Hi, Introduce yourself to us: Hi! My name is Jess Purcell and I am a science teacher turned homeschooling mom that educates learners of all ages about science and sustainability.
How many children do you have and how old are they? I am the proud mama of two children, ages five and nine.
What are some of your favorite things to do with your kids? We love to spend our time learning and exploring outside. Hiking local nature trails, searching for critters, planting and caring for vegetables in our backyard garden and testing out new science experiments (because that’s what kids of a science teacher seem to request daily, LOL) are some of our favorite activities.
What inspires you and what are you passionate about? My inspiration comes from my children and my desire for them to live in a world not devastated by climate change. I am passionate about explaining the science of sustainability in an effort to educate others about the importance of their daily choices.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do? I am the founder of Thoughtfully Sustainable, where I create hands-on sustainability science lessons, nature investigations and STEAM activities to be done in the classroom, at home or virtually to foster critical thinking skills and a love of the natural world.
I am also the co-founder of Raising Global Kidizens, a space dedicated to creating and curating educational resources to raise responsible global citizens.
You can follow all the current science experiments and projects I’m working on over on Instagram, and glimpse my attempts at raising two nature lovers in a sustainably-focused home.
What is one thing you’ve learned in the past year? My kids and I spent a lot of time learning and exploring outside this past year. I realized that sometimes my role was not to lead, but to follow. Some of the most memorable lessons happened when I allowed my children to guide our exploration, instead of following my pre-planned idea!
What is the best advice you have received? There is nothing selfish about taking time for yourself.
