The Butterfly Room
Children develop a love or an aversion for learning in the first few years of life. Therefore, we work to design our program to generate a lifelong desire to explore, question, and create. We plan our classroom environment and age-appropriate curriculum to best support and nurture our children’s interests and needs. We give children a wide range of opportunities to experience and learn from their environment to provide them with skills that will serve them not only in the short-term but also throughout life.
JJ, Butterflies Teacher
Hi, TLG families. I am so excited to be a part of The Learning Gardens family, and one of the Butterflies teachers. My experience before childcare was in a clinical setting using my abnormal psychology skills and knowledge. I have been at The Learning Gardens since 2018. I have a passion for two things: babies and learning. As an infant teacher, I love to snuggle babies. At the same time, early brain development and attachment is very important to me. A child’s brain goes through an amazing period of development between 0-3 years old. Their brains produce 7000 neural connections every second!! My education includes: MA Organizational Management with a Healthcare Administration concentration, BA in psychology, and the proper credentials to be a licensed daycare provider. I have been married for over 20 years. Together, my husband and I have: 2 dogs, 2 cats, and 4 adult children – one of whom is Brooke, a teacher in the Little Sprouts classroom!
Jade, Butterflies Teacher
Hello, my name is Jade Smart and I have been with The Learning Gardens since November 2021. I love working with children because they are goofy, honest, and caring. I believe children learn best through hands-on learning and playing. I am a passionate about teaching children learn independence skills and how to regulate their emotions.
I have worked in the Early Childhood Education Field since 2019 working with infants to 5 years old. I hold an Associates degree as a Dental Assistant from Southwest Technical College.
I grew up in Spring Green but I have lived in Verona since May 2022. In my spare time, I like to roller skate, ice skate, hike, explore new state parks, and travel to new places.
My favorite quote is: “We could have never loved the earth so well if we had no childhood in it.” — George Eliot