I was born in Germany and moved to the United States when I was a baby. I grew up on Long Island, NY, and spent a lot of time exploring the beach and boating. As much as I love the ocean, the mountains feel more like home. My husband, Jason, and I moved to Vermont in 2008 from NYC to raise our two children, Liam and Ari, with the freedom to run outside and pick vegetables from the garden. We lived in Stowe for a few years while we built our home in Morristown. We have been living here for seven years and have expanded our property into a mini “farm,” complete with an orchard, twelve raised vegetable beds, many fruit bushes, trails through the woods, Oma and Opa living next door, our dog and cat, and a field for horses in the future.
It has been a joy being a stay-at-home mom for my children, but I am thrilled to start a new chapter in my life and go back into the classroom! I have a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from the University of Vermont and a Master’s in Early Childhood Education from the Bank Street College of Education in New York City. I have a New York State teaching license and I am currently working on finishing my Vermont teaching license. I have worked with infants through second grade, but my favorite age is 4 and 5 year olds. The last school I worked at, PS 59 Beekman Hill International School, was located near the United Nations and usually half of the students coming into my Pre-K were English language learners. Interestingly, I too entered Pre-K not knowing any English (many years ago.) Having so many ESL students required me to be clear with my expectations of students, which in turn allows students to be confident and independent in the classroom. My approach to teaching is calm and nurturing, I allow children to learn and explore at their own individual pace and provide a comforting environment for them to grow socially and academically. Young children learn best while playing and our year together will be filled with many rich experiences; for example: exploring nature, catching caterpillars and watching them turn into butterflies (and letting them go), weekly cooking projects, interviewing parents/school workers and learning about their jobs, block building, art projects, and (of course!) making wonderful friendships.
