The children in the Stars room continue to build independence as they serve themselves during snack time, negotiate problems with others, and make choices throughout the day. You will also see their social-emotional skills grow in leaps and bounds as they leave parallel play behind and begin to engage in true cooperative play where they build on each other’s ideas and begin to take on role-playing (e.g. “I’ll be the Daddy, you be the baby”). Of course, this can lead to disagreements and problems, which are all part of learning. Children learn to use their words to express their thoughts and desires and to negotiate with each other to figure out how to take turns and listen to others’ points of view. Children this age are really beginning to look to friends for information in addition to their teachers; you’ll find we have lots of spaces in our classroom where small groups may congregate to play a game, look at a book together, or build. We have 4 full-time teachers and up to 16 children in this classroom.
Stars Teachers
Adele Woodard has 8 years of teaching experience and a Bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Miami. She plays ukulele and bass, knits, crochets, and has taught outdoor education including backpacking a section of the long trail in Vermont
She says “I love that TCS gives us as educators the space and time to meet children where they are and respect their thoughts, feelings, and opinions. We get to give the children the space to learn and grow without judgment, which is so deeply important in developing a positive relationship with school and education as a whole. Getting to teach in a space where children are both doing an incredible amount of learning as well as feeling genuine joy from getting to come to class and be with peers is truly a gift. I am so grateful that we get to be the best educators that we can be and that we get to see the difference in the children that we work with.”
Erick Flores has over 10 years of teaching experience and is currently pursuing a Bachelors degree in child development. He also has experience as an assistant coach for a kids basketball team.
He says he most enjoys “watching the kids’ development as they grow and progress from the Bluebirds to the Stars and then Rainbows, and how much we work to create a great community in the school and neighborhood.”
Giordano (Gio) Hardy-Gerena has taught for 9 years and holds a Bachelor’s degree in American Studies. Other interests include playing the flute and studying ballet and modern dance. Prior to his teaching career he worked as a community organizer focused on immigration reform and affordable housing.
When asked what he loves about teaching at TCS, he said: “I love the caring, joyous, and democratic community we foster with our children! Thanks to the Reggio Emilia approach, we create a curriculum in collaboration, as opposed to dictation, with our students. This ensures we meet our children’s developmental needs. We respect their deep desire to play, honor their intelligence and curiosity, and value their drive to acquire emotional and social acumen. We are creating and living a model for a world we all wish to inhabit beyond the boundaries of our school!”
Hannah Lacey-Smith has worked with children for over 10 years, including nannying and teaching in both the U.K. and the US. She holds a Master’s in Early Childhood Education and a Master’s in Education and Technology with a focus on STEM.
Hannah loves TCS’s Reggio-inspired, child-led approach and enjoys giving children the freedom to explore their interests through play and hands-on experiences. What she loves most about TCS is the strong sense of community and getting to know each child and family.