Dragonfly
Our classroom
Our teachers
Homa Miazad
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 27 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
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
I began working with children in my high school’s Early Childhood Education Program (ECE). I then enrolled as an ECE student at PCC and Homa Mizaad was my Mentor Teacher. My official career at PCC began six years ago, serving as both a kitchen aide and also a classroom aide. A year later, I was promoted to Child Development Specialist and currently teach in the Dragonfly Room.
In the dragonfly classroom Homa, Rafat and I work together as a team, providing a learning environment enriched with open ended materials and meaningful emergent experiences, while always focusing on social justice throughout the curriculum. We observe the children to learn more about their developmental levels and interests and tailor the curriculum to the children’s needs, both individually and collectively. Our classroom is a safe space to support children’s social, emotional, cognitive and physical learning.
My core values as an early childhood educator are to develop trusting relationships with children and families, empower children to self regulate their emotions, and treat children with the respect they deserve. I view children as competent and capable learners. Being an advocate for children and their families 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 a part of a program where we share similar core values and philosophy is something I treasure.
I am native to Oregon and grew up in St. Helens Oregon. I have a daughter named Hadley and have been with my husband Kyle for 15 years. As a family, we love to spend time outside playing, spending time with extended family, and going on adventures together. Hadley’s current favorite activity is to have a floor picnic when we order takeout!
Rafat Ghodrati
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.