Second Grade

Lori Stubben

I started my higher education at the UC Santa Cruz where I majored in Anthropology and Southeast Asian Studies. I spent two of those semesters in Indonesia studying art, language and economics, and one semester on an archaeological site in Israel. Immediately after graduation I moved to Japan where I taught English in public middle schools. After these International experiences, I returned to California to work on my Master’s Degree in Applied Anthropology. During this time, I was working on a special project at the San Francisco Waldorf School and substitute teaching in K-8 classrooms. I discovered that the community and culture of the Waldorf methodology matched me best and I dropped my anthropology career and attended two years at Rudolf Steiner College. I then took a class from 1st through 8th grades at River Oak Charter School in Ukiah while earning my California Credential. In 2008 and 2009, I implemented the Waldorf program methodologies at Fukuoka International School in Japan.

My family helped me discover my love for teaching at an early age. Most of the women in my family, my mom, sister, and three aunts, are professional teachers. Maybe it is in my DNA? I looked back on my first grade diary and I wrote that I wanted to be a singer or teacher, so it seems that I have always had this goal in mind. (I also sing a lot.)

I am passionate about creating a supportive environment that guides children towards multiple possibilities. I’m so lucky that I have found a place in this world that shares my values of creativity, reverence for nature, and where I can help balance individual and group needs through thoughtful leadership. I especially love bringing story and history to life through song, movement, theater and field trips.

I fortuitously arrived at Novato Charter School on Valentine’s Day 2010, and everyone was full of joyous energy. I felt ready to become a part of the community from the moment I met and chatted with some of the glowing students.