Dassi was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA and has been teaching at Pressman Academy ECC for many years. She is currently the head teacher for one of the three-year-old classes. After graduating from Shalhevet High School, Dassi studied abroad in Israel for a year before obtaining her bachelor’s degree in Child and Adolescent Development from California State University Northridge. This past May, Dassi graduated with her Master’s in Early Childhood Education from AJU.
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What was your most memorable experience at AJU?
My most memorable experience is not just a singular event, but more about the time spent with my fellow cohort members. After a long day at work and then coming to campus, I loved walking into class and seeing friends and colleagues who share similar experiences. I loved being able to share stories, ask advice, eat dinner together and become our own community. These experiences were not just on campus, as our teachers and classmates opened their homes for study sessions, Shabbat dinner and Sukkot. Although we ended our year virtually, it did not deter from our bond as AJU’s first MAEd in ECE cohort.
What is something you learned at AJU that has had an impact on your teaching?
I learned so much from my teachers, mentors and peers daily, and feel lucky to have been able to grow and gain confidence in my teaching and my life. I learned that there is so much more to learn. Assessment was an important concept that I have incorporated into my teaching, assessing a child is key to a successful future, most importantly in school. A book we used in class that really inspired my teaching was The Whole-Brain Child and I use the techniques and concepts in my everyday teaching and personal life.
What is your educational philosophy?
In class, my philosophy is based on love, respect, intention, connection, and play. We guide and nurture each child according to their own distinct personality. We strive to grow children in all areas of development through play, music, art, literature, and Judaism. It is important to create a safe environment for risk taking, trial and error, and conflict resolution. We model kindness, gratitude and helpfulness, with Jewish values integrated into the curriculum on a daily basis. We practice mindfulness, meditation, and yoga daily. We start our day with Modeh Ani, bringing gratitude in to start our day, and ending the day with meditation, and filling a gratitude jar. Doing these practices provides opportunities to engage, connect and understand more deeply.
What advice do you have for someone in the field?
My advice would be to always find opportunities for growth and remember the reason you chose this meaningful field. It can be difficult, exhausting and hard, but we teach for the children, we teach because we love what we do. We impact their lives daily and at the same time they inspire us to keep going.
What do you do when you’re not teaching?
A. I have really had to be more creative during COVID-19, since all my hobbies seem to be social activities. I have been taking advantage of being able to take walks, be in nature as much as possible, connect with friends and catch up on shows.