Sanctuary One Teaches Teachers – by Robert Casserly

A teacher with a Sanctuary One goat

Care farms like Sanctuary One almost always have an education program of some kind. European care farms offer a wide variety of education programs, including classes, service-learning programs, and workshops for senior citizens, school kids, agricultural students, gardeners, people with disabilities, recovering addicts, military veterans, kids in legal trouble, and job seekers.

Here at America’s first care farm, our education program focuses on teaching environmental literacy, which we define as an individual’s understanding, skills and motivation to make responsible decisions that consider his or her relationships to nature, animals, the community, and future generations. Our education program is run by Della Merrill, the Sanctuary’s general manager, who has a Master’s in Teaching degree from Southern Oregon University (SOU).

Why do kids need environmental literacy? Studies show that providing students with quality opportunities to directly experience the natural world can improve students’ overall academic performance, self-esteem, personal responsibility, community involvement, personal health, and understanding of nature. You might be surprised how many kids there are nowadays who have never had a chance to take a dog for a walk in the woods, or to taste a fresh-picked strawberry still warm from the sun, or to get their hands dirty while learning about the billions of life forms that exist in a mere handful of healthy soil.

Since schools play a critical role in the preparation of environmentally literate students, it has long been a goal of the Sanctuary’s to collaborate with the School of Education at SOU to provide current and prospective teachers with a chance to learn about care farming.

So Saturday, April 28 was a red-letter day for the Sanctuary, because 26 Early Childhood Development and Elementary Education college students and current professionals visited the farm for a workshop entitled “Learn about a Care Farm at Sanctuary One.” This marks the first time we have collaborated with a university or college to provide a for-credit class or workshop.

Sands Stockwell, an SOU professor who co-taught the workshop, said “These workshops typically are offered at the Higher Education Center in Medford.  We had to get the approval of the Department of Education at SOU to hold this workshop in a space other than a public building. This is the first time that a workshop will be conducted this way.”

The teachers spent the day engaging in hands-on learning about care farm activities designed for children. It was a great opportunity for the teachers to network with other educators who want to teach and learn outside of the traditional classroom. We hope that they will be inspired to take some of the principles and ideas back to their schools, and/or to bring their students out to the Sanctuary for a field trip.

Several of the college students and teachers said it was the best workshop they’d ever attended. Here is some of the feedback we received.

“The principles and fundamentals of the care farm truly inspired me. I was able to witness firsthand the power and influence of compassion and love between animals, people, and the earth.”

“I loved the reflective aspect of the workshop and the focus on earth, people, and animals as one holistic unit.

“I learned about myself, our global challenges, and how animals play a crucial role in all of it.”

“After spending the day here I understand that care farming really isn’t about a definition. It’s a feeling and an experience that speaks for itself.”

If you or someone you know would like to get involved in the Sanctuary’s education program, or would like more information, please email info@SanctuaryOne.org or call 541.899.8627.

Group Tours Now Available

Schools, churches, retirement homes, community-service clubs, and other groups are welcome to schedule a tour of the Sanctuary. Service-learning work projects are available, too.  Please visit SanctuaryOne.org for details.