This is Catherine’s second year teaching the 4’s at CEDS and our school is incredibly fortunate to have her! She is a native New Yorker and currently lives in the Kips Bay neighborhood in Manhattan. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree from New York University in Early Childhood Education and later earned her Master’s Degree from CUNY Hunter College in Special Education. She spent 13 years teaching Pre-K at a school in the West Village before joining the CEDS community.

Please enjoy reading the responses to some questions we asked Catherine about her career as a teacher.

1. Why did you become a teacher?

It started really far back from even before I was in High School. My mom had a childcare business and I always loved playing with the children that she cared for every day. They were so joyful and lively. In High School, I took a child psychology class and became a helper in the Pre-K classroom. This was the first time I got to teach lessons and plan projects. I decided after this experience that I wanted to go to college for Education so I applied and was admitted to NYU. I loved studying pedagogy and have been learning about child development and teaching ever since!

2. What do you love most about teaching?

I love that there are no two days that are exactly the same in my class. Every day is a new adventure. Whether it’s noticing their positive growth and development, or seeing their funny quirky personalities shining through, they always brighten my day and make me laugh. 

3. What makes CEDS a unique place to work?

I’ve never been in another position where they really value such a growth mindset both for the kids as well as the teachers. I am lucky to be able to do so much professional development here. I’ve learned a lot about Emotionally Responsive Practice and how we really value social emotional development over everything. It also feels like such a family working here!

4. What is a special interest you have in life that you bring into your classroom?

I love the arts and going to shows on Broadway. Because of this, we naturally do a lot of performing arts in our classroom. I value expressiveness and creativity and I can see that the children love it too! This year, I have a feeling that one of our projects will have to do with theater and storytelling… 

5. What is the biggest change you see in your students from the start of a school year to the end?

Thinking back to last year during our friendship project, I noticed a big change in how the children began communicating with each other. By the end of the school year, they became much better about problem solving and working together as friends rather than arguing. It was nice to see how independently they were able to do things that required such support in the beginning of the year.