Teacher Spotlight: Tina Charney

Tina Charney has been teaching preschool and elementary children in Minnesota and Arizona since 1996. She has a BA in Latin American Studies from Columbia University in NYC, an Early Childhood teaching license from Crown College in Minnesota, and holds an Arizona Early Childhood teaching license. Her ongoing professional development includes training in early childhood development, developmental delays and special needs, Reggio Emilia and other teaching approaches, teaching English language-learners, and research-based techniques for teaching reading. Most importantly, she continues to learn from the unique, curious, and creative children she teaches. She joined the Summit teaching team in 2015.

After college and before children, Ms. Charney was a theatrical lighting designer and stage manager, working on Broadway and regionally, and touring in Europe, Asia, and the U.S.  In 2016, Ms. Charney published her first book, co-authored with her former teaching partner, Deb Ellsworth: Your Amazing Preschooler: How you can have the same capable, confident, and cooperative child at home that teachers have at school. This inspiring book offers unique insights from teachers into the preschooler’s mind and behavior, with tips and tools, ideas and techniques from the preschool classroom that parents can use at home.”