Great Oak School

Great Oak School Garden Program

Our school gardens are an integral part of the school's curriculum and the gardens are a part of the children's play area as well.  All of our students interact with the garden on a regular basis as part of their classes and a group of parent volunteers help support our teachers' efforts in the garden.  The produce from the gardens is used by classroom teachers regularly  as part of the childrens daily snacks (Tuesday is vegetable soup day), weekly harvests for families to take home and browsing/grazing snacks during free play. In addition the preschool and kindergarten teachers bring veggies, herbs and flowers into their classrooms from the garden for the students to experience using all their senses during circle time.  Each vegetable, herb or flower is handled, smelled, observed for color and texture and finally tasted on its own and then incorporated in a recipe.  The Kindergarten and Preschool play yards have garden beds within their playscapes and when active gardening isn't happening the children are still interacting with the garden observing changes and snacking and creating their own imaginary soups, stews, pies, cakes and potions.  Each of the grades interacts with the garden in a different way that is in tune with the activities of the students during each period of their growth.  Each grade has an ongoing task in the garden and all work cooperatively to keep the garden watered during the warm and hot seasons. Third grade is a year of particular focus on the garden as our third graders learn how to care for themselves by growing food, making clothing and building shelters.  All year third grade works at planting seeds, building trellises, nutruring their plants and finally harvesting the bounty through our three distinct growing seasons during the school year.  The garden is use in many ways by our teachers as integral part of their classroom work.  We are even treated to spontaneous music in the garden as the students will often sing as they work bringing so much joy into our work in the garden.

The students in our program come many different countries in North & South America, Asia, Australia and Europe.  Our student population is economically diverse as well and we strive to provide accessibility for all qualified students who seek a Waldorf inspired educaton.

About Great Oak School

Great Oak School is an independent school offering a comprehensive, creative, vigorous education inspired by the pedagogical methods established by philosopher, social innovator and educator Rudolf Steiner. We offer preschool, mixed-age Kindergarten, and elementary grades with plans to go through eighth grade.

Great Oak School strives to balance the academic, artistic and practical realms of education while cultivating a life-long love of learning and enthusiasm for life.