I am Fernanda. I am a mother of three boys. I am the wife of another. I am a gardener and a cook.

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I have spent my whole life as either a student or a teacher. I have a BA in educational psychology from Swarthmore College, and MA from Teachers College, Columbia University, and I completed my PhD coursework in education policy at UC Berkeley. I have taught preschool, kindergarten, and first grade in Philadelphia, Oakland, Richmond, and the Wood River Valley.

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Young children are my people. I am in awe of their curiosity, their daring, and their resilience. I take them seriously as observers, thinkers, and creators. And I value their need to move, play, and imagine. I am passionate about creating spaces that allow them to explore and meet their fullest potential. Cocoon is a manifestation of this passion a lifetime in the making.