UBC Farm Friends

The farm has started up again for those of us in the Intergenerational Landed Learning at the UBC Farm Project of Education.  (Verbosity isn't always a mark of clarity, unfortunately.)  Anyway, I'm now in the Thursday group because my Wednesday mornings are spent at St. Thomas Church for my midweek Eucharist.  So, we started a couple of weeks ago with an orientation.  The Thursday group differs from the Wednesday group in that these children have been at the farm before--it's their second or third year.  It's just my third year, so they're at least as familiar with the place as I am.  I'm sure they know a lot more than I do, so, I'll be learning from them.  Today was our first meeting with the children.  My adult partner is a young woman, 20 years old, from Taiwan.  The two of us are the "farm friends" of four children, 2 boys and 2 girls.  They are all in grade 5 except one girl who is in grade 6.  The boys are very exuberant and the girls are very quiet.  Different learning styles altogether.  Of course because today was the first day back, the boys may be more excitable than usual, however I've been warned that at least one of them likes to wander off but will always come back and do what is required of him.  This teacher uses the Montessori Method.  I am vaguely familiar with Montessori for preschoolers, but this is my first encounter with it for higher grades.  Fascinating!!!