brittany denny
Brittany is passionate, caring, joyful, enthusiastic, fun, and a fierce advocate for her students. She holds an M.S.Ed. in Childhood Education and Literacy from Bank Street College of Education and a B.A. from Skidmore College. Originally from Saratoga Springs, NY, Brittany was fortunate to spend her kindergarten & third grade years as a student in Vienna, Austria -- an opportunity that instilled in her an appreciation for the beautiful diversity of the world around her and enriched her childhood with adventure, unique experiences, and lasting relationships. During high school, Brittany attended Emma Willard School in Troy, NY, a school that simultaneously empowered her voice as a woman and taught her many lessons about recognizing individual student strengths.
Brittany's first experience with teaching was in 1996 when she began working as a cabin counselor, trip leader, swim instructor, and lifeguard at YMCA Camp Chingachgook on the beautiful shores of Lake George, NY. During the following summers, Brittany headed-up cabins of 6-year-old girls, led multi-day back country excursions in the Adirondack Mountains, and built up a repertoire of songs, games, and skills that have served her faithfully in her teaching practice all these many years since.
Brittany has taught at Bank Street School for Children in New York, NY, The Downtown School in Manchester, VT, the Robert C. Parker School in Wynantskill, NY, Headwaters Academy, the MicroSchool, and the Children’s Development Center in Bozeman, MT, and at Discovery Preschool in Truckee, CA.
She has worked as a Director & Educator at the Children’s Museum of Bozeman, and as the Youth Programs Coordinator and a Teaching Artist at Hui No'eau Visual Arts Center in Makawao, Hawaii. She has developed place-based activities for Pitney Meadows Community Farm in Saratoga Springs, NY. Brittany has also written curriculum and lesson plans for home-school families, mentored colleagues, provided comprehensive private instruction, and tutored students in a range of subjects.
Brittany’s vision for education in her community integrates the arts with outdoor education, local resources and landscapes, and a deeply rooted passion for community development and collaboration. Brittany believes that children are the wisest, most empathetic, creative, and authentic of humans. It is her goal as an educator to support and uplift the voices of her students.