The Hills Montessori School is situated in an idyllic bushland location in Aldgate in the Adelaide Hills and has been operating for 31 years. In 1989 the current school property was purchased from the Field Naturalist Society and at the time of purchase a verbal agreement and commitment was made to maintain parts of our bush environment and to build the school in harmony with the bush setting. From those very early beginnings a founding value of the school has been to show a deep respect for our environment and instil that respect and love for the environment in our students. Over the years dedicated staff and parents have worked hard to maintain and improve the school’s native vegetation, spending time and resources and identifying our environment as a high priority. A very strong, clear, positive message to our students about the significance of our environment has been continually sent from the School Board, parents and staff who have placed a high importance on the development and management of our school grounds from its inception. An active bush care group over the years has taught both students and adults alike the importance of, and delight and wonder of interacting with the environment. Dr Maria Montessori stated that,
"There must be provision for the child to have contact with Nature; to understand and appreciate the order, the harmony, and the beauty in Nature…so that the child may better understand and participate in the marvellous things which civilization creates…"
It is vital that Environmental Education for Sustainability is a whole school approach that becomes embedded in the Vision, Values, Strategic Plan and curriculum of the school.
The Hills Montessori School community has demonstrated their commitment to the environment over the years by revegetating areas of native bush land on the school property. Staff and students have worked with a local community group to plant native trees and manage the weeds in a neighbouring local park. A weed management program has reduced the weeds and noxious or introduced plant species on the school property. For many years the school has worked with Trees for Life nurturing seedlings and revegetating areas with native plants both on the school property and private properties of school families.
Throughout the school’s life, successful grant applications have enabled us to establish trails through the bush, develop and implement Vegetation Management Action Plans, tap into expertise and formulate extensive lists of all plant species on the property and install bird, bat and possum boxes to encourage native wildlife to live and nest on the property. This has all greatly contributed to the delight and enhancement of our students’ learning. Recent successful water and solar energy grants have provided sustainable solutions within the school. All of these endeavours have modelled and demonstrated very practical action that can be taken but most importantly has promoted stewardship of the environment, encouraging students and their families to assume the responsibility of being a caretaker or custodian for the environment. Dr Maria Montessori knew the importance of teaching the child an appreciation for nature to improve human and environmental well-being. She affirmed this in her writing…
"The land is where our roots are. The children must be taught to feel and live in harmony with the Earth."
Environmental awareness and environmental education for sustainability has a high profile within our school’s curriculum and is a core feature of the school ethos. The school has developed strong ties with the local Natural Resource Management (NRM) Board and in particular the education officers who have worked closely with staff and students on numerous projects within the school and have provided a variety of professional development sessions for staff. For many years we have been classified as an “Environmental Focus School” and regarded as a model of good practice for environmental education. In 1994 the Cycle 3 students began volunteering their services working in collaboration with the Natural Resource Management Catchment group as part of the Water Watch program. Water watch is a water quality monitoring and catchment education program that provides opportunities for students to make a difference to their local creeks, rivers and dams. Cycle 2 students and staff continue to be a part of this program today viewing it as a valuable teaching tool and a practical way of assisting the local community and monitoring the sustainability and health of our local waterways.
Similarly, for the past ten years Cycle 2 students and staff have worked with the local region NRM and been involved with the Gutter Guardians program. The Gutter Guardians Program is another valuable education program that helps to raise student and community awareness of the impacts of organic street waste and the importance of storm water pollution prevention. Students sweep local gutters, collect, sort and calculate the type and amount of storm water pollutants entering our local storm water systems. The program raises awareness amongst students and the community about water pollution problems and is but one way students can make a difference in their local community.
In 2008 Cycle 3 students formed a Sustainability Group and joined with eight other hills primary schools to be a part of the Hills Schools Sustainability Forum. The student led group have undertaken various environmental projects over the past two years. A more effective recycling program has been established in the school with colour coded recycling bins for refundable and recyclable items. KESAB Environmental Solutions organisation visited the school and alongside students, a waste audit was conducted highlighting the need for awareness to be raised. Consequently the student sustainability group presented sessions to all classes to educate them in the importance of reducing packaging and providing ‘waste-free’ lunches. All classes have established worm farms fed by food scraps from lunches. The worms decompose organic matter to produce worm castings, which are used for watering pot plants and providing gardens with extra nutrients. The Sustainability Group have also bottled the worm juice to sell to the school community. A frog pond is being developed in the school in response to concern about the decline in frog populations due to climate change. Students have learnt that thirty per cent of frog species in the Adelaide Hills are under extreme threat. Recently the Sustainability Group organsied a “Green Up Clean Up” week encouraging all students to become involved in, and raise awareness about ‘green practices’. The students in the Sustainability Group volunteer their time to all of these projects and also provide education sessions to younger students in the school and have presented their projects at various student environmental forums held at other schools over the past two years.
In 2009 the school was successful in obtaining a Commonwealth Government Values Grant which enabled the Cycle 3 staff to implement a Service Learning program which has proven to be highly effective and popular amongst senior students. One of three areas of service students could nominate to be involved in was working with the environment. Students worked both within the school and in the wider community supported by adult mentors who championed and encouraged the student initiated projects. These authentic learning situations provided ideal opportunities for students to make a positive contribution to both the school and broader community. Students demonstrated a sense of pride, achievement and fulfillment after each stage of the Service Learning program. Observations have revealed attitude changes amongst students, and some students are now confident and feel empowered by the skills they developed as a direct result of this program. It is programs such as these that develop the kinds of civic values and skills that enable students to be leaders in the transition to a sustainable future. Greater moral and social awareness has been enhanced in students through their participation in community service projects. Students have been challenged to make decisions that have observable consequences, think creatively and work co-operatively as a team. All of these are skills students need to be armed with when assuming responsibility for creating a sustainable future. Couple this learning with Montessori’s Cosmic Education and students begin to understand the interdependence and complexity of the world in which they live. It is vital that our students develop the knowledge, critical thinking skills, values and capacity to participate in decision making about environmental and sustainable issues. Montessori’s words on education and peace can undoubtedly be transferred to the environmental global issues we currently face today. Dr Montessori declared,
"An education capable of saving humanity is no small undertaking; it involves the spiritual development of man, the enhancement of his value as an individual, and the preparation of young people to understand the times in which they live." (Maria Montessori, Education and Peace)
Effective environmental education for sustainability is not just a curriculum issue, it requires the involvement of the whole school. It encompasses all aspects of the school operations, curriculum, teaching and learning, physical surroundings and relationships with the local community. In 2007 The Hills Montessori School fundraising committee launched the Hills Garden & Environmental Expo which has become an annual community event in the Adelaide Hills. Over 2500 people visited the event in 2008. In 2007 and 2008 sponsorship was provided by the Natural Resource Management Board and many well known gardening and environmental identities have publicly advocated their support and involvement in the event. The Expo provides the wider community with sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions via a wide variety of exhibitors and an interesting mix of presenters and demonstrators. The School has a commitment to educating students and the wider community in the preservation of the environment and working as a community to encourage practices that will enhance and sustain our environment for the future. This commitment has been the driving principle behind the creation of this event in addition to it being the signature fundraising event each year. It also reflects the School’s willingness to "put something back" and engage more deeply with the community. Over 100 volunteers from the school work collaboratively each year to stage this event building community spirit both within the school and broader community. The event has been supported by many well known conservationists and environmentalists with Dr Mike Bossley, a lifelong campaigner and educator for environmental conservation and 2005 South Australian of the year, presenting the inaugural Sustainability Prize at the event in 2008. In 2007 and 2008 the Hills Garden & Environmental Expo was nominated for an "SA Great Tourism Award".
The key elements of education for sustainability complement the Montessori philosophy and methodology in every respect. Education for sustainability espouses the importance of developing an ethic of personal responsibility and developing attitudes and skills to enable students to participate as active and involved citizens in building a sustainable future. Montessori schools provide the ideal environment to work with the youth of today to ensure longevity of our planet. It is critical as educators that we keep in mind that a sustainable future cannot be created without considering and involving young people. Ultimately we need to empower our children to make considered decisions, inspire them to take action and prepare and equip them with the skills and values to assume responsibility for creating and enjoying a sustainable future. As Dr Maria Montessori so adeptly and accurately prophesised,
"The child is both hope and a promise for mankind." (Montessori, Maria. Education and Peace)
Cathy France
Principal
The Hills Montessori School