Unique way of learning taking place in Thonotosassa

THONOTOSASSA, Fla. — When you think of education, you often think of textbooks and notebooks, but one academy is taking a different approach.

Freedom Montessori Academy is giving students an opportunity to learn outdoors. And they are expanding their reach.

Learning is all about being hands on at Freedom Montessori Academy.

The school’s process is a method of education based on self-directed activity and hands-on learning. The academy is a tutoring service that serves 15 students in the Thonotosassa area.

Eleven-year-old Adelyn Iott says this supplemental approach has been a big help for her.

“It’s just really hands on, and you understand it better,” she said.

Madison Whitmer says the teaching methods help her concentrate.

“My school I had computers after I did it, so I had a headache when I got home, here I don’t have a headache because we don’t use electronics,” she said.

The majority of the work isn’t done indoors but outside on the farm.

Melanie Smith, the founder of the academy, was an educator for more than 20 years prior to this. She decided to take that experience and give students a personalized way of learning.

Students go at their own pace, in a unique learning environment.

“I think it’s nice in this setting that they understand how long it takes for a plant to grow that they eat in in 10 seconds,“ said Smith.

From building a labyrinth, to planting seeds, Smith believes it’s part of raising curious kids that will use these skills in life.

“Every child is unique and every child’s brain is developing at a different level, and they need that time to think for themselves, this is what this is about,” said Smith.

It shows students like Iott that learning can happen anywhere.

“Outdoor experience, life survival, how to take care of plants, how to build stuff,“ said Adelyn.

Making education fun and something that doesn’t always happen indoors.

The academy will be expanding to a location in Dade City next year.

And the farm will soon be home to a nonprofit aimed at providing farm education to veterans and breast cancer survivors.