This class is a "RIE-inspired" play group. We will begin our time together by observing our infants play, largely uninterrupted, then we will begin a warm conversation about what we noticed and our parenting practices in general.
What to expect: when you arrive, we will greet each other, chat for a minute, then place our babies down on their backs on a large mat to play while we join them on the floor in comfortable positions. I will curate the environment and bring developmentally appropriate, open-ended play objects for the infants to engage with. Adults will sit back and watch the children play independently and together.
After a period of peaceful noticing, we will begin an open-ended conversation about respectful caregiving.
Cohorts are grouped by mobility level, rather than age:
Non-mobile infants
Rolling infants
Crawling infants
Having sessions in a row will allow the children (and adults) to develop familiarity and comfort in the space. We totally understand if you can't make it to all of the classes, though.
Classes will be limited to five families.
Courtney will host a virtual information session prior to the start date to answer any questions and make sure we are all on the same page.
About Courtney and Beech Street Parenting:
Hello! Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a passionate advocate for young children. In fact, my entire professional life has focused on learning about and learning from children and their families. I have grown from a myriad of jobs in which I have worked with families from various socio-economic, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds.
After studying developmental and family psychology in college, I served as a Fulbright scholar in Norway, a teaching resident at KIPP in DC, a Teach For America corps member, an educator at Google, and a founding teacher at an innovative, projects-based charter school in Oakland, California. Collectively, these experiences represent over a decade as a teacher in the field of early childhood education and provide me with the knowledge, skills, and mindset to help prepare parents for life with a young child.
I hold a Masters Degree in Education, a Reading Specialist Certificate, an active Elementary Teaching Credential, and a graduate certificate in Infant and Toddler Mental Health. Before launching Beech Street Parenting, I coached and trained Early Head Start Infant and Toddler teachers as well as Home Visitors. I am trained in RIE Foundations and am heavily influenced by Magda Gerber’s respectful approach to caregiving.
I am also a mom and am grateful to have a professional and personal connection to this important work.