Claire Small

Mazama II and III (preschool) teacher

As the third of eleven children Claire has always been among children. “Educere”—to lead forth from within – is at the educational core of her philosophy. She loves the arts and was inspired by her years in a British Infant School, in Waldorf education and as a performing artist. In 1984 she opened a school in Atlanta where children were welcome to express all of their intelligences. Claire saw firsthand what it takes to sustain a school with a strong community. From 1989 to 2004 she was a vital faculty member at Marin Country Day School in Northern California. When her daughter went off to college, the Pacific Northwest beckoned her. Claire completed her Masters in the Art of Teaching in 2008 at Lewis and Clark College of Education and Counseling. Understanding our relationship to “place” has taken Claire on many outdoor adventures and “deep” into eco-literacy and gardening. She feels at home in her role as the Mazama/preschool teacher at The Gardner School. You will often see her with her students in the wetlands, raking leaves or enjoying the garden.