Dragonfly
Our classroom
Our teachers
Homa Miazad
Senior Child Development Specialist Mentor Teacher
She/her/hers
homa.miazad@pcc.edu
Education
- Masters in Curriculum & Instruction with Early Childhood Focus, Portland State University
- Child Development Associate Credential (CDA)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion Institute of Technology
A little about me
I am originally from Afghanistan but grew up in New york. I have two girls and have been married for 30 years. I have been working at PCC’s Child Development Center since 2008. I absolutely love being a Mentor Teacher in the Dragonfly classroom. It is a privilege and honor to be part of this beautiful educational journey in the lives of the children and our Practicum students.
In the Dragonfly classroom our curriculum is shaped by our commitment to social justice and inspired by but not limited to the Reggio Emilia philosophy of teaching and learning. When developing our emergent curriculum, we strive to build on an overarching theme, which is a guiding principle of social justice; awareness, compassion, collaboration, inclusion, respect and cultivating local and global perspectives. Children are taught to be active, critical thinkers who see themselves as change makers both for our present and our future. While experiences and provocations provide meaningful skills (literacy, mathematics, science and the arts) children engage in innovative, connected ways as problem solvers and researchers. We are guided by our image of the child as competent and capable. We believe in the importance of context to learning and that collaboration leads to both shared understanding and individual knowledge. Parents are children’s first and most important teachers and we view parents as partners, collaborators and advocates of their child.
Emily Hardiman
Child Development Specialist
she/her/hers
emily.lynch1@pcc.edu
Education
- Child Development Certificate, Portland Community College
- AAS Degree, Early Education and Family Studies
A little about me
My name is Emily. I have two children that are 7 and almost 1 years old. On warm sunny nights we love to be outside making dinner and playing in our backyard. During our free time we spend most of it outdoors going to parks, libraries and on adventures.
I started my work with children in my high school’s ECE program. From there I started the Early childhood program here where Homa mentored me. I started working here 6 years ago as a kitchen aid and aid for all of the classrooms. A year later I officially became a Child Development special where I co-teach with Homa and Rafat.
In the dragonfly classroom Homa, Rafat and I work together as a team, to provide a learning environment enriched with open ended materials, meaningful emergent experiences with a focus on social justice throughout our classroom. We observe the children to learn more about what they are interested in and what skills they are working on to tailor our curriculum to their needs and interests. Our classroom is a safe space to support children’s social, emotional, cognitive and physical skills.
My core values as an early childhood educator is to develop trusting relationships with children and families, empower children to self regulate their emotions, and build a space where every child and family member belongs. I view children as competent and capable learners and regard children with the respect they deserve. Being an advocate for children and their families needs is one of my top priorities as an educator. I am Honored to work with inspiring ECE teachers who always strive to make a difference in the lives of children, families and students. Being part of a program where we share similar core values and philosophy is something I treasure.
Rafat Ghodrati
Child Development Specialist
She/her/hers
rafat.ghodrati15@pcc.edu
Education
- Bachelor of Arts
- Coursework in Early Childhood Education
- Certification: Oregon Registry Step 10
A little about me
I have been working in the early child education field for almost 30 years. I became interested in childhood education because I started my career as a teacher. Later, I started my own childcare business in Portland. For 14 years, I worked with children from infant to school age. My childcare business
supported the local community by bringing together neighbors and families with children of similar ages and various backgrounds.
In September 2008, I joined the CDC and have been here for over 14 years. I enjoy supporting teachers and staff as a CDS. I bring the skills, knowledge, and experience I developed as an independent childcare provider to this role to help keep children engaged and happy while supporting teachers and staff with the center’s activities and operations. I enjoy sewing, arts and crafts and like to incorporate my hobbies at work by decorating the classes.