I was first exposed to the power of early learning as a graduate student, studying a grassroots organization, the Unemployed Workers Movement La Matanza, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In the wake of a devastating financial crisis, neighborhood activists had gathered for auto-ayuda (self-help), establishing a cooperative bakery, sewing workshop, and preschool. The aim of the preschool was to provide care for children in the neighborhood so their parents could go out searching for work, while also helping to create the next generation of democratic, engaged citizens.

Many years later, I now realize how much this early experience shaped my views of education, social change, and child- and community-well being. Since becoming a parent myself, I have become an active volunteer in my children’s cooperative preschool and elementary schools, as well as leading my own outdoor education classes for kids. My approach to teaching incorporates current research in child development and whole-child learning, along with a profound humanistic commitment to raise the next generation of democratic global citizens. Additionally, I integrate a longstanding interest in yoga, meditation, and mental health by focusing on children’s social-emotional development and incorporating developmentally appropriate mindfulness practices into our class routines. I believe all education can be joyful, loving, and full of learning.