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