Program
The educational programming at the GreenHouse is specifically
designed to promote ecological literacy, instill a strong sense of
place, and foster a holistic appreciation for human and natural
environments. We seek to provide students from any academic discipline
with opportunities to live in an ecologically-minded community with an
active and supportive learning atmosphere.
Programs at the GreenHouse are designed to complement, rather
than compete with, students' major coursework. We offer hands-on
activities that provide the opportunity to learn skills and gain
knowledge not typically available in their classes. In addition,
activities often take place on weekends or in the evenings so that time
conflict with other academic work is minimized. GreenHouse courses are
self-paced so that students can tailor their involvement to their
individual schedules.
The GreenHouse program is designed to meet the following learning objectives:
- Utilizing an interdisciplinary approach to explore key
ecological principles and their importance in understanding the
relationship between humans and their environment
- Providing a framework for developing one's sense of place, both here in Vermont and in life after graduation
- Promoting opportunities for environmental stewardship by applying local solutions to environmental problems
- Emphasizing ecological design methods while addressing environmental issues
- Developing environmental leadership skills and ways of becoming an effective advocate
- Cultivating an understanding of our individual and collective impacts on our environment
- Encouraging reflection on how one's academic discipline can
inform an understanding of ecosystem function and contribute to
environmental problem solving
The Greenhouse program engages students in a highly participatory, hands-on
approach to learning and its learning objectives are achieved through a
variety of ways:
- Self-paced courses
- Hands-on workshops
- Discussions and lectures
- Field trips
- Service Projects
- GreenHouse Guilds
- Community celebrations