4/20-4/26

Spring in Utah is beautiful and unpredictable! In our weather, our studies, and our behavior – the beauty and inconsistency of Spring arrived at CHOICE this week!

From the Spark Studio

From Miss Anna Weeds and their roots haven’t been a source of much joy for me for many years… in fact, I really can’t remember a time when I would have found them exciting. However, thanks to the Spark heroes this week, I gained a newfound interest in these “wild plants”! We have been learning about seeds and roots this week, noticing how different they each appear and the unlikely places we might find them. 

We went on a short nature walk to the school’s front beds, where the heroes went on a root hunt! It was so fun to hear them shout when they found some roots, sharing with one another the different colors, thicknesses and lengths they’d discovered. A few of them were able to find “wild plants” with really long roots – over 2 feet long! There were literal shrieks of joy as they kept pulling and pulling, trying to collect their specimen. 

So parents, if you need any thorough weeding done, tell your heroes to see how many different kinds of roots they can find! 

From the Elementary Studio

From Kara: Our days in quest this week have mirrored the volatile weather–sunny and calm one moment, windy and crazy the next; quiet nature journaling for a time, then messy team projects right after! We’re finishing up our plant science studies and moving into the design and construction of our garden area next week. The heroes are holding their team members accountable for their contributions and negotiating the ever-changing roles of leader and follower.

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From JeVonne: Both during quest and core skills we had heroes in total flow, intently focused and collaborating really well – and then we had heroes choosing distraction at every turn. The discrepancies came to a head Thursday morning in Town Hall. Heroes who were frustrated with the distractions brought up the issue. As a studio they decided to give all heroes one more chance after which they could be voted off their squads and put in a newly created squad. That way all the heroes who were choosing not to work would have to either start working in their new squad or be accountable for doing nothing; they couldn’t depend on other heroes doing their quest work for them. Once again, it was awesome to watch the heroes find a solution to their own problem and hold one another accountable.

During Jolliness (Wellness) this week we explored different coping tools. Consistent with the week, some heroes dove right in and really explored the tools, trying to discover what works for them, while others chose distraction. I really enjoyed watching those who were focused and their willingness to try new things. Afterwards the heroes had a lively discussion about whether or not video games are a healthy coping tool. It was a highlight to listen to heroes coming up with thoughtful points on both sides of the discussion; their discussion skills are improving!

Our weekly nature walks also mirror the beauty and unpredictability of Spring. There are heroes who genuinely delve into the observation of the beauty around them, and others who finish as quickly as possible and then enjoy being outside in other ways 🙂 A highlight this week was listening to a group of heroes who typically are not very serious observers when they found a really cool pinecone. For a few minutes they were totally engaged in observation and thinking about the whys and hows of this pinecone. It was encouraging to witness their curiosity and joy in nature – if only for a brief moment!

Just as the Spark heroes so readily enjoyed finding their roots, I naturally enjoy the Spring sunshine. However, I am still learning to enjoy the sudden snow storms and frigid wind gusts, that are also part of Spring in Utah. Similarly, I am still learning to enjoy the times when the heroes chose distraction and resistance. The more I let go of the incorrect assumption that the heroes learning is my responsibility, the easier it gets. And the more I recognize that choosing distractions and resistance- and then living the consequences that come with it – are part of this messy and beautiful process, the more I appreciate those chaotic times. Spring is my favorite! Both the season and your heroes!