Hannah Schardein

I hold a Master of Education in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities from the University of Louisville. I have been teaching since 2004 and have taught threes, fours, kindergarten, first grade, and second grade as well as taught and directed the Junior Kindergarten Program in a local independent school. Experience with these ages has deepened my understanding of child development trajectories. I've enjoyed presenting at various educational conferences, such as KAIS, and serving on the Early Childhood Board at the Kentucky Science Center.

I am influenced by modern research in education and am especially mindful of the central importance of choice, nature, and free play in children's early educational experiences. I want school to feel joyful and meaningful to children as they are actively engaged in learning. These best practice approaches led me to the progressive education program at Virginia Chance School.

The green expanses of our Glenview campus inspire children's imaginations and bring learning about our natural world directly into their hands. Exploring math, literacy, art, music, and science outside under the trees encourages a sense of wonder while delivering children's brains a peace of mind only available out of doors. I have a firm respect for the different developmental pathways and knowledge that all humans are born with different propensities; our research time here at Virginia Chance School provides opportunities for all children's interests to be recognized. Authentic project work offers children a safe, welcoming space to develop 21st-century skills. Social-emotional learning occurs throughout each day, whether inside the classroom or out and about on campus. I am grateful for our two-teacher model, which allows us the time to respond to social and emotional learning moments when they arise. I believe educators are responsible for caring for each child with a mindfulness of these ideas. I appreciate working with like-minded teachers here at Chance School.

At home, I spend time with my husband, Robert, and our teenage sons, Alexander and Gabriel, as well as two big, loveable dogs, Beorn and Phoebe, and our black and white cat, Kodak. Alexander is a percussionist, so we watch him perform at football ball games, band competitions, and concerts. Gabriel is an avid sportsman. We love watching him play basketball and volleyball, fish, and run cross country. Reading is a passion of mine- I'm always reading at least two or three books at a time. I'm also a member of the 502 Power Yoga community and like to incorporate a little yoga into the classroom. As we say at the end of yoga practice at 502, "May you be happy. May you be well. May you be safe. May you be at peace and at ease."