Goodness Weekly 10.30.23
“Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination, calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting—over and over announcing your place in the family of things."
–Mary Oliver
What’s Good
Rain and cooler weather! The plants and trees around our campus are flourishing and our Sprouts Schoolers have had so much fun lately splashing in puddles with their rain boots. We welcome the change of the season that invites us to huddle closer together and slow down anticipating the winter months.
A Message from Linda
Today’s message comes from Linda, Sprouts School Director & Founder
I have been teaching and working in nature based settings for more than 10 years now. I worked at the San Antonio Zoo, I worked at the Cibolo Nature Center. Both of those places are beautiful places with acres of land that is carefully managed, although in two very different ways. I was getting my masters degree at the same time that I was working in these places and I did my masters research on the importance of nature play in the development of young children. I identified behaviors in young children that occur when they are playing in nature and not naturally in other settings. For example, the close observation of things like roly polys or snails or acorns; the change over time of trees (budding, growing leaves, leaves changing, dropping leaves); the far away looking for a bird (or airplane) in the sky. I have seen the power of nature to change the minds and spirits of young children.
When the Sprouting Curiosity Collective began looking for a location for Sprouts School we first started looking in similar places to the zoo or the nature center. We approached city parks, we approached natural spaces, we approached gardens, we approached ranches and farms. None of these spaces were quite right for what we were dreaming about.
Then I met Taylor, Amber, and Jess (with the Sunset Ridge Collective), and everything felt right about it from the very beginning. There’s going to be this lovely nature park (Charis Park), the rooms in their building are really beautiful, everyone is very welcoming, the neighborhood is great.
I did a tour recently for a parent who wondered where the forest was, where the nature was. I explained that nature is everywhere. That anywhere where two or more species are interacting–there is nature. That we have already seen those behaviors that I was describing in my masters thesis in the kids. We’ve talked about squirrels, we’ve looked at roly polys, we’ve noticed the changes in seeds, we’ve seen birds (and airplanes) flying. All the things that you are looking for in a nature school are happening right here.
One of the concepts that we start to broach with the kids is the idea of habitat. A habitat is like the neighborhood for a creature or plant. So, if we think about the jays that we keep seeing and (mostly) hearing, their habitat is the red oak trees that we eat under. They eat the acorns and bugs in the trees, they build nests high up, they are protected from the cats so high up in the trees. We watch them fly around those trees too, finding food and friends in other trees as well. They are using many of these canopy trees as their habitat. We talk about this in a general way with the kids when we talk about animals, such as the concept of space, the area that an animal needs to get the water, food, and shelter that they need to survive.
When I was doing my masters’ research, I didn’t really think about habitat very much in the context of the kids though. However I have been thinking a lot about it since I toured that parent. I’ve been thinking about how important it is to be a part of your habitat. I’ve been thinking about how when I was teaching at the zoo or at the nature center, the kids and the teachers and I were not expecting to be a part of the habitat. We were visitors to those places–observers of the plants & animals that lived in those spaces. We were not really a part of those habitats.
But that is the incredible gift of the school we are now–we are truly a part of the community. We are in partnership with the Sunset Ridge Collective. We have met the mail carrier and waved at the trash collectors. We check on the cats every day. We leave accidental food treasures under our picnic tables for those jays in the red oak trees (we have noticed that they will eat our peanut butter and jelly scraps, but do not seem to be interested in pineapple). Even more than that though, we have identified places in our little habitat that we can venture to. I’m hoping we’ll be some of the first guests in Charis Park. I’ve talked to the Head of Education at the McNay and she has welcomed us to explore their grounds whenever we want and to do some tours of the museum with them in the spring. I know the organizer of the Terrell Heights Community Garden and she has welcomed us to explore the garden. I’ve talked to the owners of Boss Bagel and they are welcoming us to walk down the hill and experience how they make bagels. All these places and more are within pretty easy walking distance of our little school. They are all in our neighborhood, in our habitat. And we are glad to be a part of it. Not just visitors, but humans who live in community with a neighborhood, with a habitat.
We are not just a nature school. We are a neighborhood nature school.
Thanks for being a part of it.
Sprouts School is a small neighborhood based nature preschool with a learning through play philosophy. The school is currently enrolling and serves children ages 0 to 6 with 2-day, 3-day and 5-day a week options. For more information please visit sunsetridgecollective.org/sprouts-school
Our friend and neighbor Scott is taking over the kitchen at November’s Supper Church, this Sunday November 5th. Mark your calendars for a special Thanksgiving meal and come ready to chop, stir, and celebrate together (and don’t forget to practice your “Yes, Chef!”).
Please RSVP the number of guests to Riley Stirman by Tuesday October 31st. All are welcome.
This Week
Sunday, Nov 5th
4:30pm Supper Church
6-7pm Every Season Sacred (open to all parents of school aged children, dinner & childcare provided)
6-7pm Youth Group
Coming Up
Saturday, Nov 11th Second Saturday featuring Storytime and crafts for all ages
Sunday, Nov 12th
4:30pm Chapel Worship
6-7pm Every Season Sacred (open to all parents of school aged children, dinner & childcare provided)
6-7pm Youth Group
Saturday, Nov 17th Parent’s Night Out. Please RSVP here.
Inhale:
Throughout my day I see neighbors, birds, buildings, & trees
Exhale:
I care for and appreciate our shared habitat
