Ms. Armand has been involved in education for over twenty years and recently joined SMP as a full-time faculty member. As a classroom teacher, she has taught pre-kindergarten to middle school in parochial, charter, and public schools. Having worked several years in a multi-age classroom with a teaching partner, she is an enthusiastic advocate for developmentally appropriate, differentiated instruction, peer coaching, and professional collegiality. Faynessa also holds a position as an adjunct instructor at Antioch University (Los Angeles) where she facilitates a seminar for student teachers. She has been trained in and has implemented a variety of strategies that promote critical thinking and literacy. Faynessa has worked with the Los Angeles Unified School District as a teacher and most recently as a literacy coach. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Black Studies from Pitzer College and Master’s Degrees in Early Childhood Education from Clark Atlanta University and Reading from California State University, Los Angeles.