Basics
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Our Teachers
Hi! I’m Courtney - owner and instructor at Independence Ridge Nature School! I am a mother of 4, and wife to a loving husband. I have always had an interest in child development and elementary education, but this interest deepened after the arrival of our first born. After digging deeper into methods and theories within child education, I felt such a strong pull towards nature based, Montessori, and Waldorf inspired methods. After implanting a combination of these practices into the lives of my own children, I have been able to see them flourish and develop such a love for learning!
Philosophy
Our philosophy emphasizes nurturing children’s natural sense of wonder and curiosity by allowing them the freedom to explore and discover the world at their own pace. We strongly believe in engaging children with the natural environment, fostering organic learning experiences, and encouraging exploration of their interests. Through activities centered around art, music, stories, and movement, we aim to develop children’s emotional life, imagination, and confidence, ultimately instilling a lifelong love for learning.
Location
Our program is positioned off the road on a beautiful 5.5 acres! Our land is a mixture of hills, nature trails, and shallow streams.
“Let the children be free; encourage them; let them run outside when it is raining; let them remove their shoes when they find a puddle of water; and when the grass of the meadows is wet with dew, let them run on it and trample it with their bare feet; let them rest peacefully when a tree invites them to sleep beneath its shade; let them shout and laugh when the sun wakes them.”
About our program
A peek into a day in our Nature Preschool: •Arrival & Open Play •Gathering Circle with songs (music), movement, calendar time, and phonics. •Nature Hike •Lunch/Snack •Storytelling •Lesson and Activity •Unstructured Free Play •Gratitude Circle *Structure of class is flexible and will depend on students interests and needs.