Hi!
I’m Cierra! I am a seasoned educator who thrives on teaching and learning “in the moment.” Play-Responsive Teaching and Inquiry-Based Learning are the backbone of how I engage children in learning while they enjoy the freedom of youthful play. I love creating, exploring, and all things outdoors. I have 2 young children of my own who also attend The Little Folk School.
Relevant Qualifications
-Certified Teacher with Pre-K through 6th-grade teaching licensure
-Master of Arts in Teaching with a focus on inquiry-based learning
-10 years of public school teaching experience
-3 years operating The Little Folk School
-20+ years of experience with children in a variety of settings.
Additional Trainings & Experience
I am trained in the Orton-Gillingham Approach from IMSE on teaching reading and spelling in line with the science of reading. I also have practical training and experience with Social-Emotional Learning, Project-Based Learning, Drama Based Pedagogy, Arts Integration, Positive Behavior Support Models, Restorative Justice, and Trauma-Informed Care.
Educational Philosophy
When developing The Little Folk School, I drew inspiration from the folk school educational philosophy originally from Denmark and combined it with my preferred early education teaching methodologies, Inquiry- Based Learning and Play-Responsive Teaching.
Folk schools are based on the educational ideas of the philosopher, Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig. Whereas they are traditionally centered around adult education, I see a strong need for the same principles in the education of littles. Grundtvig said they were to be “schools for life”, a place for the community to come together and explore their love of learning new skills.
One of the key factors of the folk school philosophy is that each school is a product of its community. “Stick your finger down into the ground and smell where you are! This is where the needs of the people are found, which can be different in different times and places. Where this meets the abilities of the teacher, there lies the hojskole’s (folk school’s) calling.” -Ludwig Schroeder, 1872
Microschool
Our calling is to be a “school for life” for children. To provide a safe and intimate school community that facilitates experiential learning opportunities guided by each student’s interests. A place for children to be children and enjoy developing their love for learning as I incorporate inquiry-based learning experiences and play-responsive teaching into everyday moments and their autonomous play. I believe there is no single educational approach that fulfills all children need to grow and learn as individuals. For this reason, I incorporate elements from other pedagogies that fit our microschool community as they become relevant, including project-based learning, outdoor exploration, structured literacy/phonemic awareness activities, and process art.
The environment I provide is thoughtful and enticing. It empowers children to explore, investigate, think, question, and create- leading to meaningful learning.
We are currently enrolling for our mixed age group and are able to offer part-time for full-time schedules.
We operate August-May, with additional schedule offerings added each summer. We are located in Harrisonburg near Hillandale Park. Due to our current space allowances and desire to offer an intimate setting, we have limited enrollment availability at The Little Folk School. If you feel your family would be a good fit, please express interest by emailing directly to [email protected].
