Ellie Griffin
2/3s Class Teacher
Education
Ellie Griffin graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a B.A. degree in Early Childhood Education. Additionally, she attained a M.Ed. Degree in Human Development from the University of Maryland. She also has a Creative Curriculum Certification.
Experience
After completing her undergraduate degree, Ellie took a full-time teaching position at Goddard Child Development Center in Greenbelt where she taught children of Goddard employees. Ellie taught mixed-age classes of 3- and 4- year-olds and one year she also taught Kindergartners. In addition to teaching, Ellie was the assistant director at Goddard for six years. She left Goddard in September 1997 when her daughter was born. Ellie spent four years as a co-oping parent at Cedar Lane Nursery School and transitioned into being a teacher at the school in 2007.
Why I Do What I Do
I began my teaching career after graduating from Penn State and taught a mixed-age group of three and four-year-olds full-time for several years before staying home when my children were born. When my daughter was ready for nursery school, I knew I was interested in the co-op model and found our gem of a school, CLNS. How fortunate I am to be teaching in a such a wonderful, nurturing community where my own children got their foundation!
I love, love, love teaching threes for so many reasons. Threes are mastering their independence and are becoming very social, seeking out and navigating peer relationships. Threes are curious and love discovering how the world works. They are problem solvers, creators, decision makers and directors of their own learning. Threes are so affectionate and have a budding understanding of empathy as they comfort a friend. One of the great perks of teaching the threes is that when they leave my class for Bernie’s, I still get to see them every day around the corner in her class. It is a joy to spend my days with children watching their personalities unfold and helping to give them a foundation in loving to learn. Teaching at Cedar Lane and working as a team with parents and children learning together is the best!