Welcoming Joshua Berman as Director of Middle School Outdoor Education

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT


We are happy to announce that Joshua Berman, ak.a. “don Josué,” is stepping into the role of Director of Middle School Outdoor Education at Shining Mountain Waldorf School (SMWS)—in addition to continuing his work as a teacher in the lower school and as Social Media Director. Joshua has been a teacher at SMWS since 2008, and since then, has inspired countless students. We are confident that, with his wealth of knowledge and extensive background, Joshua’s vision and leadership will enrich our students’ experiences and strengthen their bonds with the natural world.

“I am excited to take on this role,” he said. “For one, I’ll be continuing the work of Craig Rubens, who built and created the Middle School Outdoor Education program over his many years as a teacher and mentor at SMWS.” Outdoor Ed trips are integral to our greater Middle School Program.

Joshua has been working in Outdoor Education for more than three decades. He has served as an Outward Bound Wilderness Instructor in Maine, New York, and Colorado, where he led canoeing, backpacking, and urban expeditions. He has worked with the U.S. Forest Service as a Fisheries Biologist, and with the National Park Service as a Wildland Firefighter. He holds a B.A. from Brown University in Environmental Studies and served with the U.S. Peace Corps as an Environmental Education Volunteer in Nicaragua.

Joshua is a NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School)-certified Wilderness First Responder (WFR) and recently completed the American Canoe Association’s (ACA) Swiftwater Rescue Skills training. Finally, he is an accomplished outdoors writer and expert for The Denver Post, Outside, and Elevation Outdoors, and is the author of Moon Colorado Camping (March 2020) and Moon Colorado Hiking (2024).

All that is to say, Joshua is uniquely positioned to lead our Middle School Outdoor Education program to new heights. He said, “In addition to holding the program and planning safe, rewarding trips, one of my goals as Director of Middle School Outdoor Education is to integrate the four pillars of Outward Bound’s approach to education—Physical Fitness, Craftsmanship, Self-Reliance, and, above all, Compassion—into our curriculum. These guiding principles will help students form a deeper connection with the natural world, with each other, and with themselves, hopefully preparing them for life’s challenges.”

One of his first tasks in the new role is to plan and lead two separate fall expeditions through Ruby-Horsethief Canyon on the Colorado River (watch a short video from last year’s river trip).


Outdoor Education in the Middle School

Joshua Berman, Megan Corcoran, and the 8th grade prepare to put in on the Colorado River for an expedition through Ruby-Horsethief Canyon; September 2023.

At Shining Mountain Waldorf School, our goal is to guide students toward a deeper understanding of ecological principles, an increased awareness of the environment, and a sense of beauty, truth, and moral responsibility for all life. We believe in teaching outdoor skills that empower students to travel consciously, confidently, and safely in the natural environment. Our programs adhere to the highest standards of safety and risk management. Our program includes class trips for each grade, integrating age-appropriate outdoor education with our curriculum studies, while emphasizing minimum impact techniques for wilderness camping and backcountry travel.

Outdoor education in our middle school consists of one overnight trip in the fall, one day trip in the winter, and year-round skills training and discussions. We take full advantage of the Rocky Mountains in our backyard—and the canyonlands of Utah just beyond—and use them as the backdrop to life-changing experiences for our students.

Craig Rubens, founder of the SMWS Middle School Outdoor Education program, instructs students on a 7th grade backpacking trip before they head off for their solos.
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- Sarah Gillis, SMWS Class of 2012 and Sr. Space Operations Engineer at SpaceX

“I feel like one of the really important things that you get out of a Waldorf education is curiosity—curiosity to go and learn and explore what’s out there in the world. I fell into engineering and a path that I don’t think I would have anticipated, but having an arts background where you’re bringing creativity and imagination into problem-solving, there’s a really incredible synergy between those.”

- Sarah Gillis, SMWS Class of 2012 and Sr. Space Operations Engineer at SpaceX

Shining Mountain Middle School Open House | Tuesday, Oct. 22 6:00 PM