Jamee Kyson

Nashville and the surrounding area have been my home for my entire life. My immediate family has also lived in this area their entire lives, leading me to a lifetime of hearing many stories about the Nashville area "back in the day" compared to now. My grandparents were dairy farmers working just south of Nashville in the Franklin area. Where the Cool Springs Galleria Mall currently sits is the land on which my grandparents used to work a dairy farm. 

My name was chosen in inspiration from the classic 1962 hit, "Sherry Baby," by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. 

While I never anticipated education to be the career I landed in, it has surely become one of my greatest passions. I began my college career studying sociology. After a few years of studying, I began searching for an area of focus to build my career in. This led me to a volunteer position where I taught art at a local summer program. I found inspiration in working with students and enjoyed seeing the various outcomes of each individual's expression as well as the unique process taken to create the works. I explored teaching in a homeschool setting, substitute teaching, and eventually took on a role as a director of a before/  after school program while I studied for my bachelor's degree and teaching license in Early Childhood Education. As I studied for my certifications, I found myself heavily drawn to the Reggio Emilia approach and loved the concept of nature based learning. After teaching for a little less than ten years in a traditional school setting, I discovered A New Leaf and was ecstatic to experience each of these teaching philosophies in one place with a community that honors shared values to support young people in their journey of learning.  

I teach the Poplars, our second grade group. My priorities as an educator here are to collaborate with families to create a well-rounded, joyful educational experience for our students. I strive to prepare students to grow contributing to their communities in a way that is meaningful and fulfilling to themselves and their goals. One of my favorite things to do with students is to read stories together and blend song, rhyme, and music into our day as we practice exploring nature, understanding our social-emotional needs, and studying curriculum. 

My heroes and mentors consist of my husband, who has supported me and encouraged me to pursue my passions and interests, as well as my grandparents, who have raised me to work hard and achieve my goals. In college, I was instructed by an incredible professor, Dr. Seok Jeng Jane Lim. Dr. Lim's feedback was a perfect dose of encouragement as well as a push to go above and beyond expectations and to remain child-centered rather than settling for an "easier" route. I have also been so fortunate to work alongside several exceptional educators through my career who have taught me many things about life beyond the classroom. I have found myself learning many lessons in life through other experiences with my loyal companion, Coco the family dog, as well as adventures in my garden, explorations on hikes, and new excursions traveling. 

I've grown to find life has an incredibly humbling sense of humor. As a young child, I declared several things I would never do. A young girl who wanted to drop out of school to travel the world on a bus, never wanted to be married, and never wanted to raise children found herself loving the academic world, learning the value of supportive relationships over radical independence, finding humility in supporting her sibling in their upbringing, and finding her passion in learning alongside young people. A young girl who was full of ideas that she would never pursue found life putting her into those exact scenarios to live and learn through. 

One would think I've grown to be someone who now never says never, though I realized that the exaggerated use of ultimatums was not the final takeaway; rather, I have learned to approach life more open-minded to the journey that is offered. I have learned to accept what life brings my way with appreciation and intentionally in how I receive these experiences and lessons. Oftentimes, the things I am declaring a refusal to endure have brought the most rewarding lessons and outcomes. 

One could often find me hiking, bird watching, tending to my garden, and keeping up with my siblings. In my leisure time, I enjoy curling up with a nice book and warm tea- bonus points if I can listen to a relaxing rainfall or calm water source. I love to create pieces of art using watercolor paints, pastels, and crochet. All of these activities are even better when I can enjoy them with Coco, my dog, my husband, and siblings. 

I speak the language of creating, drawing, painting, storytelling, and writing. I am learning to speak the Vietnamese language and working to maintain my small knowledge of the Spanish language as well. 

I love exploring new foods and exploring ways to use my homegrown vegetables. I love eating bún riêu, a Vietnamese noodle soup with tomato based broth, crab/ pork meatballs, tofu, and topped with herbs and bean sprouts. I could also eat all the fruits I can get my hands on!

I like the colors purple and green. Purple reminds me of my grandmother, calming lavender scents, and iris flowers. Green reminds me of sustainability and growth, and walks under canopies of trees.

I have dreamt of learning to create ceramics, traveling internationally, and playing an instrument- maybe the drums! 

It is a privilege to find a community of individuals who are willing to create and work in a learning environment different from one the majority experiences in our country. While all styles of teaching and learning have their respective time and places, the environment at A New Leaf is exceptionally enticing for all ages, supporting discovery in a plethora of ways.