Concept of the school farm

Since spring 2019 we have been running a school farm in the nearby municipality of Otice. On a plot of land of approx. 2 ha, we have built an outdoor class, crop beds, facilities for teaching in natural surroundings and dwellings for small domestic animals which we breed at the farm.

We endeavour to enrich the educational concept of Magic Hill with the natural-insight branch. This means our aim is to awaken the children into an interest in nature while bringings real experiences by showing them how a garden is started, how to cultivate crops from seeds through to harvesting. We also study what the traditional domestic animals are and how to take care of them, what symbiosis there is in nature and, last but not least, by leading children towards practical skills which they gain whilst maintaining the garden and caring for plants and animals. We want to teach children to respect nature and its products, but also support work habits, manual labour, patience and, a respect for human work.

Besides these benefits, the farm also offers the opportunity to study outdoors. The pupils do not need to learn necessary skills in the confines of the classroom. If this were to be the soul method of learning, we would deny them the natural desire to learn using all the senses, and we would limit the already minimal time outside which is characteristic of today’s generation of children. * “Czech children spend somewhere between 3.5 and 5 hours daily in front of the television screen or computer,” says the publication Děti venku v přírodě: ohrožený druh? (tr. Children outside in the country: an endangered species?) by Petr Daniš (more on the publication HERE).

It has been proven that teaching outdoors has positive effects on the general attention of the pupils. It increases their motivation and learning which in turn makes them more interested in all areas of their lives. Such a method of learning also strengthens positive relationships between the pupils and teachers in the classroom. It has also proven to be a positive influence on the health and the prevention of illness in children. Any subject, field and skill can be taught outside.

You can truly learn anything outside!