Alison brings a background in science education and a passion for hands-on learning to her work with young children. She taught science for nine years, including four years teaching elementary school science, and has always been inspired by the natural curiosity children bring to the world around them.

Alison’s teaching philosophy is rooted in the belief that children (and adults) learn best by doing. Inspired by Cal Poly’s “Learn by Doing” philosophy, she loves creating opportunities for children to explore scientific concepts with their own hands and discover solutions for themselves. Whether children are experimenting with non-Newtonian fluids, watching a stream table reshape sand, or investigating what happens when water meets a boulder, Alison believes that their natural curiosity makes them perfect scientists.

She takes particular pride in breaking down difficult concepts and guiding children through scientific discoveries using hands-on experiences. Her creativity is a huge part of this process, and she loves bringing her “crazy ideas” to life, like sculpting a garbage truck cake or sewing a skirt! She brings this same creative problem-solving into the classroom, finding inventive ways to make big ideas tangible and accessible to young learners.

Alison holds a BA in Science from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, as well as a teaching credential and an MS in Education and Curriculum Design from CSU East Bay. When she isn’t teaching or caring for her three children, Alison enjoys sewing, baking, and thrifting. She is currently learning to sew on her grandmother’s sewing machine and has been working on creating her own wardrobe. She is also particularly proud of the native flower garden in her front yard, where she loves watching the many pollinators it attracts.