Lead Preschool and K-2 Teacher
Shannon Coker
Shannon has worked in the field of Early Childhood Education for 18 years. She was a Lead Teacher at LCC's Lane Child & Family Center for 13 years where she supported children, their families and college students studying toward a degree in ECE. It was at the LCC campus where she found her passion for connecting young children to the natural world, leading weekly treks into the woods for a morning of "outdoor school".
Over the course of a year of "outdoor school" she observed children learning to identify local plants, animal tracks and animal trails. The children worked more collaboratively in the woods, they were more focused and became more confident in trying new skills, such as climbing trees. Shannon became enthralled with outdoor education and its benefits.
She joined Tiffany at Mind-Full Meadows in the summer of 2021 leading preschool summer camps and co-teaching the K-8 for the 21/22 school year.
Director, Lead 3-5 Teacher, Principal
Tiffany Jeanette Price
In the spring of 2020, Tiffany was a public school lead teacher based in Eugene, Oregon, and with the help of her mother, was able to purchase the property now known as Mind-Full Meadows Mini-Farm. After leading a few rounds of K-8 summer camps, Tiffany decided to open Mind-Full Meadows STEAM-Powered Learning Farm. Combining her personal interests in native edible and medicinal plants, farm animals, and STEAM education, Tiffany took an idea and developed a multifaceted K-8 program incorporating all of what she believes are the essential elements of a well-rounded child-centered education:
- A strong connection with the natural world
- Support and challenge at one's level
- A robust, relevant, hands-on science program
- An expectation of kindness and personal responsibility
- A rich Arts program, including music and movement
- Meaningful learning around personal topics of interest
- Thoughtful, compassionate feedback
Her history in public education spanning over two decades, and with classroom teaching experiences ranging from kindergarten through 9th grade, Tiffany's breadth and depth of experience prepared her to take on the adventure of leading a tiny farm school through a pandemic. During her public school career, Tiffany served as an educational leader in many capacities, both at the middle school and elementary school levels, collaborating with experts in academic, behavioral and technical instruction. For over a decade Tiffany has focused her work as lead teacher, Behavior Teacher Leader, PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) Team Leader, IPBS Team facilitator (interventions to support pro-social behaviors), grant writer, STEAM program developer, and occasional guest principal at a small, teacher-lead, multi-age public choice school with a school-wide Title 1 program.
Tiffany completed her interdisciplinary Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education, with a focus on Integrated Sciences and with support areas in Geography and Music. After teaching for ten years, working in regular ed. classrooms, with students considered academically and behaviorally at-risk, and in grades K-9, she completed an Masters in Education program from Lesley University, focused on Integrated Teaching Through the Arts.
During this time, she helped both of her children start the process of navigating public school, and learned about elementary learning and social growth through the lens of a parent. Professionally, Tiffany has participated in a wide variety of leadership teams, including serving as a Multicultural Representative, Health and ELA Textbook Adoption committee member, Jon Saphier's Skillful Teacher and Skillful Leader observation cohort, serving on the Learning about Educational Learning Network, and as a PBIS representative and trainer.
Tiffany undertook the Initial Administrative Licensure Program at the University of Oregon, and now has both her Legacy Teaching License and her Principal License. She integrates these varied skill sets and lenses in her work at Mind-Full Education, as well as when she facilitates discussions community and district levels and in her work with The Oregon Department of Education in refining assessments and analyzing instructional technology.
All of these experiences provide Tiffany with a broad background in both multi-age outdoor education and a spectrum of varied educational systems and strategies. She strives to integrate, develop, and implement new instructional and behavioral content, and to develop data-driven academic resilience, rigorous personal accountability, and a depth of thoughtful compassion she brings to all aspects of her work. Her efforts in supporting student's academic and social-emotional development through relationship building and compassionate routines stems from the idea that we were all children, and the best way we can create the world we want is through the thoughtful inspiration and loving guidance of our young humans.
Tiffany is now able to combine her education experiences with her lifelong, heartfelt mission that all humans feel seen, heard, and valued. Her strong faith guides the variety of supports offered and contributions made to those in our community often overlooked and underserved. From those considered neurodivergent to those experiencing housing, food, or mobility challenges, Tiffany works to create environments and opportunities to include and support all community members. Although not yet a non-profit, all income from Mind-Full Education LLC not directly related to running Mind-Full Meadows is directed toward increases in social justice. These include improvements to site access for those with mobility challenges, increasing the offerings, materials, and programs supporting neurodivergent children and their families, and supporting community members with food and meals either gathered from local businesses or produced on the farm. Knowing we are all us motivates Tiffany's work in our community.