I’m an Elementary Montessori Teacher, Parent Concierge, and Teacher Coach. As a Connector and Companion, my joy comes from introducing children and their caregivers to the world and supporting their relationships to each other.
With Special Interest and Continued Education In
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
Mindful Self-Compassion
Accessibility & Adaptability
Non-Violent Communication (NVC)
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS)
Yoga Asana
Positive Discipline
Trauma-Informed Education
Anti-Bias Anti-Racist Education (ABAR)
My Cosmic Education
GEOGRAPHY
Based in Atlanta, GA
THEORY | EDUCATION OF MIND, HANDS, HEART
M.Ed Education, Loyola University Maryland | 2017
Degree with concentration in Elementary Montessori. Capstone project related to research in Mindfulness.
B.A. English, Florida State University | 2008
Degree with concentration in Literature. Additional focus in editing and technical writing.
AMI Elementary, Montessori Institute of Atlanta | 2016
Elementary Teacher training with J. McKeever, Primary Foundations Course with Lilian Bryan
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My Cosmic Education
HISTORY | OF EMPLOYMENT
Sr. Director of Elementary Program Support, Dir. At Home Programs, Homeschool Development Team Lead, Higher Ground Education | Feb 2021 - June 2024
Co-Founder & Virtual Elementary Tutor, Magnolia Montessori Tutoring | July 2020 - Aug 2021
Elementary Teacher, Duluth Montessori School | Aug 2018 – July 2020
Administrative Director & Course Assistant, Montessori Institute of Atlanta | Aug 2017 – Aug 2019
Elementary Co-Teacher, Montessori School of Raleigh | Aug 2014 – June 2017
IT Analyst, Louisiana State University AgCenter | April 2013 – June 2014
Development, Client Support & Documentation, Project Management
Program Manager, e-Gov Systems | July 2008 – April 2013
Program Management, Client Services, Content Management, Technical Writing & Technical Support
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My Cosmic Education
MATHEMATICS | USING LOGIC TO SOLVE PROBLEMS
Zoom ∙Office 365 Suite ∙Salesforce ∙FormStack ∙Sharepoint ∙Figma ∙ClickUp ∙ Zoom ∙ Google Drive Suite ∙ MS Suite ∙ Altitude Learning Platform ∙ Transparent Classroom ∙ Folio ∙ Montessori Workspace ∙ EduBlogs ∙ MRX ∙ Veracross ∙ Prezi ∙ Joomla ∙ Wordpress ∙ Eventbrite ∙ Squarespace ∙ HTML ∙ Facebook Business ∙ Constant Contact ∙ Issuetrak ∙ Sitecore ∙ Survey Monkey
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GEOMETRY | SHAPING COMMUNITY
AMI & AMI-EAA, Member | 2016
Montessori Association of North Carolina, Member | 2016
Triangle Montessori Schools Association, Member | 2014
Thanksgiving Thursday, Founder | August 2013
Red Stick Food Swap, Founder | December 2013
Port Hudson Organics Farm Community Supported Agriculture, Member | 2011 – 2013
Louisiana Book Festival, Volunteer | October 2008
Radio Reading Service, Volunteer | 2007 – 2008
America Reads, Volunteer | 2005 – 2006
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BIOLOGY | LEARNING ABOUT LIFE, CURRENTLY READING
The Montessori Baby | Juniffa Uzodike & Simone Davies
This Book is Anti-Racist | Tiffany Jewell
How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen | Joanna Faber & Julie King
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LANGUAGE | COMMUNICATION IN SIGNS AND SOUNDS
Parent communication examples, blog posts, and parent education meeting outlines all included here.
My Story
It all began with a trip to a used bookstore, where I found and read E.M. Standing’s Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work.
What I found there was a model for life and education that served me as an adult and empowered me to serve children with the respect and gravitas they deserve, but do not always receive from our dominant culture. I wanted to walk that path along with Elementary children - the most imaginative and curious and skilled of all!
I found there too, a formula for a life that could be defined as successful based on a continued path of self-construction, awareness of the grand mysteries of the universe, and realization of the inter-connectedness of it all.
From a six-month yoga teacher training, an exhaustive AMI Elementary certification, a Masters program, and in my years working with children in the classroom, I am attuned to the various ways a student and teacher relationship can exist and I insist that we are all always students and teachers (which makes the children laugh - they are my teachers?!). I have also have been gifted a vision of a peaceful, creative, and hard-working Elementary community and my role in co-creating that space.
I believe that great teaching comes from a combination of measured and well-timed observation, curiosity, preparation, enthusiasm, humility, creativity, intuition, experience, optimism, patience, and humor.
We learn so much from modeled behavior. I hope that my continuous pursuit of self-awareness, mindfulness, flexibility, and clarity are a model for the culture of the community and possibilities for childrens' own choices.