Sharon Chang – Inclusion Consultant
B.A. Ethnomusicology, M.A. Human Development with Early Childhood Education Specialization
Sharon started teaching young children in 2002 at Gymboree Play & Music. Within a year she had become the Music Program Coordinator across several franchises in the Puget Sound region. In 2003 she certified as a Kindermusik® Educator and started her own studio, Rising Song Children’s School of Music. From 2003-2009 she owned, directed and expanded this business from 17 to 150 students enrolled in Kindermusik®, World of Music, Signing, Creative Movement, Storybook Acting, Piano and Arts Preschool. She has contracted as a pre-k music teacher with the Giddens School. Aside from working with Seattle’s Progressive Preschool, she is also currently Music Teacher at Rising Star Academy (a preschool for children with autism spectrum disorder run by FEAT of Washington (http://www.featwa.org), Tots Teacher at Capitol Hill Cooperative Preschool and Mommy to her wonderful, multiracial son!
Sharon’s undergraduate studies were in Ethnomusicology (world music & cultures) at the University California Los Angeles. Her graduate studies are in Human Development at Pacific Oaks College http://www.pacificoaks.edu/ with emphasis on “the principles of inclusion, social justice, and the valuing of every human being.” Her teaching style is play-based and emergent curriculum (i.e. Reggio Emilia) inspired. She supports holistic early education that is multi-disciplinary, multi-sensory and teaches to all learning styles. She believes every child has the capacity for individual brilliance. Her activity focus is the arts and her philosophical focus is inclusive, anti-biased and socially aware. Creating a partnership between school and home is a cornerstone of her approach. Being a mother herself, she understands a child’s most important teacher is his/her caregiver(s) and most important classroom is his/her home. She is especially interested in discovering tolerance and respect through multicultural/diverse learning. Sharon is very excited to be a member of Seattle’s Progressive Preschool where she feels she will be teaching and taught by a like-minded community.