Going out
"When the child goes out, it is the world itself that offers itself to him. Let us take the child out to show him real things instead of making objects which represent ideas and closing them in cupboards." ~ Maria Montessori
The Montessori “Going Out “experience is part of the prepared environment. The process takes the same amount of thoughtful planning and preparation as setting up the Montessori classroom.
This process can be viewed in 3 Stages:
Starting with Stage 1, children are able to apply their Grace and Courtesy lessons when leaving the classroom on a Guide-lead outing. They must consider how to behave when using transportation, minding a chaperone and entering spaces with different rules of conduct.
In Stage 2, children partially plan the outings with their Guide. They consider location, contacts, transportation, directions and even cost.
In Stage 3, children are able to independently plan and execute the outing using the Going Out Planning Form. Going Out provides children with the opportunity for deeper experiences and application of new knowledge through fieldwork and community service.
In past years, the Lower and Upper Elementary children have taken part in learning about the Anacostia Water Shed through understanding its tributary streams, rivers and lakes. They have also learned about water quality, native and invasive inhabitants as well as the major sources of pollution through fieldwork at the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens.
Students learned to grow freshwater native mussels to reintroduce into the Anacostia River. The mussels act as a natural filter that helps with cleaning pollution. Students have also engaged in fieldwork to help with replanting native vegetation to further support the restoration of the Anacostia River
