Jessica Ivins

I am an Early Childhood Educator and Special Education Educator with a passion for helping children learn through hands-on experiences, creativity, and meaningful connections with the natural world. Throughout my career, I have worked with young children of varying abilities and learning styles, creating inclusive learning environments where every child can feel successful, valued, and capable. My teaching philosophy is centered on the belief that children learn best through play, exploration, curiosity, and positive relationships. As the owner and teacher of an outdoor preschool program, I strive to create learning opportunities that engage children’s minds, bodies, and imaginations. I combine academic readiness, social-emotional learning, and nature-based experiences to foster a lifelong love of learning. My background in special education has helped me develop individualized approaches that support each child’s unique strengths and needs while encouraging confidence, independence, and resilience.

Creativity is at the heart of my teaching practice. I intentionally design learning experiences that allow children to explore, create, problem-solve, and express themselves in meaningful ways. One example is our outdoor nature preschool, where children learn science concepts through direct exploration. During a unit on insects, children searched for bugs, observed their habitats, drew their discoveries, and created nature journals. During a gravity lesson, children built ramps from natural materials and experimented with different objects to discover how gravity works through play. I also incorporate creativity through open-ended art projects using natural materials such as leaves, flowers, sticks, rocks, and clay. Rather than focusing on a single correct outcome, children are encouraged to use their imaginations and create unique works that reflect their own ideas. In social-emotional learning activities, children use storytelling, role-play, puppets, and collaborative games to explore feelings, practice problem-solving, and build empathy. These experiences help children develop communication skills while fostering creativity and self-expression. I can add to my creativity in the class by helping them create a tour of our day with "museum tours" or collaborative activities and have the children share their day with their family through an adobe education exchange. They could make a personal profile about themselves. Or I could create learning videos for the kids. This would set a wonderful example for the young children how creativity can be used in the classroom or in their future.