Claire is a seasoned and passionate teacher with over 13 years of teaching experience who loves to make learning FUN. She has taught First through Third grades and has an impressive knowledge of academic standards to target instruction to meet the individual needs of learners. Claire is a Responsive Educator basing her instruction on children’s understanding of topics, interests, and inspirations. She pursues achievement through interpersonal relationships and knows that success is born out of motivation and is connected to individual student interests. She currently teaches a specialty class guiding children in grades PreK through Third grade in developing Mindfulness and Social-Emotional skills.

Claire graduated with honors with a Masters of Science in Childhood Education and most recently completed her certification in Mindfulness and Yoga for Children from the Nesheema Kids Yoga Program. This certification specializes in mindfulness in education, creative arts, and play.

Claire specializes in the Columbia’s Teachers College Workshop approach to literacy instruction with goals to raise student achievement and inspire children to become lifelong readers and writers. She has experience with the Words Their Way literacy program for phonics, vocabulary and spelling instruction. For younger children, Claire focuses on letter sounds and word study. Claire utilizes games, activities, and movement to meet the needs of phonic learners. For older children, Claire specializes in creating playful approaches to test prep to ensure progress for all types of learners. Claire believes that inspiring independence and intrinsic motivation for academic growth is the key to success. 

Claire believes in a hands-on approach to mathematical instruction making concepts tangible and relatable. Her primary approach is based on a professional focus on TERC Investigations which explores problem solving where children hypothesize outcomes, test ideas, and clearly prove solutions.

Types of Services: Individual and Small Group Instruction, Literacy Coaching, Math Explorations, Phonics Development, Test prep, Mindfulness, Children’s Yoga, and Social-Emotional Development

Expertise: Responsive teaching, Literacy Development, Differentiated Instruction, Mindfulness, Children’s Yoga, Social-Emotional Growth, Fostering Independence and Ownership, Forming Interpersonal Relationships

Ages: Kindergarten through Third Grade