Two-Three Year Old Teachers
Brianna Batard-Pierre
I have a BA from Fisher College and before coming to TBS I worked at the Boys & Girls Club of MetroWest where I supported students with on-the-job youth development training and helped to run programs and events. I love being part of the community at TBS and in the classroom you can often find me dancing and singing with my students. |
Sharon Berkowitz
My profound love and fascination for children have guided me down the path of early childhood education, with a special emphasis on Jewish culture. I love incorporate Jewish holidays into the kids' learning and playtime at TBS. Born and raised in Israel, my deep connection to Jewish culture and traditions serves as my compass. As an educator, my aspiration is to cultivate a nurturing and vibrant learning environment for young minds. I firmly believe in leveraging play to craft moments that are both memorable and enjoyable. Fostering curiosity within children and fully immersing myself in their unique world is where my passion lies. In my teaching approach, I'm devoted to making every child feel valued, loved, and fostering a secure and inviting atmosphere that nurtures their growth. With boundless love, patience, and dedication, I am resolute in my commitment to teach and nurture each child, treating them as if they were my own. |
Alina Chernyakova
I spent the past twenty years working in the field of education. I have a doctorate in education, a masters in psychology and a masters in education. Most recently, I trained early educators. I have also worked as a psychologist, art therapist, and Montessori teacher. |
Carly Blazinski
Working with children has always been a passion of mine. I studied Early Childhood Education at East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania where I received my Bachelors Degree. I have experience in preschool through fourth grade classrooms as well as special education. Prior to joining the TBS community I was a nanny in Needham for many years. (I also was a nanny for a few TBS families!) As an educator, it is important for me to provide children with a safe, nurturing, and warm classroom environment. I strive to give children the opportunities to explore, create and engage in play-based learning experiences. Being able to guide children this way and offer support when needed gives them the opportunity to learn and grow in their own way. I am so excited to be at TBS and expand my experience and knowledge as a teacher! |
Erica Cohen
I have over 20 years of teaching experience in various educational settings. This includes working for the Newton Public School system in the special education department. I obtained my Master's degree in Early Childhood Education from Lesley University. I also have a Bachelors degree in Education and Sociology. Coming from a long line of teachers, I always knew I'd work with children. I love to see the progress a child makes over the course of the school year. I enjoy utilizing a child's strengths to inspire them to learn more. I feel it is important to focus on meeting each child's individual needs at their level to allow the student to reach their full potential. I value my Jewish heritage and I feel blessed to be part of such a wonderful community at TBS. |
Karen Cohen
I started teaching at TBSCC after I saw the benefits of a positive child-centered learning environment in my own children who attended TBSCC. I have a BA in Psychology from Brandeis University, a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Master’s in Jewish Communal Service with a Certificate in Jewish Special Education from Gratz College. My educational background and as a parent of four children, I have learned to work with each child as an individual, carefully supporting their development as part of our classroom environment. I create a classroom environment that is rich in both materials and experiences, while not being overwhelming. I love to help Judaism come alive for children weekly with our joyous Shabbat celebrations and embracing the smells, visuals, music and traditions throughout the year of the Jewish holidays. I strive to connect and work collaboratively with families to highlight their child’s strengths and help them understand child development. |
Stephanie Derkautsan
My Jewish education began when I was thirteen, and I begged my parents to join a temple so I could have a bat mitzvah. Since then I went on to study Judaism at Gann Academy, Sociology and Anthropology at Roger Williams, and then continued to get my masters in Jewish Early Childhood Education at Hebrew College. I began teaching five years ago and have had the opportunity to work with children of all ages from twelve months to fifth grade. I believe the purpose of education is to support each child developing their best self. It has been a privilege being a member of the Jewish community and it is my hope to share that joy with my students. |
Gitta Garrity
Originally from Sweden, I bring over 25 years of experience in early childhood education. I taught preschool in several local schools for about seven years before becoming a nanny (including for several TBS families!) I have also been a substitute teacher at TBS. In those roles I worked with a variety of different curricula and with children from various backgrounds and learning needs. |
Elise Mashimo
As the oldest sibling, my passion for being an educator stems from my own childhood, in which I took on the role of a caretaker for my younger brothers. Throughout my own educational experiences, I have discovered ways to incorporate a variety of learning strategies, and that has encouraged me to fulfill a career in early childhood education. Prior to teaching at TBS, I have worked directly with families with children of different learning capacities for the past 10 years. From these experiences, I have learned the importance of creating a rich and unique learning environment and providing a multitude of development opportunities so each individual child can prosper. My goal is to form a connection with each child and their learning habits so that I can facilitate their growth and development. I also know the importance of keeping families involved with their child's learning process, so I intend to incorporate parental suggestions and feedback. In my classroom, each child will be given a safe place to initiate and embark on their own learning journey and feel comfortable being able to express themselves. |
Felicia Shimonov
I have worked in the early childhood setting for the last 10 years. I started my career in early childhood as a floater teacher and gained experience working with ages ranging from infant to pre-k. Since becoming a full time classroom teacher, I have taught preschool age children. Most of my career has been working at Jewish Community Centers, both in West Hartford, CT and Newton. I truly enjoy being able to bring my passion for Judaism and the Jewish holidays into the classroom. I have been both a dance and swim instructor and bring dancing and music into my classroom whenever possible! One of the most interesting aspects of working with children is watching them develop their social and emotional skills. |
Gabi Soble
It is a privilege and an honor to work in a school environment that is child-focused, warm, caring, safe, educational and geared towards the individual development of each child. I continue to be inspired by teachers’ focus on the students while we create a creativity-inspired learning environment. I love teaching in a Jewish school. Shabbat is a favorite time each week, enabling me to share my own love of Shabbat and Judaism with my students. |
Lindsay Tolland
Before coming to TBS I taught children ranging from age three months to kindergarten at Chestnut Children’s Center in Needham. I love to do messy sensory and art activities with children and believe children learn best through these types of hands on experiences. |
Michelle Voskov
I graduated with my Masters in Literacy and Language Education from Boston University. Before joining the Temple Beth Shalom community, I was a lead teacher at the Early Childhood Learning Lab at BU. I believe in fostering children’s love of learning by providing rich play based experience and strive to build strong connections with children and their families. |
Erica Wieher
Before coming to TBS I was a library intern at Auburndale Community Library. I bring a bachelor's degree in English and communications from Lasell University. I love spending time with young children, helping them learn to interact and participant in the group. |
Negin Yazdani Motlagh
I have a Master of Art in English literature studies from St. Mary's University of San Antonio, Texas. I love young children and appreciate the TBS community. |