Upcoming Events
THE ENVIRONMENT AS THE THIRD TEACHER
Wednesday, September 2nd 3:00-4:00pm
How can the environment serve as the third teacher? How can your classroom spaces cultivate curiosity, curriculum and community? Please join Jennifer Carvajal as she dives into the how and why of curating spaces for learning that are responsive, engaging and flexible. Explore how setting a foundation for inquiry, open-ended learning and curricular threads will open up your practice to so much more.
Jennifer Carvajal has coached for Teaching Beyond the Square since 2013, leading professional development workshops and partnering with teachers and directors as they strive to take a more progressive approach to education. Jennifer has a passion for literacy, emergent curriculum, and open-ended learning experiences. She has partnered with national organizations to lead special projects and cohorts and has presented at conferences across the country. Jennifer taught at Beginnings Nursery School from 2002 to 2009 and participated in study groups in Reggio Emilia, Italy in 2007 and 2026. She received her B.S. in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA and her M.S. in Education, with a concentration in Literacy, from Hunter College in New York, NY.
SETTING UP SYSTEMS FOR A YEAR OF DOCUMENTATION
Tuesday, September 15th 5:00-6:00pm
Documentation is a dynamic process of listening, observing, analyzing to make learning visible. It is an ongoing journey that is developed over time with practice and thoughtful systems. Andrew Hauner will share how everyday systems for observation, note-taking, and data collection lead to a reflective and research-based approach. If you are new to documenting or are working on finding ways to build it into your practice this is a great opportunity to integrate systems that can carry you throughout the year.
Andrew Hauner, M.F.A., is an early childhood educator and artist–researcher. He is a head teacher at the Reggio-inspired Beginnings Nursery School. He has worked with children and families across educational contexts in NYC, including Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Imani House, Blue School, and P.S. 10K. His arts-based research into creativity and education has been exhibited internationally. He has presented on artist biofiction in children’s picture books at College Art Association and early intercorporeality at New York City’s Art of Play and Wonderment Conference. Hauner’s recent articles are “Artistic Research as Citational Practice” (Acta Academiae Artium Vilnensis) & “Creative Documentation: Making My Research Lens Visible” (Innovations in Early Education: The International Reggio Emilia Exchange). His forthcoming work is a chapter entitled “There is No Arts-Based Research Without Arts-Based Learning” to be featured in a volume addressing the interplay between creative practice and pedagogical practice (Vernon Press, 2026). He is interested in the Reggio Emilia approach as a way of seeing, challenging, and leveraging his teacher subjectivity and cultural lens.
BEGINNING EMERGENT CURRICULUM
October 6th 3:00-4:00pm
Are you interested in beginning the process of using an Emergent Curriculum? In this session Yeshnaya Dougherty will share the what and how of starting an emergent approach. She will be joined by Lola Stafford who is in her first year of implementing emergent curriculum. If you are interested in exploring Emergent Curriculum, come and learn from Lola about her process of moving from a more traditional approach to developing her first study with her students.
Yeshnaya Dougherty is the Senior Educational Director for Teaching Beyond the Square. She is an Early Childhood Educator and certified coach who is passionate in developing meaningful relationships with educators and leaders as they explore and grow their practice. Passionate and inspired by the curious minds of young children, Yeshnaya's practice and philosophy are largely shaped by her work with the Reggio Emilia approach. She received her M.A. in Early Childhood Education from Lesley University and her B.A. in Environmental Studies from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia.
Lola Stafford is the owner, director and lead teacher at Sunshine Daydream child school. An in-home program with values centered on intimate learning at an exploratory level. She embraces curiosity in each child in everyday moments of learning.
TBS Videochats provide professional development for early childhood educators
LOCATION: Zoom
COST: $40.00 per person
Crowd Notice / Release: Please be aware that by purchasing a ticket to this event, you consent to your voice, name, and/or likeness being used, without compensation, in films, photography and tapes for use and publication in any and all media, whether now known or hereafter devised, for eternity, and you release Teaching Beyond the Square, its successors, assigns and licensees from any liability whatsoever of any nature. Do not purchase a ticket if you do not wish to be subject to the foregoing.
Cancellation Policy: Please be aware that we will not be able to offer you a refund if you cancel within 48 hours of this event.
Registration for workshops & videochats closes 2 hours before the event.
VIDEOCHATS (virtual events):
Instructions for joining the videochat will be sent one day before the event from info@teachingbeyondthesquare.org (check your spam folder if you don't see the email in your inbox)
We are located in New York, so all times refer to Eastern Time Zone (ET).
After the event, you will receive a follow-up email with resources, contact info for the presenter, a link to request a certificate, and a recording of the videochat.
Email Yeshnaya@TeachingBeyondtheSquare.org with any questions or issues logging in.
WORKSHOPS (in-person events)
A reminder will be sent one day before the event from info@teachingbeyondthesquare.org (check your spam folder if you don't see the email in your inbox)
We are located at 130 E. 16th St., New York, NY.
Email Yeshanaya@TeachingBeyondtheSquare.org with any questions.
