MEET OUR TEACHER
Teacher Cait Goss
They/She
My name is Cait Goss (They/She), and I am an artist, writer, and an educator of over 10 years. I was born and raised in Sherman Oaks, California, and received my B.A. in Urban and Environmental Policy from Occidental College
and my M.A. in Teaching from USC.
I have taught for the past ten years in a variety of different settings and age groups ranging from little ones to adults both domestic and abroad. I am passionate about the arts, creativity, social justice, mindfulness,and social emotional learning, all of which are the backbone of
my teaching and learning pedagogy.
A little fun fact is I recently self-published my first children's book during quarantine inspired by my pet rat, Monica Geller, who may perhaps make a visit or two to OCP for show and tell some time in the future! I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with the OCP community and to be a part of continuing its growth and sustainability for the future.
Teacher Cait’s Pedagogy
A person's pedagogy is simply their teaching philosophy, how one teaches, and why one teaches that way.
My personal pedagogy is strongly influenced by community organizers, activists, artists, and educators who believe in the power of education and intergenerational learning for social change, community empowerment, and collective growth. My teaching practice is rooted in the belief that every person matters and each individual has a story to tell if only given the opportunity, the space, and the resources to tell it.
Thus at OCP, we focus on the process over the product, because we believe in the vital importance of relationship building within ourselves and between each other and the vital role it plays in building healthy, equitable, and sustainable communities where all are valued and celebrated.
We believe that social-emotional awareness is essential for healthy self-esteem, for learning and respecting our own boundaries and the boundaries of others, and for understanding our strengths, growth edges, and needs.
We see nature not just as part of our classroom environment but as one of our main teachers as we explore the seasons and the natural cycles of the earth through storytelling, imaginative play, arts and crafts, and STEAM activities.
At OCP we acknowledge that everyone’s play is unique, and we encourage and support our community in discovering the ways they learn best and supporting them in deepening their relationship to their special interests and growing skills.
