About Teacher Liz

My child development strategies and philosophies are drawn from more than 20 years of experience teaching children and directing schools.

For more than a decade, I owned and ran Wild Poppy Studio, a Reggio-inspired preschool in Santa Monica with a social-constructivist pedagogy. I have also taught and mentored child development majors at Santa Monica College, and I provide bespoke academic services to children across West Los Angeles.

My parent counseling services are rooted in the firm belief that the most opportune times to develop a child’s academic and emotional intelligence occur when they are with their parents.

We are their parents and their first teachers.

My approach is compassionate but direct, strategic but intuitive, and above all, holistic, recognizing the unique needs of every parent and every child. I’ve developed a stable of counseling techniques that enable and support transformational parenting.

I’ve had the privilege of working with a diverse community of families representing a wide spectrum of race, ethnicity, class, income, and circumstance.

I hold a degree in Child and Adolescent Development, strongly believe in continuing education, and am constantly seeking out the latest research on connection-based parenting, emotional intelligence, brain development, and neurodivergence.

When I’m not supporting parents, I’m parenting! I serve as a chauffeur and personal assistant to a 12-year-old. Aside from that, I love taking care of my plants, loving my cat, and trying new recipes.