Elizabeth Barber, Lead Teacher
By prioritizing the process and manipulating the learning environment, Elizabeth meets children where they are while encouraging their communication and critical thinking skills.
Elizabeth was raised locally in Needham MA. As a young girl she took pleasure in creating mud potions, climbing rocks and rivers, camping and painting big flowers. Now, Elizabeth’s most favorite activities are sunbathing, hiking with her brother and dog, and creating art. Elizabeth is a painter and writer. Her creativity is threaded throughout her early childhood teaching practice.
Elizabeth’s passion for nature and children initially brought her to Northern Ireland where she worked at a YMCA Outdoor Learning Residencial Center. There, Elizabeth fell in love with guiding learning about nature, in nature, through risky play and became determined to increase this meaningful work’s accessibility.
She began teaching preschool as she pursued her higher education at both Lesley University and Mass Bay Community College. Through the Eastern Region Association of Forest and Nature Schools Elizabeth obtained her Nature Based Teacher Certification.
Elizabeth also became a certified Children’s Yoga Teacher. Mindfulness and movement guide her socio-emotional learning practice which intentionally empowers children to know and act on their strengths and listen to their body. Elizabeth works to validate and nurture children in their self expression and emotional regulation using specific tools and strategies.
Elizabeth’s teaching experiences have included working at STEAM educational programs, Reggio Emelia inspired schools, as well as Mass Audubon programs. Elizabeth loves scaffolding provocations and play to incorporate language, literacy, science and math skills by tapping into children’s natural sense of wonder and curiosity. Her teaching style is inquiry based. Elizabeth strives to integrate her passion for social justice and environmentalism through her work with children. By prioritizing the process and manipulating the learning environment, Elizabeth meets children where they are while encouraging their communication and critical thinking skills.
Elizabeth adores children’s literature and strives to reinforce curriculum through an evolving collection of meaningful books. She especially enjoys sharing Storytelling and Story Acting activities with her students. Over the years she has been inspired by the power of dictation and dramatization in early childhood.
Elizabeth finds great joy in capturing and sharing experiential learning through documentation with her students. She believes documentation is a powerful learning tool and loves reinforcing and inspiring play/learning through her documentation.
Elizabeth is thrilled to be a part of BOPN’s mission, working in collaboration with the natural world and each other, to provide inclusive and healthy early childhood education that prepares students to be inquisitive, compassionate stewards of the land and citizens of the world.
