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Meet Our 2009-2010 Staff!
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Elizabeth Baker - Teacher/Director
Starting a school has been a goal of mine for about as long as I've been interested in education. My own educational background is unique, as I was homeschooled for 11 years before I attended college. From the perspective of a homeschooler I can say that the world feels very small when it holds only one's family and just a few others. In some ways, this is good, because it keeps the scope of vision narrow, affording focus and time for thought. However, once I left home for college, I realized that it is very hard to maintain depth or variation in thought (and therefore in character) without exposure to different ideas, opinions, beliefs and people. Since graduating from homeschooling, I have been delighted by the vastness of the world and awed by my place in all of it. Starting a school is one way for me to practice what I claim to value: depth rather than breadth, critical thinking rather than fact acquisition, freedom to be rather than obligation to perform and an authentic life, full of bumbling along and being surprised by who we are when we are allowed to be.
Background
A native of Colorado, I was homeschooled in Grand Junction, attended the Colorado College in Colorado Springs and now reside in old town Louisville. However, after graduating college in May 2003, with a degree in Philosophy and Education, I moved across the states for some East Coast experience and a chance to teach as an intern at the Albany Free School in Albany, New York. Drawn by the school's unique approach to education, I committed myself to learning as much as possible from the veteran free-school teachers I would encounter. After my internship, I continued my own education on education by traveling abroad for 4 months to India, the United Arab Emirates and New Zealand. In India I attended the 10-day International Democratic Education Conference held in Bhubaneswar. Then, in the UAE I presented on the world free school movement to a class of political philosophy students at the American University of Sharjah. Finally, in New Zealand I volunteer-taught at a free school in Christchurch called Tamariki. After NZ, I moved to Colorado, where I found a job nannying while I applied to graduate programs in Education. After finding the Teacher Education Program at the Boulder Journey School I decided to stay in Colorado to earn my Masters degree and teaching license, while learning about an educational approach I had only really heard about: Reggio Emilia. It was through this program that I met Michele, and we began having the conversations that eventually became the groundwork for our school. I graduated from the program in August of 2007, earning a Master's Degree in Educational Psychology and a Teaching License in Early Childhood Education. Michele and I opened The Patchwork School two weeks later.
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Michele Beach - Teacher/Director
As a parent myself I know how difficult it can be to decide where to start sending your child to school. In fact the first time my husband and I discussed possibilities for our son’s education I was shocked when he suggested we should consider home schooling. I had a wonderful experience in public schools and just assumed that my children would do the same, so I was surprised to hear that he thought it might not be the best approach. Since that conversation I have learned a great deal about the current state of our public schools and about the many other options available, including home schooling, unschooling, freeschooling, etc. In addition, I now understand how much children can learn by experiencing the world directly and through relationships with others. This knowledge, along with my recent teaching and parenting experiences, has led me to believe that I can help provide children, including my own, with an educational environment that invites children to be passionate about learning.
Background
I am a Colorado native, living in Aurora, Englewood, and Greenwood Village, and graduating from Cherry Creek High School. I attended college at Stanford University and graduated in 2000 with a degree in Computer Science. Afterwards, I returned to Colorado and worked at Level 3 Communications in Broomfield as a Software Developer for four years. I met my husband, Dave, at work and we were married in 2002. Then in 2004 our son, Cameron was born, at which time I quit working to stay home with him. After being a stay-at-home mom for two years I became interested in possibly doing home daycare. I had always loved working with children, doing lots of nannying and babysitting throughout high school and even into college. However, after looking into the regulations for a home daycare I decided that I wanted to offer more than just a safe place to play – I wanted to provide an environment that would promote learning. That is when I found Boulder Journey School and became interested in Reggio Emilia. In August of 2006, Cameron started attending the school part-time and I began working there with three- and four-year-olds. In August of 2007 I completed their teacher preparation program, earning a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology from CU Denver as well as a Teaching License in Early Childhood Education. My experiences as a director and teacher at The Patchwork School these past two years has further intensified my belief in the power of democratic education and my desire to continue to learn more. I feel so fortunate to be working with such a wonderful group of parents and children!
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Brooke Bell - Part-Time Teacher
I am returning to the Patchwork School after my maternity leave for a second year teaching part time. My daughter, Emerson, attends two days a week and absolutely loves the environment and community. My interest in alternative education began early in college. I graduated from Elon University in N.C. with degrees in Philosophy and Religious Studies in 2002. I then went through the internship program at Stanley British Primary School for my elementary teaching certificate and completed my masters in Educational Psychology from CU Denver in 2008. I have taught in both public and private environments. I enjoy listening to and observing children as they explore and learn. When I am not teaching, I am most likely at home with my daughter and son, hiking, or playing outside.
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Kerry Cerelli - Intern Teacher
I grew up playing in the neighborhoods and soccer fields near my New Jersey home, only to head to the west coast for college. My love of play followed me wherever I roamed, however, and I found myself competing in collegiate soccer and backpacking through the mountains of Washington State. After getting my bachelor's degree in biology, I fled the country for an adventure abroad. In East Africa, as a teacher at a shelter for street kids, I learned a good lesson in the universality of play and laughter and their ability to smash through cultural and linguistic barriers. When I finally returned to the U.S., I was reinvigorated with the desire to be of service and support to children and families. That led me to social work with at-risk youth back in Jersey and then a master's degree in counseling psychology out here in Colorado. As I've mentioned, my love of play has followed me throughout my life, so Colorado, with its built-in playground of natural beauty, has been good to me. Recently, my professional training in pre/perinatal psychology and attachment theory has deepened my understanding of child development in the early years of life which, in turn, has enhanced my ability to support children as they grow and change. Working now as a nanny, editor, and doula, I have found that a playful attitude - grounded in professionalism, knowledge, and a commitment to service - are tremendous assets in any occupational endeavor. I look forward to playing and working, as well as learning and growing, along with The Patchwork School.
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Amanda Easton -
Part-Time Teacher
I have lived in Colorado most of my life. I went to Mesa State and Metro State College and earned a BA in Behavioral Psychology; during this time I had my first son. I worked as a nanny for several families during college and after. I was also a mentor through the Colorado Youth at Risk program at East High School. I married my husband in 1999 and went back to school, working toward a teaching certificate. We were blessed with three more boys during the next four years. I mostly stayed home with them, working part time from home. I enjoyed volunteering countless hours in my oldest sons’ classrooms. I also taught Sunday school for K-5th graders. In 2007 we added two more children to our family through adoption, a boy and a girl from Liberia, West Africa. I am currently homeschooling the five youngest children, and we are all enjoying our time at The Patchwork School. I have always loved babies and children. It doesn’t surprise most anyone I know that I have six children. I believe that children are a huge blessing. Being around them makes me feel so much younger than I am. I am currently feeling like Ultra Soccer Mom, but I try to keep our household pace at a slow jog most of the time. We love being outside, gardening, rock hunting, playing at parks, going on hikes and picnics, and visiting the library. I love to be with good friends, scrapbook (this is like a twice a year indulgence), bake, read, and listen to music. I love doing outreach activities in our local community and for African countries. I am currently doing a Youth Group outreach weekly at our church. I have many close friends doing projects for different African Countries and I enjoy helping them work toward making a difference with banquets, fundraising, and collaborating on ideas. I am really excited to be a teacher at The Patchwork School. I feel right “at home” here, and I love being with all of the children, they are truly amazing. Teaching and mothering are two of the most exhausting and fulfilling jobs ever!! So I feel it is a privilege to be so fulfilled.
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Christy Lochary -
Part-Time Teacher
I started working with children during a summer art program with the Museum of Outdoor Arts in Littleton, Colorado. Chin deep in acrylic paint and construction paper, I discovered the joy of working with children and creating epic art pieces together. This experience lead me to pursue an art degree at the University of Colorado, keeping in mind a younger spirit and collaborative focus while developing my projects.
While at CU, I was involved with a student run volunteer organization, Alternative Breaks. The aim of this organization is to connect college students with communities they would not normally be in contact with. During my time with AB, I was fortunate to expose myself to a variety of communities around the United States. Working with this group, I discovered the importance of community in my life and the lives of others.
After graduating from college, I felt the need to broaden my community, which led me to a year of living in Zagreb, Croatia and Belgrade, Serbia. In addition to traveling, learning to paint and teaching English to children ages 2-8, I also developed a love and fascination for camels and swimming in the sea.
Within the Patchwork School community, I am excited about combining my passion for art and community building into teaching. I look forward to providing opportunities to help children expand their horizons and connect more fully to their passions.
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