Maggie Zenn, K-3 Teacher: “I began sharing my life-long passion for learning over thirty years ago. I started with a summer art camp in my parents basement when I was fourteen years old. We created many beautiful things, and I began to think about this question: Why do parents and teachers say we want children grow up to be independent, creative, fulfilled, intrinsically motivated, and lifelong learners, yet when they are children in schools the focus seems on compliance, agreeable disposition, speedy recall, and extrinsic motivation? I never understood how children could effectively shift from one paradigm to another. Where was the bridge? When I became a parent, eleven years ago, the question deepened in meaning, and my pursuit of an answer became a quest. The preservation of children’s wholeness, and support of their growth became my vocation.”

Linda Waidler, Upper-classroom Teacher: Linda has lived in Santa Fe for the past 25 years. She has raised two daughters who now are attending college. She attended the University of Northern Colorado and began her teaching career in the Cherry Creek School District, teaching year-round school in the late 1970’s. Linda has developed many educational programs. Linda started the first multi-age classroom in a Santa Fe Public School, she co-founded an alternative school serving students, 8-15 years of age in a multiage environment and created a home school learning environment to serve the needs of two students with multiple learning challenges.Linda recently joined the Tara School teaching students ages 10-13.

Linda believes that flexible grouping provides a meaningful learning experience. A great deal of teaching and learning takes place between children of different ages. Children are superb teachers. This exchange of information provides an enormous addition to the range of experience for all participants. It is believed by some that no matter how children are grouped, they still learn in accordance with their individual abilities. Choices are provided to allow students to meet their unique ways of learning. Children move from easier to more difficult material at their own pace. Students’ respect each other’s differences. Academic excellence is not compromised during this process. It is only enhanced therefore providing a child many learning opportunities without limits.Parents have asked....but will my child learn to read, write, spell??? How??

Linda believes that learning must take place through self motivation and self regulation. Every child has a natural curiosity that allows each individual to develop abilities and talents and to pursue interests unique to that child. Motivation will come from accomplishment itself.. a self-motivated student has a desire to master whatever he is learning and will constantly check himself to see that the desire is being fulfilled. She trusts that each student is considered to be the best judge of his own efforts. The teacher therefore becomes a facilitator to provide information and support, learning then becomes a process you do...not a process that is done to you.

Learning, thinking, actively using your mind, your body - it’s the essence of being human. It’s natural.

Kayoko Omori, arts, after care, substitute teacher: A quarter-Okinawan and a fourth-generation Tokyoite, she always considered herself a secret singer/actress/writer (For one, she grew up in a household with quite a comedic streak). After graduating from a six-year "good wife-making" school near the Imperial Palace, she then completely ignored all that strict training and looked the other way for adventure. In the foothills of Appalachians to start (Emory & Henry College, Virginia), her voraciousness for learning expressed itself in studying ancient history, philosophy, piano, voice, theater, and sociology. Later at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, her alma mater, she concentrated on Special Education and Spanish.

She has taught at Temple Beth Shalom Preschool/Kindergarten and at Reach the Children School before joining staff at Tara. A local documentary film "Cinderellas of Santa Fe" had her featured as a poet.

Kayoko on Creativity and Education:
Creativity doesn't come in a nifty little kit with a barcode on it.
It isn't necessarily a luxurious afterthought (like high tea with scones).
The inexplicable magic of your grandma's gumbo in mid-June.
Four year-olds so engrossed in pretend play that they start
resembling some table-tennis finalists in the Olympics.
The morning emerald sky descends on your wintry cheek as you Second Street,
and as if taking off the runway,
dives up into the sky as you turn onto Cerrillos.

The bareness of being fully in the moment.
That's the swimming pool of creativity.
It simmers and shapeshifts with a never-ending wonder.
Michaelangelo served the Moment with such concentration and patience that was fiery joy.
Should we then worship Michaelangelo and say to the young,
"Well, know all about his art so you really know what you're going to make or do will always be crappier"?
No. And too many of us adults were taught exactly that way.
We are Michaelangelo, and the juiciest part yet is this;
that we're all intricately unique-meaning,
there are no two creators exactly alike in this world.
Too much destroying has been the habit of the day.
Create, keep doing it, do it anyway because it's the bravest thing you'll ever do.