation, creative expression, independence, responsibility, social development, and personal growth.  To meet these needs, a student’s experience at the school has three major components: study, work, and community life.

Study 

Occupations: The ‘Occupations’ are integrated science projects that arise naturally from the needs of the school community. Occupations combine meaningful hands-on work and responsibility with scientific investigation and study. Students choose from a range of farm and community projects such as animal study and care, organic gardening, food preservation, small structure construction, and many more that arise from need or interest. Occupation groups take on practical work in their area while studying the science relevant to their project. Over the course of a student’s enrollment, chemistry, physics, botany, zoology, earth science, and other areas are covered. Projects incorporate lectures, readings, discussions, experiments, independent projects, and student presentations.

Humanities: A preparation for participation in adult life, our Humanities program tells the story of humanity from our origins as hunter-gatherers to our life in the modern times. Students explore cultures from around the world as we move through history, learning what each one has contributed to human development. Students work in conference-style classes which include lectures, primary and secondary source readings, note-taking, hands-on work, seminar discussions, research and formal writing, independent projects, creative expression, and presentations to the community.

Mathematics: Students pursue mathematics in small groups using manipulatives, calculators, computers, and pencil and paper. Classes cover pre-algebra through geometry, and special workshops in basic skills and advanced topics are offered as well. Mathematical problem-solving also arises frequently in the context of the occupations. 

Literature: Literature is studied in small group sessions as well as in the context of the Humanities. Students choose from a range of offerings, but are guided to work that presents an appropriate challenge for their ability and grade level. Literature study includes seminar discussion techniques, written responses, and critical interpretation.

Creative Expression: Creative expression is essential to adolescent development, as young people explore and experiment with their emerging identities. We offer a series of short classes in the performing and visual arts so students can experience a wide range of creativity and media. Specific offerings depend on student interest and the availability of outside experts. Students present a play or musical every year.

Physical Education: Physical education is important to young adolescents as well, providing a focus for their physical energy, an exposure to a range of activities, and an opportunity to challenge themselves. A series of activities, both for individuals and for groups, is offered to give students exposure to a wide range of choices.

Work

Work is an integral part of the student experience at NWMMS. Adolescents have a developmental need to experience real, meaningful work. Young teens begin to measure themselves against the standards of the real world. Meaningful work, with results that matter, helps to make those standards concrete. Meeting one’s own needs by one’s own work is essential to independent adulthood, so working to put food on the table and care for one’s surroundings are essential activities for young people. Finally, it takes a lot of work to keep a small community going. At NWMMS, students learn through direct experience that their contributions are essential.

Chores: Like any household or small community, the school requires some basic everyday work to function effectively. Students rotate through responsibilities such as animal care, food preparation, taking out the garbage, cleaning the building, and organizing their personal spaces. Students see chores as a responsibility, a community contribution, and occasionally as a burden, but mostly just as a fact of life.

Community Work: Larger tasks that call for more time or greater numbers are taken on by the community as a whole. This might include preparing the garden for planting, harvesting and preserving, maintaining fences, etc. Students and staff work side by side to accomplish these bigger projects.

Valorization—Work for Rewards: Dr. Montessori recognized that young adolescents have a drive to work for external rewards—she use the term ‘valorization.’  Students take part in real economic activity preparing and selling produce and crafts at farmers’ markets and other outlets. Other economic activities are taken on as interest and ability indicate. Older students take on managerial roles overseeing various areas of the community work.

Community Service: Students engage in regular community service and volunteer activities to give them experience working outside their own community.

Community Life

The work of the young adolescent is preparation for entry into adult society.  Community life at NWMMS is carefully planned and structured to foster a young person’s development into a competent, confident, and well-rounded adult. Because community life extends beyond the boundaries of the school day, five-day boarding offers the fullest experience for the student. Day students can take part in the rich community created by boarding, although with some limitations. Our program emphasizes independence, responsibility, and conscious community living. Students take an active role in every aspect of community life, preparing meals, caring for the farm and the school buildings, working as a group and as individuals to solve problems, and learning to resolve conflicts peacefully.

Community Organization: Students take an active role in the communication and organization essential to building and maintaining a healthy community. Students and staff meet weekly in a Community Council to share successes, discuss issues, solve problems, offer thanks and apologies, and generally manage and organize community affairs

In addition, boarding students meet weekly to discuss residential events and plan after-school and evening activities. Living in community is a complex challenge for any age group, and boarders’ meetings can be lively forums for issues from breakfast menus to bedtime policies and all points in between.

Chores: As described above, students have regular chores throughout the week. Boarding students take on additional chores that take place after school, such as animal care and the evening meal. This affords them greater opportunities for responsibility, independence, and personal engagement.

Conflict Resolution: Conflicts are a normal part of any community. Our conflict resolution procedure emphasizes clear, honest communication, understanding of opposing points of view, and concrete steps towards building better relationships.

Social Life: Young adolescence is a period of intense and sometimes tumultuous social development. During this period, young people explore friendship, honesty, trust, confidence, vulnerability, and many other issues involved in learning to form healthy, functional social relationships. At NWMMS, students have the opportunity to develop these relationships and skills in a safe and supported context, surrounded by sensitive, values-driven adults committed to helping students work through these key developmental passages. Students are free to choose social activities during their open time if they remain in good academic standing. For young teens, any activity can be a social activity, including working, talking, eating, playing games and sports, music, and just generally ‘hanging out.’

Young adolescents typically become interested in more intimate social relationships at this time as well. School policies prohibit sexual activity of any kind, including kissing, and student behavior and whereabouts are carefully monitored.