Monroe teacher introduces agriculture to school

Monroe teacher introduces agriculture to school

Monroe teacher introduces agriculture to school

Monroe teacher introduces agriculture to school

Monroe teacher introduces agriculture to school

Catharine Calder named MFB K-12 Educator of the Year

This award announcement was made in advance of Michigan Farm Bureau’s 89th Annual Meeting. A photo from the award ceremony is now available at http://www.michfb.com/annual.

GRAND RAPIDS, Dec. 3, 2008 — Catharine Calder is the head of the class in more ways than one. Not only did she found the Meadow Montessori School in Monroe where she teaches, but she introduced agricultural education to the school back in 1993, and for that she’s being honored as Michigan Farm Bureau’s (MFB) K-12 Educator of the Year.

MFB presented Calder with the K-12 Educator of the Year Award on Dec. 3 during an awards ceremony at the organization’s 89th Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids. In honor of her achievement, Calder was also rewarded with a $500 grant for classroom and teaching purposes, courtesy of the MFB Member Services Department.

The K-12 Educator of the Year Award recognizes a teacher who excels at integrating basic agricultural concepts into the general curriculum and challenges students to develop critical thinking skills through the analysis of agricultural issues and information.

Calder, who teaches grades 7-9, was nominated for the award by the Monroe County Farm Bureau, and selected by the MFB Promotion and Education Committee from 11 nominations received from county Farm Bureaus across the state.

Monroe County Farm Bureau President Paul Marks said the county Farm Bureau board felt compelled to nominate Calder because “Catharine has been a great promoter of many aspects of agriculture, including wise management of all our natural resources.”

Calder’s “green thumb” can be felt throughout the school, but it’s her work with junior high students that has impressed the county Farm Bureau the most.

Introduced by Calder, the “Farm Program” is standard in the school’s curriculum for students in grades 7-9 and involves science, mathematics, history and language arts. Students rotate between the program’s three curricula areas: agriculture, horticulture and “house-i-culture.”

For the agriculture unit, students typically work with farm animals such as horses or hogs and learn how to manage other parts of a farmstead such as a woodlot. The horticulture unit involves work in a garden or greenhouse and other activities such as composting. Students in the “house-i-culture” unit learn skills such as shopping for groceries, preparing meals and preserving food.

Many of the agricultural lessons take place on a working farm that is within walking distance from the school. Students also manage a greenhouse that is connected to their classroom as well as four organic garden beds. In addition, Calder’s pupils have planted and maintain a meadow on school property. The on-the-ground experiences also involve several field trips during the year to local farms and agribusinesses, including a grain elevator.

“Where better to see the principles of geography at work – land erosion and water flow – than on the farm. Biology is never more alive than when a young person witnesses the birth of an animal,” says Marks of not being limited to the traditional classroom.

The “Farm Program” also teaches valuable life lessons, according to Marks.

“The results of a day’s labor are obvious, evident and essential to the life of a farm. In the event that work is not completed, or completed carelessly on the farm, the consequences are obvious; crops do not grow if the soil is not carefully prepared, and animals do not thrive unless they are carefully fed and cared for. The results of irresponsible behavior can be disease or death. ... Every adolescent today needs to learn these lessons,” he said.

In nominating Calder for the distinction, the Monroe County Farm Bureau also praised Calder for sharing her work with other educators, noting that she’s led workshops at state and national conferences on the value and importance of farm education for middle school students. In addition, teachers and administrators looking to incorporate agricultural education into their curriculums often visit the Meadow Montessori School.

MFB is the state’s largest general farm organization, representing more than 47,000 farm families.

-30-

Editor’s Note: Visit http://www.michfb.com/annual for photos from the awards ceremony. For more information after Dec. 5, contact MFB Promotion and Education Department Manager Deb Schmucker at (800) 292-2680, ext. 3213.

Catharine Calder named MFB K-12 Educator of the Year

This award announcement was made in advance of Michigan Farm Bureau’s 89th Annual Meeting. A photo from the award ceremony is now available at http://www.michfb.com/annual.

GRAND RAPIDS, Dec. 3, 2008 — Catharine Calder is the head of the class in more ways than one. Not only did she found the Meadow Montessori School in Monroe where she teaches, but she introduced agricultural education to the school back in 1993, and for that she’s being honored as Michigan Farm Bureau’s (MFB) K-12 Educator of the Year.

MFB presented Calder with the K-12 Educator of the Year Award on Dec. 3 during an awards ceremony at the organization’s 89th Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids. In honor of her achievement, Calder was also rewarded with a $500 grant for classroom and teaching purposes, courtesy of the MFB Member Services Department.

The K-12 Educator of the Year Award recognizes a teacher who excels at integrating basic agricultural concepts into the general curriculum and challenges students to develop critical thinking skills through the analysis of agricultural issues and information.

Calder, who teaches grades 7-9, was nominated for the award by the Monroe County Farm Bureau, and selected by the MFB Promotion and Education Committee from 11 nominations received from county Farm Bureaus across the state.

Monroe County Farm Bureau President Paul Marks said the county Farm Bureau board felt compelled to nominate Calder because “Catharine has been a great promoter of many aspects of agriculture, including wise management of all our natural resources.”

Calder’s “green thumb” can be felt throughout the school, but it’s her work with junior high students that has impressed the county Farm Bureau the most.

Introduced by Calder, the “Farm Program” is standard in the school’s curriculum for students in grades 7-9 and involves science, mathematics, history and language arts. Students rotate between the program’s three curricula areas: agriculture, horticulture and “house-i-culture.”

For the agriculture unit, students typically work with farm animals such as horses or hogs and learn how to manage other parts of a farmstead such as a woodlot. The horticulture unit involves work in a garden or greenhouse and other activities such as composting. Students in the “house-i-culture” unit learn skills such as shopping for groceries, preparing meals and preserving food.

Many of the agricultural lessons take place on a working farm that is within walking distance from the school. Students also manage a greenhouse that is connected to their classroom as well as four organic garden beds. In addition, Calder’s pupils have planted and maintain a meadow on school property. The on-the-ground experiences also involve several field trips during the year to local farms and agribusinesses, including a grain elevator.

“Where better to see the principles of geography at work – land erosion and water flow – than on the farm. Biology is never more alive than when a young person witnesses the birth of an animal,” says Marks of not being limited to the traditional classroom.

The “Farm Program” also teaches valuable life lessons, according to Marks.

“The results of a day’s labor are obvious, evident and essential to the life of a farm. In the event that work is not completed, or completed carelessly on the farm, the consequences are obvious; crops do not grow if the soil is not carefully prepared, and animals do not thrive unless they are carefully fed and cared for. The results of irresponsible behavior can be disease or death. ... Every adolescent today needs to learn these lessons,” he said.

In nominating Calder for the distinction, the Monroe County Farm Bureau also praised Calder for sharing her work with other educators, noting that she’s led workshops at state and national conferences on the value and importance of farm education for middle school students. In addition, teachers and administrators looking to incorporate agricultural education into their curriculums often visit the Meadow Montessori School.

MFB is the state’s largest general farm organization, representing more than 47,000 farm families.

-30-

Editor’s Note: Visit http://www.michfb.com/annual for photos from the awards ceremony. For more information after Dec. 5, contact MFB Promotion and Education Department Manager Deb Schmucker at (800) 292-2680, ext. 3213.

Catharine Calder named MFB K-12 Educator of the Year

This award announcement was made in advance of Michigan Farm Bureau’s 89th Annual Meeting. A photo from the award ceremony is now available at http://www.michfb.com/annual.

GRAND RAPIDS, Dec. 3, 2008 — Catharine Calder is the head of the class in more ways than one. Not only did she found the Meadow Montessori School in Monroe where she teaches, but she introduced agricultural education to the school back in 1993, and for that she’s being honored as Michigan Farm Bureau’s (MFB) K-12 Educator of the Year.

MFB presented Calder with the K-12 Educator of the Year Award on Dec. 3 during an awards ceremony at the organization’s 89th Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids. In honor of her achievement, Calder was also rewarded with a $500 grant for classroom and teaching purposes, courtesy of the MFB Member Services Department.

The K-12 Educator of the Year Award recognizes a teacher who excels at integrating basic agricultural concepts into the general curriculum and challenges students to develop critical thinking skills through the analysis of agricultural issues and information.

Calder, who teaches grades 7-9, was nominated for the award by the Monroe County Farm Bureau, and selected by the MFB Promotion and Education Committee from 11 nominations received from county Farm Bureaus across the state.

Monroe County Farm Bureau President Paul Marks said the county Farm Bureau board felt compelled to nominate Calder because “Catharine has been a great promoter of many aspects of agriculture, including wise management of all our natural resources.”

Calder’s “green thumb” can be felt throughout the school, but it’s her work with junior high students that has impressed the county Farm Bureau the most.

Introduced by Calder, the “Farm Program” is standard in the school’s curriculum for students in grades 7-9 and involves science, mathematics, history and language arts. Students rotate between the program’s three curricula areas: agriculture, horticulture and “house-i-culture.”

For the agriculture unit, students typically work with farm animals such as horses or hogs and learn how to manage other parts of a farmstead such as a woodlot. The horticulture unit involves work in a garden or greenhouse and other activities such as composting. Students in the “house-i-culture” unit learn skills such as shopping for groceries, preparing meals and preserving food.

Many of the agricultural lessons take place on a working farm that is within walking distance from the school. Students also manage a greenhouse that is connected to their classroom as well as four organic garden beds. In addition, Calder’s pupils have planted and maintain a meadow on school property. The on-the-ground experiences also involve several field trips during the year to local farms and agribusinesses, including a grain elevator.

“Where better to see the principles of geography at work – land erosion and water flow – than on the farm. Biology is never more alive than when a young person witnesses the birth of an animal,” says Marks of not being limited to the traditional classroom.

The “Farm Program” also teaches valuable life lessons, according to Marks.

“The results of a day’s labor are obvious, evident and essential to the life of a farm. In the event that work is not completed, or completed carelessly on the farm, the consequences are obvious; crops do not grow if the soil is not carefully prepared, and animals do not thrive unless they are carefully fed and cared for. The results of irresponsible behavior can be disease or death. ... Every adolescent today needs to learn these lessons,” he said.

In nominating Calder for the distinction, the Monroe County Farm Bureau also praised Calder for sharing her work with other educators, noting that she’s led workshops at state and national conferences on the value and importance of farm education for middle school students. In addition, teachers and administrators looking to incorporate agricultural education into their curriculums often visit the Meadow Montessori School.

MFB is the state’s largest general farm organization, representing more than 47,000 farm families.

-30-

Editor’s Note: Visit http://www.michfb.com/annual for photos from the awards ceremony. For more information after Dec. 5, contact MFB Promotion and Education Department Manager Deb Schmucker at (800) 292-2680, ext. 3213.