the homestead
the farm
Shoccoree Ridge Farm provides entirely outdoor education programs that are distinguished by their commitment to 100% outdoor time nature immersion, interest-led flow learning, emergent curriculum, inquiry-based teaching style and an emphasis on authentic play. Our camps are designed to integrate children with nature and engage them in quality outdoor activities which stimulate their innate curiosity about the natural world. Our teaching style encourages children to learn through direct experience with nature.
teaching philosophy + curriculum
We believe that children, especially those between the age of 3-6, 6-9, and 9-12 learn the best through direct experience with the natural world. Our goal is to tap into their sense of wonder about nature while teaching basic environmental and natural science principles. We promote individual empowerment and group bonding. We teach respect for all living things and how to minimize our impact on the earth. Our lesson plans flow organically from what nature presents us with each day. We use our own Shoccoree Emergent Curriculum, which has evolved over the last 14 years.
our commitment
As naturalists we are committed to inspiring and teaching respect for the earth and all its creatures. This includes modeling and fostering respect for self and for others. We shun competitiveness and in favor of cooperative activities, guiding children into co-creative adventures. We have a zero-tolerance policy for hitting, grabbing, pushing, name calling, aggressiveness or any demeaning behavior. If any of those behaviors occur, one of our teachers will immediately remove the instigating child to a calm place where the child’s concerns can be heard one-on-one. We empower children in learning how to work with others while simultaneously enhancing their individuality. We will speak respectfully to your child and model appropriate responses to the range of your child’s emotions. If your child ever reports any type of negative experience at Shoccoree Ridge, we ask that you bring it to one of the SRF teachers attention immediately, so we can all communicate and work as a team to support your child’s concerns or feelings.