Today we’d like to introduce you to Precious Salazar. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Precious Salazar is the dreamer and owner behind Nurturing Wonders, a nature-based play school that began in her own backyard just under two years ago. The idea of Nurturing Wonders was conceived, just as Precious was finishing her degree in early childhood education when she was placed in a school for internship that served a very different form of education from what most are familiar with-a democratic school. A democratic school is a child-led, play based educational campus, also known as a Waldorf or Montessori education.
Precious was present at this inspiring school of learners, aged 6-18, a few times a week to observe and interact with each child throughout the day. The experience was incredible, and she learned so much! After two weeks of internship, the children asked her to be their Guide (the title for a teacher in a child-led education facility). Though she was not looking for a job at that moment, there was no way that she could say no to those incredible children and the unique experience presented to her. Precious instinctually knew and believed, that as Maria Montessori taught, “Play is the work of the child,” and the scientific process of learning by play is highly beneficial and lasting to a child’s cognitive and physical development. This was the opportunity to not only see it in action and be a part of that very process.
In a democratic school, the students were allowed to learn via free-range activity led by their interests and preferences, but instead of it being a chaotic and unruly situation, the students were highly polite, educated, and intelligent. From the outside looking in, one may not think that a child who spends 6 hours a day outside running with and caring for chickens, making games, building and tinkering, would receive a scholarship to the local college at the age 12, but this was not uncommon in her experience there. A few students were also dually enrolled in college well before the age of 17 years old.
From Kindergarten, their education is presented much like how a college is ran- the children are given their work and guided through a lecture of hands-on learning. Afterwards, the children work and explore on their own time for the remainder of the day. Work was completed weekly and checked in on by Guides. Their work was not required to be done at certain hours of the school day, or in blocked schedules like a traditional school; the children are allowed to self-create and lead their educational agenda for the week their math, literacy, and science were implemented every day. Precious observed that this ignited and nurtured a genuine passion for learning in the children and the willingness and excitement to attend and participate in their work and school daily. This school paved the way for exploring the non-traditional educational pathway in Precious’ life.
After a year, she completed her student teaching and practicum and was offered an Assistant Director position at a school that had just launched. There she took on everyday admin roles as well as family relations and had a key part in building the school’s philosophy. She invested daily in every child and their growth, and the school quickly grew from only three children to almost forty in under a year. Her time at this wonderful school unfortunately ended due to relocation with her husband’s military career and she was facing starting over from ground zero in a new state, after so much heart and soul she had poured into it. She decided at the time, that she was ready to plant and grow her own school in this new town.
This town did not have any outdoor or nature schools and very few non-traditional education options, so she faced several challenges. Precious had the vision and a plan, now all she needed was to reach out and share this vision with the community. She started with a hand-built mud kitchen and some stumps from a local tree-cutting company (Hauling Ax, you guys are amazing!) She advertised on her community’s Facebook pages to organically share her dream and cultivate a home-grown place of Wonder.
On the school’s first day open, she had a family of one boy and one girl, and her own son. The three got along incredibly well and had the most creative and exhausting day possible! It was a success that further motivated her that this was the right direction. This family continued to come and then more families came; it was all word of mouth and people sharing their experience with her school and teachings. Over the past two years she has established a sweet little community of families and young learners who entrust their education and care to her. Relationships, trust, confidence, and a love for learning are built daily at Nurturing Wonders.
As Nurturing Wonders approaches its second birthday, Precious is preparing for the grand opening of a new schoolhouse! Just a year ago, she discovered an incredible gem of a location and property. Wanting to keep the close-knit feeling of a home-based school, they are renovating the property home into three classrooms currently that still invoke the coziness of a family home but fosters a larger space for learning and thriving. There is a very large backyard space for exploration, play, and building that will also host an inclusive sensory garden and path terrain that will allow learners of all abilities to explore.
What is Nurturing Wonders?
“Nurturing Wonders is a play-based, child-led, safe space for children of all abilities to explore and thrive. The environment is intentionally set up as the third teacher. I take note of specific details as my Wonders are observed, so I can continue to cater to the child individually and scaffold their learning. I believe that children are competent in choosing their pathway of education. I also believe relationships should come before academics, as these are the precursor to resolving conflict, emotion regulation, and other necessary social skills. If a child isn’t confident in oneself, how can they become a confident reader in the future?
As a play-based educator, I value and encourage the pre-writing and pre-reading skills that are taught every day at Nurturing Wonders. Fine motor work may include working with the mediums and materials for processed art that is brought out daily; from exploring oil pastels to acrylic paint, these young learners are developing those muscles they need so when they are ready to write you a story, it will surely be an incredible one (legibility and creativity). The year 2023 has been a year of patience, waiting for answers. I now believe that this was all for a reason. The vision continues to shift into what it is meant to be beyond what I imagined initially. I want to promote inclusivity so that every child is empowered to learn through play at my school. I am now in the stage of reaching out to gather the most important resources for this mission such as a wheelchair-accessible route through the school, an all-terrain wheelchair for naturescape/unique play areas so all abilities can join in, including a sensory garden for our sensory seekers. My current facility hosts simple sensory areas and the learners gravitate towards certain spaces, allowing me to envision what will present a healthy challenge and curiosity, and meet their needs and wishes in the schoolhouse’s much larger outdoor space.”
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
‘This year has been the most challenging by far. The Nurturing Wonders Schoolhouse was purchased in September 2022. Since then, I have been trying to navigate all the rules and regulations to follow for the schoolhouse to become a commercial childcare center. Navigating the licensing and permitting processes, what is done in what order and with which office has been a tremendous undertaking. The creative processes are much easier, but it is all so very worth it!”
Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us a bit more about your business.
“As mentioned before, the environment is intentionally set up as the third teacher with no distractions from technology. What does this mean? My Wonders aged 2-12 spend their mornings outdoors, practicing real-life skills, making “potions” from fresh flowers, foam, and stones, as well as other real-world materials. I offer a Reggio Emilia inspired learning philosophy, which is an approach to early childhood education that emphasizes children’s natural curiosity and desire to learn and using that, I guide the learning based on their own interests and passions. You will not see worksheets, traditional activities with time limits, and children moving from station to station here. At Nurturing Wonders, learning is hands-on, whole-body learning, this promotes a lifelong passion for learning. Children can freely move from the art space to the construction spaces. Along the way, children learn to instinctually clean up and put their materials away (such as paintbrushes and canvas) so things are available for peers when they leave that space. This is freedom with limits. Yes, they can utilize everything set up in our environment. Safety is present and each material is chosen with intent. Our materials must be treated with care and the natural consequence of not taking care of materials is no longer having those materials available for use. This is where children learn about regulation, respect, care, and gratitude.
Socio-emotional skills are also taught through our play. I believe there is no one approach to education; no two children are the same. If a child is not ready to do something or learn about it, why should they be forced? This option breeds frustration, regression, and often these strong-willed and incredibly intelligent littles are viewed as rebellious or unteachable. The opposite is true. Each human is a unique piece of art and ability, no one enjoys being lumped together into any one mold. The relationships built between the Educator and our Little Wonders are building on the foundations that familial security have already began. We want to gain the trust of our Little Wonders; we want them to talk through how they are feeling, identify emotions and challenges, and we want them to reach out if ever in a position where they do not feel safe. Being a place of stability can abundantly change their lives. At Nurturing Wonders, we value the family that has been built through our student relationships. With the Nurturing Wonders’ Schoolhouse scheduled opening for October (fingers crossed!) in Moncks Corner, SC (just a few moments from Cane Bay) we will be able to accommodate even more learners and their families. Being able to welcome more Learners is the most exciting part of the process and I am counting down the days!”
How do you define success?
“I do not believe success is an end event. Success is not a one-and-done occurrence, but is instead a stepping stone, many stepping stones. Success is when you have accomplished something you planned and executed. I feel successful in obtaining a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. I am a Latina and the first in her family to get a college degree…which was a success in itself and made me so proud. It took so much to get here, but every step was a worthy success. As I progress in the accomplishments of this dream and growth for Nurturing Wonders, it seems to positively shift in ways I could never have imagined. I continue to feel through each transformation as though I have both feet on the “success” stepping stone preparing to touch the next. The most important part of success to me is being a part of these little Wonder’s success. I am watching them become who they will be, helping to mold their creative self, their manners. It is such an honor to watch them navigate each stone towards their futures.”
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Amanda Torroni (Photographer, head shot), Precious Salazar, Nurturing Wonders
