My journey into education began as a teenager, helping my mother in her early childhood classroom. While studying design at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, I continued working in early childhood education because I found so much joy in watching children discover the world around them. Although I loved teaching, I couldn't imagine myself in a conventional school system where art and music—subjects that had been pivotal to my own happiness as a child—were being pushed aside, so I pursued a career in web design.
Years later, while searching for an educational path for my own young sons, I discovered Waldorf education. Here was a model that wove art, music, movement, storytelling, nature, and academics into one beautiful whole. As I began my Waldorf teacher training, I discovered something far deeper: a profound understanding of child development that honors not only what children learn, but how they develop as human beings.
A couple of years into my training, my older son began experiencing sensory challenges, difficulty managing classroom environments, and other challenges that made classroom settings overwhelming. We made the decision to homeschool, and in seeking answers, I began exploring sensory development, child development, occupational therapy literature, and nature-based education. I studied with Kathleen Lockyer, founder of Rx Outside, and attended two years of the Weaving Earth Immersion program, exploring the powerful role that nature plays in feeling connected to place, neurological development and sensory regulation. I also helped establish a forest kindergarten program at Weaving Earth, where I witnessed firsthand how movement, outdoor play, and rich sensory experiences helped children become calmer, more confident, and more ready to learn.
My studies then led me to the curative movement tradition within Waldorf education. I trained with Robyn Brown of Mulberry Educational Consulting in Curative Education, movement-based educational approaches, and developmental perspectives within Waldorf education. I later completed my Waldorf Teacher Certification through Sound Circle Center in Seattle and became a Waldorf class teacher for a rising third-grade class.
As a classroom teacher, I continue to see many bright, capable children struggling with attention, coordination, memory, emotional regulation, and confidence. My search for ways to better support these students and their parents led me to the work of Waldorf remedial educators such as Audrey McAllen, Karl König, Joep Eikenboom, Jeff Turner, and Sally Goddard Blythe. My work with students also led me to study Blomberg Rhythmic Movement Training (BRMT), through which I completed Levels 1 and 2 training. This training deepened my understanding of the relationship between early movement patterns, coordination, rhythm, body awareness, and learning. I incorporate selected movement activities from my training as part of my educational work, particularly when they can help a child become more engaged, coordinated, organized, and ready to learn.
Today, my philosophy is shaped by the wisdom of these pioneers in education and child development. My goal as an educator is not simply to help children complete schoolwork, but to strengthen the underlying capacities that allow learning to become easier, more joyful, and more confident over time.
