About me
Kerstin Schmidt is a long-time pre-kindergarten and kindergarten teacher and currently works as an instructional coach and early childhood curriculum specialist at Briya Public Charter School in Washington, DC. Originally from Chicago, she holds a BA in linguistics from the University of Chicago. Her first teaching job was at the Laboratory Schools there, before going on to earn her MA from Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena, California. Prior to moving to the DC area in 2010, Kerstin taught in three different cooperative preschools in Chicago and California, as well as courses on child and language development at Columbia College in Chicago. Long inspired by the Reggio approach, Kerstin was first introduced to Project Zero in 2015 as a participant at WISSIT, then as a fellow in 2016, and has since co-led learning groups and interactive courses. Outside of DCPZ, Kerstin has also facilitated workshops on utilizing PZ ideas and thinking routines to support emergent curriculum practices at NAEYC, Bank Street, and the Progressive Educators Network. She also co-founded the DC-Project Zero Early Childhood (DCPZEC) affinity group. At WISSIT this year she will co-lead an interactive course.
