Introduction

Hello I am Susan Tefft. I am starting my first year in the Master's Program at Walden University in The Early Childhood Studies Program. I have a B.A. in Early Childhood with a concentration in Special Education. I have been working in the Early Childhood field for over 20 years and I am mother to 7 wonderful children; 6 girls and 1 boy. I am happily married to the love of my life and my best friend. I recently moved to Seattle where I am working as a co-teacher in a Reggio bi-lingual classroom. I just completed a study with Michigan State University on the benefits of Science in the Preschool classroom; the study was entitled Head Start on Science. I learned a lot of ways to include parents in classroom activities, how to get children asking more questions, and how to be an objective observer instead of a subjective one.  For the last 6 years I have been working in non-profit centers teaching Head Start to low income children. My current position allows me to work with more privileged children and learn a different style of teaching. My hope would be to close the income gaps and merge the two teaching styles (Reggio and Creative Curriculum) providing low income children with more learning opportunities and a higher level teaching.