Located in East Boulder County, The Patchwork School works with children, families and the community to preserve every person's right to a life of self-direction, meaning and joy. Within our educational environment, we place equal importance on freedom, responsibility and compassion.
"Great school for kids to be kids and learn in a natural way. Great for building social skills and long-lasting life skills."
"Children choose the curriculum and are supported in deepening their natural curiosity."
"I love Patchworks because it encourages independent learning. The hands on environment is an effective teaching tool for children."
"This is the most amazing learning environment for kids! The freedom they have to make choices and learn the way they naturally do is the most precious thing a child can get out of a school. They get a sense of self worth there!"
"Patchwork School is a wonderful nurturing environment that has helped promote my son's childhood creativity and personal growth."
"Love that the kids can engage in what interests them. Super caring and supportive teachers!"
"Very involved parent and teacher community that is dedicated to democratic learning and self-guided education."
"We love Patchwork-- A beautiful environment with supportive, caring, educated teachers and administrators who have implemented a Reggio/free school curriculum very successfully. This school is a real treasure where young children can thrive."
"The teachers treat my son with respect and absolute love!"
"It's hard to find a pre-school or toddler program where so many factors are all integrated: the quality of the teachers, the real passion and love for learning and for kids, quality outdoors time with shade, open minds and respect for children. My kid has had a great experience. The Patchwork School is in a category of its own."
"Patchwork helps your child bloom. My daughter was an outgoing toddler without much direction to a preschooler who is more focused on what she likes and how she can accomplish her dreams (a computer scientist princess astronaut that does art)."
"They pay attention to what the kids are interested in and build activities around those areas. They invite and welcome parent involvement. At this school, kids are actively involved. They learn social skills, friendship skills, and community building skills. The teachers are very involved, but equally as important, they don't interfere with children's natural learning process. Additionally, they use the same open approach in their communications with parents that they teach in the school. In other words, they walk their talk."
"This school is a loving, safe and stimulating environment for young ones to build social, artistic and mental skills at their own pace. The teachers are dedicated to individual attention, and the fine details of children's lives."
Recreating school, so children and adults learn through meaningful experience as citizens of a democratic community, advocating freedom, responsibility and compassion.
We believe that children must have freedom in order to learn and that learning is a natural process, so children are always allowed to choose if they would like to participate. This means we must let go of our stories of what school “should” look like so that we can meet each child exactly where they are.
We also believe that with freedom comes responsibility for oneself and to one’s community, so that it is not a “free-for-all” but that children learn how to respond to others’ limits as well as the limits of their environment. Children are also included in creating limits and holding one another to their agreements.
We believe in teaching and modeling compassion so that children learn how to lead, how to listen, and how to transform conflict through the use of non-violent communication. These are essential skills for this 21st century world.
Drawing from multiple approaches allows us to organically move through the meaningful experiences that arise naturally each day. Standing on the shoulders of many educators that have come before us, our philosophy is inspired by Reggio Emilia, Humane Education, and Democratic Education as well as various components of Waldorf, Montessori and others.
Organization name
The Patchwork School
2007
Tax id (EIN)
30-0464109
Category
Education
Organization Size
Small Organization
Colorado State Tax Credits
Colorado Child Care Credit
Address
1428 Main St.Boulder County, CO, US