My path thus far ...
After third grade I no longer liked school. I didn’t like the way the teachers treated me and I didn’t like the rote learning. School was boring and it just seemed wrong. Fortunately my parents agreed with me.
In fifth grade I came across the book Summerhill by A. S. Neill. It was about a school where the students were respected and given freedom to decide how and what they wanted to learn. Neill had founded and run this “free” school in England and that’s where I wanted to go.
In the seventh grade I attended a new school that was based on the same philosophy as Summerhill. As a young middle school student I was deeply interested in education and I watched closely how systems and processes unfolded at the school. Telling a gaggle of thirteen year olds that they could do whatever they wanted, well, you can imagine the outcome. I was happy there.
In twelfth grade I had a job as a teacher’s assistant at a preschool. I went to work every morning until 1pm and saved money for my first car. I was fortunate to work with two exceptional teachers, Ellen and Robin. I realized how committed I was to advocating for young children and how my own education and upbringing helped me understand the importance of offering children respect, clear boundaries and freedom within a structure.
I decided to get my Early Childhood Teaching Credential. I worked with director Elana Weeks, a well-known educator in the Los Angeles early childhood education community. Elana taught me that kindness and boundaries are not mutually exclusive.
Years later, a former high school teacher told me about Magda Gerber, the founder of RIE (Resources for infant Educarers). In 1983 I met Magda and fell in love. I would go on to study with her, lunch with her, have tea parties with her, laugh and teach with her. She became my mentor and beloved friend. Through Magda and RIE I became familiar with the world of infants and learned that respect could be communicated through everyday interactions.
Magda introduced me to the work of Dr. Emmi Pikler. In 1990, I went to study at Loczy, the orphanage Dr. Pikler founded in Budapest, Hungary. I would spend the days quietly observing the children and their caregivers and then I’d meet with Dr. Pikler’s daughter, Anna Tardos, to discuss what I’d seen. This was an eye-opening experience for me; even though I didn’t speak Hungarian the interactions I observed were astounding in their kindness, honesty, spontaneity and tenderness. I was forever changed by this trip.
I later became interested in Waldorf education and in 1994 I went to the West Coast Institute on Vancouver Island for my Waldorf Early Childhood Teacher Training. I chose this particular school in order to work with Dorothy Olsen, an expert in the field. My perspective was broadened through the daily experiential curriculum. This experience was transformational and changed the way I approached teaching. I learned many things in the Waldorf training but a few things stand out and continue to shape my teaching. I learned that Parent-Child classes could be nurturing and supportive for parents as well as for the babies. I learned that materials matter and that it’s hugely important to bring beauty and nature into your teaching environment.
I learned that there is a problem if the teaching becomes more important than the students.
https://westcoastinstitute.org
I am fortunate to have studied with Charlotte Selver and Ute Strub. The Sensory Awareness program shares so much with RIE and Pikler, most important its emphasis on being and on noticing the present moment.
https://www.pathwaysofsensoryawareness.com
In 2018 I attended the Council training at The Center for Council in Los Angeles and began holding circles for the families in my classes.
https://www.centerforcouncil.org
Currently I have a wonderful circle mentor, Kate Lipkiss, who reminds me to listen with my heart and speak from my heart.
When I reflect on my work with children and families I think of these women who have profoundly influenced me along my way. Their mentorship has been a privilege and continues to inspire and guide me.