Belonging + Motivation

How can we help children move from the periphery of an experience to feeling like they belong? Perspectives from The Field School in Croatia on fostering purpose and intrinsic motivation.

As I mentioned in our last post, I (Shannon) have landed in Croatia, in a small beach town called Jelsa on the island of Hvar. The past two weeks have allowed me much (precious) time to reflect and think, and it has been an absolute joy and privilege to do that here.

Andy J. Pizza

, a favorite podcaster, children’s book author/illustrator, and creative, recently shared an illustration exploring the “invisible relationship between gratitude and nostalgia.” He says, “Nostalgia is the ghost of gratitude,” and that “gratitude is recognizing a gift while it’s there.” So this is me recognizing the gift of slow travel that The Field School of Hvar has given me and our family. Instead of hopping around and dealing with transition after transition, we are finding our footing here, interacting with many of the gracious locals, trying to say good morning, thanks, and apple (jabuka) gelato in Croatian, and being introduced to incredible food, cultural sites, and beloved places and spaces off the beaten path.

Something I’ve been thinking about on our trip is that not one of us, grown-up or child, wants to really feel like an outsider for very long. With this extended opportunity to live on the island and not just pass through for the day, the craving to belong is even deeper. What does it mean to feel a part of something and not just peripheral? Today’s post is about belonging, both in and out of the learning setting, and it makes me wonder, how can we work toward cultivating the conditions for belonging, wherever we are?