We realize that it is a significant cost per class to purchase a complete system, and you may be wondering if you can share this between classes. This system was designed and built for one class. Modifications could be made to your System if you found that sharing it between two classrooms was not working.

One of the strengths of this system is that it provides multiple opportunities for the children to repeat exercises, however even this repetition is limited, simply because there is not enough space in the system or care must be taken not to overfeed the worms. So while you may wish to share the system, it likely will not support repetition for extra large groups.

Our suggestion if you do decide to follow this path and find that the system cannot support both classrooms is to purchase a second harvesting cabinet, which is where the bottle neck in production will occur. You could also purchase a second worm bin to exchange in the composting cabinet if you found that your bin was overwhelmed by growing waste.

It can if you do not have the training or expertise as a Montessori educator! The presentations included address many issues that may develop, such as spilling of soil or moving containers. The order and focus upon the small movements of the child embedded within the Montessori prepared environment are your keys to successfully integrating this into your classroom! The cabinets and learning materials support this and make it much much easier for the educator and child, but the first requirement for this being manageable in your classroom is your training and expertise as a Montessori educator. Presently, educators have found there to be little mess in the prepared environment. Again, much will depend on your skill as a Montessori guide.

No, we think that in most cases you can prepare the system for the weekend by watering carefully before departure and immediately on return. Microgreens that grow beyond their best harvest period can easily be fed to the worms or to pets if you have any in your environment. The worms themselves can last many weeks without care, actually, so while not always advisable, it is possible to leave them for extended periods of time, once they are established. Before they are established, of course, they will require more attentive care.

You will need to devote some time to learn the system when it is first introduced to your classroom. However, once it is established, it will require only basic daily maintenance just as with any other material in your prepared environment. We offer tips and guidance on a daily checklist to help simplify this process for you and your assistants as much as possible. The benefits for the children and the happiness in your classroom will many times over balance the work you put into integrating this into your casa environment.

First, you should understand the composter worm is not a parasite. The composter worm plays an important role along with other microbes in breaking down dead plant and animal waste, turning these back into soil and making the nutrients available for new plants. The worms do not harm humans and in fact are beneficial.
Second, it has been shown that the composter worm actually removes harmful bacteria from the soil. So, while it is very important to keep a clean environment, the worms need not be frightening. In our NatureTot System Masterclass we have taken a meticulous and cautious approach to introducing these in your prepared environment.  We make several recommendations to keep the whole system clean and safe for you and your children without being cumbersome.

Absolutely! We will provide you with the tools and the knowledge needed to implement the system. Your children will be learning incredible insights on nature, even if your nature knowledge is limited. One of our goals is for this to help any educator bring nature into their classroom today! Nature, always, is the teacher. Sometimes it is best if we let nature teach and guide the child, stepping back to allow this to happen.