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Odyssey Montessori took some students to the Virginia State Fair to experience ecology first-hand Date published: 10/3/2009
BY AARON RICHARDSON Six-year-old Sarah Kamei of Fredericksburg could hardly contain herself. Her eyes wide, she cracked a huge grin and exclaimed: "This is a bunny marathon!" Kamei was in the rabbit tent at the Virginia State Fair, where she traveled with her Odyssey Montessori class yesterday. Odyssey Montessori was only one of many school groups from the Fredericksburg area to visit the fair this year. The fair's move from Strawberry Hill in Richmond to Meadows Event Park in Caroline County makes it an easier trip for area schools. Montessori guide Andrew Slater said he took his class of elementary-age students to the fair to supplement a unit on ecology and to let the children find their own learning experiences. "With Montessori, you want to have a basic plan, but you want to let the kids explore," Slater said. " Each individual takes away something different." For 10-year-old Gabe Huff, the fair was a way to reconnect with his past. "We used to live on a farm when I was 5," Gabe said. "We had a nice big garden in the back with loads of plants." Odyssey is designed around the idea that students need to learn by experience, not by memorizing facts. Rather than divide the school into set grade levels, the curriculum is adjusted to each student's ability. "If you treat [kids] with respect, they can be who they need to be," said chaperon Debbie Bennett. "There's no need to rebel when there's nothing to rebel against." While Sarah spent her time around animals, Gabe and his friends Drew Demkowski and Ryan Estrada explored the John Deere tractors on display outside the livestock tent. "We're here to learn general knowledge about farm animals and stuff," said 10-year-old Drew. While the children were free to explore as they pleased, Slater made sure they paid particular attention to the recycling exhibits. He explained that the entire school went green this year, and he wanted to make sure his students understand the value of environmental responsibility. "My goal overall is to have the kids appreciate animals and the environment and learn how they interact together and how one benefits from the other," Slater said.
Aaron Richardson:
Read more stories about Fredericksburg Date published: 10/3/2009
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