“Farming is really hard work and I don’t think I will ever waste food again,” said Vaibhav Ramkumar, a student of Abacus Montessori School, when asked how a farm programme he was involved in at school had impacted him.
He and a group of middle school students from the Abacus school take fortnightly trips to a farm in Vellaputhur, where they stay for two days and do everything from sowing seeds to taking care of the cattle.
While for a majority, this has been the first time working on a farm, they said the experience had taught them all how to respect nature and food more, as well as sustainable practices involving organic farming.
Throwing light on the initiative, Kamini Sundaram, the school director, said that the initiative had fostered adaptability and a sense of community among the students.
“The Montessori system of education, as envisioned by Maria Montessori, offers students an environment of autonomy, a sense of independence and direction, and living as a community. As part of Maria Montessori’s recommendations for the system, she advocated a farm experience for the students, which we have initiated here,” she added.
Breaking away from structured time in classrooms, other schools in the city too have been attempting to encourage students to cultivate vegetables, maintain herb gardens or even cultivate paddy, as students of the Sacred Heart Matriculation School did last year on their campus.
Stress on organic practices
Having been roped in by Velammal International Residential School to guide the students on cultivating greens as well as setting up a herb garden on campus, Archana Stalin, CEO of myHarvest, said she also teaches them the importance of organic practices.
“Schools should consciously choose to include this for students of primary classes so that they not only make smart food choices, but also become more aware of the environment,” she added.
Meena Sriram, a Class VIII teacher from Abacus who has been accompanying the students on their visits, said she had noticed a sense of responsibility and ownership setting in among the students.
“It has been a great exercise in team work as well. The whole experience has been much better than anything they would learn about agriculture or nature inside the classroom and the students are now very much aware of organic farming and its benefits,” she said.
