Finding One Another: Connection in Community
Finding One Another:
Connection in Community
“The light in me honors the light in you.”
- rough translation of the Sanskrit salutation, “Namaste.”
The start of a new school year is always a gift of renewal, surprises, and fresh starts. Children’s voices once again fill the campus with energy, curiosity, and joy. Adults are astonished by the accelerating passage of time (How is my once-preschooler now in 6th grade?!), and children are embracing each present moment. One of my favorite moments of the day is greeting each child and adult at morning carpool; for me, it is a small but significant act of recognition and connection.
Preschool Teacher-Researchers Maddie and Taylor share that,
“For many of the children in the Nest, this is their first time in a school setting away from their families and surrounded by other children. The children come into the classroom and immediately begin learning how to negotiate, regulate, and collaborate. Through this, we see an innate desire to reach out and connect with each other.”
Building trust and understanding in our community is at the heart of our work together, and it is especially important at the beginning of a new school year. Sabot Teacher-Researchers, from Preschool to Grade 8, intentionally curate learning spaces - both indoors and outdoors - and learning experiences that foster connection between children as well as between children and adults. This may look like placing a basket of stones with each preschool child’s symbol on a low table at the classroom entryway. It may be a daily survey question on a small whiteboard board or a journal prompt before the class gathers for morning meeting. It is also evident in the thoughtful design of pairs or small groups that discover and learn together.
The Nest teachers reflect on a connection between two children at the start of the school year:
“During the first week of school, two children were drawn to each other. One of them often comes up to the other, stands right in front of them, looks into their eyes and then reaches forward to hug them. They immediately light up and are visibly filled with so much happiness. We often see the duo sitting together and chatting, just enjoying each other's company. We aren't exactly sure what drew them to each other originally, but they both have gentle and joyful demeanors - maybe they noticed that in the other.”
7th Grade Advisors Amber and Callia reflect on the community building taking place in their advisory group,
“A few times each week, our 7th grade Advisory group gathers for circle time, an intentional space for slowing down, listening, and building a strong sense of community. This past week, we were able to enjoy our circle outside in the crisp morning air, which was an energizing way to start the day. We began with mindfulness practices, taking deep breaths together to settle into the moment. Nearby, the ever-curious chickens looked on, clearly bummed they weren’t part of the circle. Each meeting includes a check-in and a thoughtful prompt, sometimes created by a student and other times offered by a teacher. These moments offer more than routine; they create space for authentic connection and help students feel supported as they navigate the year together.”
During this first month of school, as we discover, build, and strengthen connections and support for one another, we are simultaneously deepening our understanding and capacity for empathy. This work will, of course, continue over the next nine months and beyond, as Maddie explained, through a process of negotiation, regulation, and collaboration. And it is these connections that transform our own lives, the lives of children, and the world we are shaping together.
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