Cathleen Foisy, Charleston, SC
As a result of her experience and education, Cathleen Foisy has been in management roles in the field of Early Childhood for the past 4 years in Massachusetts. She was the Assistant Director and Regional Trainer for Staples Inc. Child Care Center. This center housed over 200 children from 6 weeks to 6 years of age. She trained parents and teachers on all aspects of the field. Previous to the Assistant Director position, She was the Site Manager for a non-profit Ameri Corps program called Jumpstart. Jumpstart hires and trains college students to work one on one with low income preschoolers and is based on college campuses across the nation. She ran the program at Bridgewater State College for 2 years where she trained, mentored, observed and supported the college students throughout the academic year.
Before Jumpstart, Cathleen taught preschool for 6 years and infants and toddlers for 2 years. She was also a Program Coordinator in which she encouraged teamwork and mutual support, by providing nurturing leadership to staff members. She guided the center through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation process and advised staff members on developmentally appropriate practices and effective classroom management strategies (classroom design, routine charts, shadowing, and other individualized behavior management strategies.)
Cathleen has a B.A. in Fine Arts and a Post B.A. in Early Childhood
Education. She is certified by the Massachusetts Department of Early
Education and Care (EEC) in infants, toddlers, and preschool as well as Director certified. She continues to educate herself on research in the Early Childhood field as well as the politics behind education. Her passion in life is to educate people on the importance of play in the early years and how play prepares children for kindergarten, elementary school and a love of life long learning.
Cathleen had previously taken ASL courses and did sign language when she worked with infants and toddlers back in 2001. Her interest to learn more and educate families happened most recently when Cathleen moved from Massachusetts to South Carolina. There she has been the Mentor Teacher for four one year old classrooms at the Children's Center at Carolina Park in Mt. Pleasant, SC. She hopes to train not only teachers on the importance of signing, but the parents as well. You can read more about the center at www.childrenscentercp.com
Contact Cathleen for more information on baby sign language classes! cathleen@mysmarthands.com
