Outdoor classroom underway in Castle Pines North
DCS Montessori student Koby D. enjoys an afternoon in the school’s outdoor classroom.
Article and photo by Tracy Dudley
According to traditional Montessori philosophy, children should learn in real environments, outside of the classroom. As such, students best learn about nature, geology, ecology, and biology by going outdoors and experiencing real-life examples.
In line with this vision, DCS Montessori is designing an outdoor classroom to enhance the educational opportunities of local students. Plans for the outdoor classroom ultimately include representation of the five Colorado life zones, which will provide students with education of animals, plants, and ecology from the area. The over arching goal of this program is to increase awareness, develop environmental stewardship, and inspire intelligent decisions in the future for the benefit of our community, state, and nation.
“Although the project is not yet complete, students, families, community organizations, and businesses have already benefited from the outdoor classroom,” said Glenn Albert, DCS Montessori teacher and outdoorsman extraordinaire.
Students, parents, staff, and local businesses have truly come together in a collaborative effort toward the DCS Montessori outdoor classroom. From donations of landscaping materials to rewarding hardworking volunteers with refreshments, local businesses such as Castle Rock Gift & Garden and Little Italy Pizzeria have really stepped up to the task.
DCS Montessori has also filed a Habitat Certification application with the National Wildlife Federation to designate the outdoor classroom as an official schoolyard wildlife habitat. For more information about the school, visit www.dcsmontessori.org.
