OUR TEACHERS

  • Jennifer Rodriguez

    Jennifer has always had a love for teaching and has been working in education for the past 15 years.  From a young age, her passion has been supporting children through play, the arts, and SEL.  She studied Early Childhood Education, and began teaching at a cooperative preschool in Brooklyn in 2008. There she spent the next 13 years building her career and dedicating herself to progressive teaching and the Reggio Emilia approach.  In 2020 she moved to Jersey City and began working as a forest teacher.  She found a love in teaching outdoors and discovering new, organic ways for children to explore and learn.  She is so excited to share all of her experience with Garden Preschool and build new, lasting memories while supporting the success of each individual child.

  • Razeia A.

    Razeia A.

    Razeia has been teaching preschool for over six years. She strongly believes that children learn through play-based and project-based experiences and that cultivating an inviting yet loving and warm environment for children to thrive in is key for children and their families. She believes that children should be fully immersed physically, emotionally, socially, and cognitively. Her favorite part about being a preschool teacher is reading stories to the children. When she is not teaching, she enjoys going out on nature walks, trying out different ramen restaurants, and spending time with her loved ones.

  • Emily Sostre

    After graduation from Branford Hall Career Institute, Emily initially launched her career as a medical assistant in pediatrics, which is where she realized her passion wasn’t in the medical field, but as an early childhood educator. Emily joined the Garden Preschool Cooperative in the Fall of 2020 as an assistant teacher. At Garden, Emily has developed a play-based philosophy to her teaching, and a strong belief in progressive education.

Our teachers are an integral part of the GPC community, fostering the growth of each student with rich experience, creativity and care.

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SAM PESIN / DIRECTOR EMERITUS

In recognition for his years of service, Sam Pesin is now honored as the Director Emeritus of Garden Preschool Cooperative. He started at GPC as the head teacher and director in September 2002, until his planned retirement in June 2018, which was celebrated by alumni families through the years at Liberty State Park. Though Sam is now able to devote more time advocating for Liberty State Park, he remains a guiding light and much loved member of the GPC Family.