Social Emotional Workshop

I have spent the last 10 years as a school psychologist, special education director, and camp director for special needs kiddos. I have worked in public schools around Boston and charter schools in the South Bronx, New York.

I think it is essential to educate the whole child. To give kids the reason why they are learning something. Focus on developing relationships and cultivating mutual respect with clear boundaries. I think you have to give children lots of exposure and repetitions with material and an opportunity to interact with information in different ways. I think you have to break things down and understand where confusion comes from. I believe in using data efficiently and effectively to tailor instruction and support as much as possible.

I grew up in Northern New Jersey attending public schools, and working with children as soon as I was old enough. I went to University of Maryland and found myself torn between education and psychology. After 4 years and a lot of time in classrooms and research labs, I found school psychology and it seemed to be the perfect fit. I moved up to Boston and went to Tufts University for graduate school.

I lucked into a school psychologist position in Concord, Massachusetts where I got to really develop my role and work with some incredibly talented general and special education staff. I also had the opportunity to run a summer camp for children with Autism at Massachusetts General Hospital, developing resources, working with kids, and developing staff. After 5 years, the New York area was calling me home, and I landed a job at a charter school in the South Bronx. It was the area I always wanted to work in, and again I was given the leeway to develop my role. I eventually moved into being their special education director as they expanded into multiple schools. Currently, I am creating resources and working schools to improve social and emotional learning and supporting students with special needs.