Beyond the Classroom

DIMS is committed to creating a learning environment where students are able to explore their individual passions, to think creatively, to innovate and to achieve wellbeing in their lives. The development of our students is aided by an aesthetically pleasing environment that is both stimulating and inspiring. Spending a large part of their active day at school, school is a place where children feel safe, at home, and have a sense of ownership. This feeling is achieved by working in beautiful, unique buildings renovated for this very purpose. The environments themselves help in the development of the child. Children love where they are, learn to look after it, take care of the others within it, and meet their own needs. Thereby, forming the basis of a harmonious and resilient personality.

Our classrooms are carefully prepared to stimulate children’s independence and intellectual development. You will not find rows of desks, even at the secondary school level; instead, the rooms are set up to facilitate discussions and stimulate collaborative learning. At the Early Childhood and Elementary levels, students will typically be found scattered around the classroom, working alone or with two others. They tend to become so involved in their work that visitors are immediately struck by the peaceful atmosphere. At the Secondary level, many classes will involve seminar discussions, individual research, thoughtful writing, and field experience. The learning environments of the secondary students are expansive and furnished with a combination of modern furniture, art and antiques. They have space to move both inside and outside. In addition to the large classroom spaces, students have access to the library, music rooms, makerspace and science laboratory.

Our campus is immersed in the green hub, providing constant opportunities to experience the impact that we have on our environment. To build an appreciation of sustainability, our students start small by thinking locally, they reacquaint themselves with the environment and rebuild their symbiotic relationship with it. Day-by-day, our community develops a strong bond with nature. By making it part of who we are, we feel inclined to nourish it, compelled to respect it and empowered to care for it now and forever.

Living a sustainable lifestyle is a process of learning by doing and remembering what we once knew and have forgotten over many generations. Many things need to change to lead a life that is more integrated with the natural systems that surround us. The most important change that can lead to living an authentically sustainable life is a change in our mindset and habits patterns. At DIMS we study, work, live and play with an awareness of the impact of our thinking and decisions. Our journey consists of thousands of small details; the detailed decisions and activities that makeup our days, weeks, months and years. Through a systems thinking approach to developing understanding, we realize that it is our habits of thought that often lead to actions that have unintended and undesirable consequences..