Torie Beedle

1st Grade WOOD Lead Teacher

Torie Beedle is a New England native who has spent the last 15+ years guiding and illuminating the greatness within people. Torie came to education through her first master’s, where she researched how nurturing self-purpose in employees is important for business. She found the seeds of self-purpose are rooted in a love for learning and self-reflection. Learning starts with curiosity, develops through experimentation, reflection, and discovery. This leads to an understanding of passions and values. The foundation of self-purpose is formed through the repetition of this process, but it all starts with education…more importantly, the “how” of education. Her research led her to study progressive education. It’s been a passionate love affair ever since. She has taught preschool, kindergarten, and multi-grade elementary classrooms over the last seven years and has a strong philosophy of setting students up for their future, through nurturing mastery, autonomy and purpose. In addition to teaching at Berkwood Hedge, Torie runs an experiential-based reading camp during the summer. She earned a BS in Environmental Science with a minor in engineering from Norwich University, an MBA in Organizational and Environmental Sustainability from Antioch University New England, American Montessori Society (AMS) Early Childhood and Elementary Teaching Credentials from Saint Mary’s College, and is currently finishing up an MA in teaching and California teaching credential from Holy Names University, through the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute (BATTI).  She lives in Oakland with her partner Forest, daughter River, pet snake Gryffin, and lots of books.