EMILY PROVOST
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I graduated with a B.A. in Visual Arts from Bennington College and plan to pursue a Master’s in Social Work focusing on Special Needs children and their families.
I learned at Bennington that art and children have a symbiotic relationship, so instead of pursuing my own arts career, I followed my passion for understanding children by helping them to develop their unique identities through the arts. I enjoy scaffolding large-scale, long-term projects, but always improvise according to children’s needs and interests. Early childhood provides a foundation for life. I seek to help young children develop self-awareness and awareness of others in their community through all kinds of expression—verbal, physical, artistic, metaphorical, sensorial, emotional, scientific. Over the last ten years, I have worked alongside children as young as birth through to adolescence in a variety of social, residential, and academic settings—from early childhood classrooms to in-home educational training for special needs children. Part of my purpose in joining WPCS is to share in the celebration of your children, their expression, our interdependence, and being part of a conscious community. I am relocating to Philadelphia after 10 years in New York City, and enjoy reading, writing, running, cycling, attempting to develop a green thumb, spending time with my toddler and the outdoors. |
TAL BOWEN
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I studied Environmental Education at Skidmore College and began teaching programs for preschool-aged children in the woodlands on campus. As a lifelong lover of nature and a budding educator, I quickly realized the excitement and inspiration that comes from learning about the world around us. I bring this passion to my teaching, infusing natural materials, science learning, and a sense of curiosity and wonder into the classroom.
I am currently working towards my Masters in Special Education at Arcadia University and am especially interested in supporting each learner with their unique strengths and challenges. I feel a large part of this involves meeting a child where they are and working with them to create the best possible environment in which they can learn. I feel truly grateful to be part of a community that works so closely together to offer this type of environment not only for the children but also for their families. Outside of school you can find me in the woods, on a mountain, or in the middle of a lake. I love to explore the outdoors and have been creating quite the list of great nature spots within driving distance of Philadelphia after living in the woods of New York and New England. |
BRYANNE GORDON
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I graduated from the University of Delaware in 2004 with a B.S. in Early Childhood Development and Education. Since then, I have lived in Philly, Seattle, and South Florida working as a nanny, infant/toddler teacher, and preschool teacher.
I love getting young children outside and away from screens. I am a huge proponent of creating an inviting environment and offering open-ended materials to foster children's exploration and free play. I'm also passionate about promoting the benefits of healthy eating and exercise to children and this is reflected in my everyday work practices. In my free time I enjoy cooking, jogging, yoga classes, reading, camping, and visiting friends' farms. As a neighborhood resident, you can usually find me at the Clark Park farmer's markets eating all the cheese samples and excitedly buying produce. |
BRIANA CLARKE
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I studied Theater Technology and Design at The Pennsylvania State University with a focus in Costume Design. In addition to WPCS, I work as a Teaching Artist through The ArtWell and SpiralQ in Philadelphia, PA, both youth community, social justice, and art based organizations. I am also a Program Coordinator for the Teen Leadership Institute of Camp Sojourner Girls’ Leadership Camp, a program that focuses on building leadership, self esteem, and participation in social movements.
I am a lifelong West Philadelphia resident and love this community. My teaching combines the building and mastery of arts and literacy skills with dialogue grades K-12. Throughout the Philadelphia School district and community based organizations, I have been able to utilize student-centered workshops that concentrate on multicultural education, assets based youth development, and social-emotional learning to stimulate and support creative minds. My passion is bringing communities together through all ages and backgrounds and creating learning environment where self expression, exploration, risk taking, storytelling, and relationship building is valued. Our youth have so much wisdom and insight to offer to the world, they just need more available spaces to express them. Outside of work I am a painter, love being in nature, designing spaces, and researching events to attend in the city. |
