Biography

Dr. Mindy Shaw has been an educator for over thirty (30) years. She holds a Doctorate in Education, an administration degree, a certification in reading recovery, a certification in regular education and a Masters Degree in Special Education.

For years she taught a forward-thinking, multi-age inclusion class of Kindergarten and First Grade students. She created and implemented that program in order to have the opportunity to teach children and work with their families for two consecutive years. Her 2-year program fostered and encouraged authentic quality relationships among the children, the parents and the faculty, but more importantly it established a learning paradigm through which the older children helped and mentored the younger children in the program. In this exceptional learning environment, she developed an atmosphere that enabled the staff members as well as the children to be both teachers and learners, and that interpersonal pattern continued year after year.

The uniqueness of Dr. Shaw’s educational program supported her philosophy which states everyone needs to feel safe in order to take risks, explore, learn and grow. She believes that children are most motivated to learn from each other, and under her guidance, there was always a classroom climate established that produced friendly, respectful, cooperative interactions which in turn encouraged the educational growth and well-being of everyone in the room.

As a mother of two children, one of whom was born paralyzed from the waist down due to Spina Bifida, she has always been a strong advocate for inclusion. She believes that we learn by highlighting our differences and by celebrating our diversity. She also lives by the philosophy that there are no mistakes, rather they are “mis-takes” that, when paid the proper attention, become learning lessons that promote and encourage growth.

Although her expertise is in teaching young children reading and writing, what she believes is most critical is educating the whole child which includes socio-emotional development to make certain that children grow into contributing members of society.