Welcome to Happiness in Education

Hello, my name is Sandra, and it is very nice to meet you!

I am a passionate early childhood educator; a curriculum development, learning and instructional specialist; an early childhood education and early childhood special education specialist; a content area specialist; an avid researcher of early childhood education and development; a lover of love and happy things and the founder of Happiness in Education. Happiness in Education offers the highest quality programs and services that fosters an intrinsic love for learning, inquiry and research for each individual child.

In 2011, I earned a Bachelor’s of the Arts in Psychology and Italian at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, where I focused my studies on human development, learning and teaching. During this time, I was extensively trained in techniques using Applied Behavior Analysis. With this passion for educating, I earned a Dual Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education and Special Education from Columbia University in 2014 and spent the following years, first, teaching preschool in Brooklyn, New York and, later, working as a Special Education Service Provider around the boroughs of New York City. I have completed additional certification programs in literacy, math, science, classroom inclusiveness and instructional design. I am currently studying to earn a second Masters degree in Library and Information Studies with an emphasis on Youth Studies and School Media from the University of Wisconsin and have two active teaching licenses in Wisconsin for early childhood education and special education.

As a preschool teacher, I taught students a high quality equal and equitable education while implementing a critical pedagogy that was culturally relevant. I prioritized creating individualized education plans and behavioral intervention plans; led inquiry based differentiated lessons; and designed subsequent lessons that were based on data from assessments. As a Special Education Service Provider, I created individualized academic and behavioral programs and worked with students one on one to foster their learning experiences in a home or inclusive classroom setting.

Welcome to Happiness in Education 🙂 I am so happy you are here 🙂