My name is Mari (they/them), and I am the director and lead teacher at Moro Mou Nursery and Early School. I'm an early childhood professional specializing in the education and development of children ages 0-5. Over the past ten years, I have worked with infants, toddlers, pre-schoolers, and kindergarteners in a variety of settings, from home-based childcare to student teaching at Oscar Mayer Magnet School. I hold an M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education from DePaul University, as well as a Professional Educator's License from the State of Illinois.
Me and the kids at our ‘22 graduation ceremony!
Working in and studying the field of early childhood has led me to develop my own philosophy regarding how I believe early childhood education should unfold. To that end, I decided that the best way to put this philosophy into practice and give young children the educational experiences I think they deserve was to create my own school. Out of that decision grew Moro Mou Nursery and Early School, a daycare and preschool dedicated to high-quality, multicultural education with a focus on building meaningful relationships with and among families and children.
Having grown up in a multicultural household and traveled to countries across four continents, multiculturalism is an intrinsic part of my worldview as well as my teaching. I work hard to create an anti-racist environment that is inclusive and welcoming for all children and families and that celebrates all of our unique qualities, experiences, and backgrounds. And as a transgender and nonbinary person of color myself, I especially understand how critical it is to honor children’s experiences and identities and to uplift marginalized individuals and families. I view dismantling the white supremacist patriarchy as one of my core directives as an educator.
Establishing and maintaining a strong feeling of community is also extremely important to me, as I believe that a meaningful and authentic relationship between teachers and families is a crucial part of a child's education. You can read more about Moro Mou's community here.
It's my goal to foster children's learning and development through exploratory, child-directed play, facilitated by a thoughtfully curated environment and guided by my careful planning. My methods are largely informed by the Reggio-Emilia approach and the High/Scope method, along with John Dewey's Progressive Education. You can learn more about my educational philosophy and the methods employed at Moro Mou here.
My husband Christopher is also part of the Moro Mou community! Christopher works from home most days, and he visits us in the daycare space when he takes breaks from his work. The kids love playing with Christopher and are always excited to knock on his office door when it’s time for lunch, or anytime they want to see him! Christopher is also CPR certified and has taken the requisite daycare training courses, though he does not help me run Moro Mou. He is just an extra friend!
