Meet the Teachers
Rebecca Norwood (Director and Teacher)
"It takes a village to raise a child", felt especially true for Rebecca who was raised in Alaska by her grandparents and father. At an early age she developed a strong interest in teaching. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Washington where she developed ideas to encourage creativity in children. Rebecca then went on to earn her Master's in Teaching from the University of Washington. She has 13+ years professional experience in childcare and taught Pre-K and first and second grade at Giddens, a school dedicated to educating the whole child and specializing in anti-bias education. Rebecca has two daughters and enjoys being with her family outdoors. She is enthusiastic, loves children, and is committed to creating a space where kids love to learn.
Lorraine Lau (Teacher)
Lorraine Lau grew up in Silverdale, WA, and first experienced teaching children at age 14 as a ballet instructor. Since then, she continued following her love for working with children, through joy and gentleness. Lorraine has been a nanny, a preschool teacher at The Great Green Room Preschool in Rainier Beach, a creative movement teacher around Seattle, and an after-school programs coordinator for the Epiphany School. She currently lives in the Beacon Hill neighborhood with her partner, Jasmine, and their dog Christopher Robin. Lorraine is also a professional contemporary dancer who performs and collaborates throughout the city. Combining her love for children and art, she strives to create a safe preschool environment for creative, emotional, and intellectual discovery. In her free time, Lorraine delights in sunset walks with her family, eating delicious food, and painting illustrations.
Maria Ester (Assistant Teacher)
Maria Ester moved to Seattle ten years ago from Mexico. She lives in the Othello neighborhood with her daughter, Abigail. Maria has nine years experience working with kids as a babysitter for the Columbia City and Beacon Hill Parents Group and the Rainier Valley Coop. One thing she really enjoys is teaching kids Spanish: "It's amazing to me how fast they learn at a young age." Through this work, Maria also discovered how much she enjoys supporting parents as well as children. She's excited for this new opportunity to work as an Assistant Teacher at Sprout! During her free time, Maria likes to go for a walk, enjoy nature, and go to the beach with her daughter.
Eli Rosenblatt
Music and Spanish teacher, Eli Rosenblatt has been working with children since the age of 14. His love for music and language has led him in travels throughout the world. Eli speaks Spanish, French and Portuguese, plays guitar, and sings in a variety of different styles from around the world. Through his experience with children at Pacific Crest Montessori in Ballard, Eli became convinced of the child based form of education that Maria Montessori pioneered and he continues to find great joy and fulfillment in facilitating self-discovery and growth in children.
Find our more about Eli on his website.
Eli and the kids in action
Lyn Dillman, M.A.
Lyn Dillman is a certified Parent Coach through PCIŽ of Bellevue and a Certified Positive Parenting Educator. She has 20 plus years of teaching experience including pre-school through 4th grade. Lyn has taught Positive Discipline classes at Sprout to both teachers and families. It's great to have her as a support person for our community!
Find our more about Lyn on her website.
