Bernadine “Bernie” Occhiuzzo
4/5s Class Teacher, School Director
🏆Congratulations Teacher Bernie on winning the "Innovative Leadership Excellence Award" at the Montgomery County Early Care and Education Excellence Awards!
Education
In addition to the undergraduate degree and training as an educator Bernie received in India prior to coming to the United States, Bernie has earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Educational Studies from Walden University. She also has a Child Development Associate (CDA) certification and has been certified in Creative Curriculum and as a K-3 teacher by the Maryland State Department of Education.
Experience
Bernie taught pre-school and kindergarten in India for fifteen years prior to moving to the United States. Since moving to DC, she taught three- and four-year-olds at Chevy Chase Baptist Church’s Children’s Center from 1992-2003. In 2003, Bernie became the Director and a Teacher for Cedar Lane Nursery School. She has led the school through Maryland State Accreditation twice and in 2010 obtained National Accreditation for the school. In addition to her role as teacher and director, Bernie serves on the board for an organization called PACT (Potomac Association of Cooperative Teachers) and is a part of the PACT Directors Group. She was awarded the “District Award” in 2012 by the Parent Cooperative Preschools International for dedicated service to the cooperative preschool movement.
Why I Do What I Do
I have worked for over 26 years as a preschool teacher in various settings, but the most enjoyable of my teaching years have been the last 15 years, working with children in a cooperative setting. I am a firm believer that “Parents are a child’s first teacher” and what a privilege it is to work together with parents in a cooperative setting. At Cedar Lane, parents and teachers work together to provide children a nurturing environment dripping with opportunities to explore, enhance, discover, build self-confidence, self-esteem, and a love for learning.
I have taught every age and stage of a child’s development but my favorite age group is the 4/5 year olds. I enjoy watching them grow as they prepare themselves for future learning through self-exploration, and intentional planning and guidance by the teacher. Through play children explore the world around them, develop strong social-emotional skills, and enter the world of learning through exploration and discovery. Children also learn how to problem solve, maintain friendships, and deal with conflict resolution. While parents and teachers model and work together, the children experience community building, social awareness, and pave the pathway to become positive members of society. Being part of this process and watching children develop in these ways are the reasons I am the 4/5s teacher and director of Cedar Lane.