Director and Lead Toddler Teacher

BA in American Studies, Yale University

MA in Education and English Teaching Credential, UC Berkeley

MA in Educational Administration and Administrative Credential, SFSU

Graduate of East Bay Meditation Center’s Practice in Transformative Action program

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After having my first child in 2020, I was moved to draw on my 15 years of experience as an educator to create a preschool experience that honors our littlest humans as they develop their first connections with themselves, each other, and our planet.

As an English teacher for 9 years, I taught multiple levels of secondary English, as well as English Language Development and parent education classes. I have loved all of my students, and these experiences taught me the fundamental principles of education.

Every person wants to be seen, to be loved, and to grow. It is a teacher’s great privilege to witness a child, know their strengths and their weaknesses, and to provide the support and motivation that fosters their development. As a lifelong educator, I am skilled at differentiating instruction to best serve each student in my care, all while serving as the emotional regulator of the classroom community. My years of meditation practice have enabled me to see a situation clearly and to breathe calm into moments of tension. As an educator, I have valued partnering with parents and community members to create authentic learning experiences relevant to my students.

Beyond the classroom, I have a deep connection to nature that continually inspires and nourishes me. I strive to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature, and I am constantly learning about the flora and fauna that make our local community so special. Through Little Roots Academy, I am honored to support young children as they develop their own relationship with nature.

When I realized that I could combine my background as a mindful educator with my love of very young children, my husband and I made the decision to turn our home into a preschool. These past few years, I have devoted my life to this vision— taking Early Childhood Education classes, partnering with the wonderful Dawn Robinson, and transforming my home into a wonderland for children.

I am thrilled to open our home as Little Roots Academy. I look forward to connecting with the families with whom we will grow our preschool community!

Lead Preschool Teacher

B.A. in English Literature & Teaching Credential from Dominican University

M.F.A. in Creative Writing

Montessori Preschool Teaching Credential

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Dawn Robinson has been an educator for 28 years, and loves to learn something new each day. She has been a preschool teacher for nearly a decade, went through training in Montessori, Waldorf, and Reggio Emilia approaches, and works in tutoring with students from Kindergarten, up to 12th grades in early reading/literacy, language arts, composition, and poetics. Although she studied coursework, and did fieldwork for a Single-Subject/ English teaching credential, early childhood education won her over in the end—playing, discovering, gardening, and expanding curriculum with kids in Nature Sciences continue to bring her joy. Dawn has a background in classical music, theater, and organic gardening. As a child, she was raised in many places, some of which were tribal sovereign nations, and she was taught by her elders that our Earth, and Nature are our best teachers. Dawn is very exited to be bringing young learners into natural spaces, helping them to connect with our oceans, forests, and the animals whose homes are imperiled, as part of Ely’s collaborative teaching team at Little Roots. The time is now! Our kids need our Earth, and our Earth needs our kids.