Hello! I’m Rachel
mom, founder, & lead teacher
I opened The Linden Tree House because I believe something radical: that young children deserve slowness.
Not enrichment. Not acceleration. Not a schedule packed with outcomes and objectives. Just…time. Time to dig in the dirt, stir imaginary soup, watch a beetle cross a stone. Time to become themselves.
I’ve spent more than twenty years in classrooms, from public school classrooms to Waldorf kindergartens, and what I’ve learned is this: the children who are most alive, most curious, most happy, are the ones who were allowed to play. Really play. Without hurry.
That knowing lives in everything we do here.
Ready to see if this is the right fit for you + yours?
Come for a tour!
Thank you so much for a wonderful year of care for our boy. You’ve always treated him so special! He absolutely adores you + Sophia. Hopefully we can get together. We’ll miss you and the Linden Tree House!
Ashley Borchardt
TLTH Familywhat to expect
01. Inquire
The best way to begin this process is to just email me directly. However, you may also choose to fill out an application.
02. Step Two
After our initial contact, I’ll send you additional info about the school. If it feels like a fit, we’ll schedule a tea time + tour.
03. Step Three
At the tour, you’re welcome to bring anyone in the family! We’ll have tea + apricots, the children can play, and I’ll answer any questions you may have.
04. Step Four
If we both agree that it feels like a mutual fit, then a Registration Fee + Materials Fee holds your spot.
Official BIO
I’m the Owner, Director and Leader Teacher of The Linden Tree House. I hold a master’s degree in elementary education, am a Colorado-certified early childhood teacher, and bring more than twenty years of experience in education and child development.
I’m Waldorf-trained and have deep experience in Waldorf pedagogy, having taught kindergarten at Shining Mountain Waldorf School for three years and running the The Linden Tree House for three years. Prior to that, I was a public school teacher for nearly a decade. I’m director-qualified under Colorado childcare licensing requirements and create a nature-based, play-centered learning environment grounded in child-centered principles and the rhythms of the seasons.
When I’m not with the little ones, you’ll find me in the garden, reading in the hammock, writing children’s stories, or out in the Colorado mountains with my daughter and our Havapoo rescue, Millie.