Tara Fenamore
Teacher Educator And Coach | Researcher In Early Childhood And Motor Learning
Larkspur
Summary
Versatile and mission-driven education professional with expertise in curriculum design, program coordination, research, and teaching across early childhood, K-12, and higher education. Demonstrated experience in creating innovative, student-centered curricula, including proficiency-based and arts-integrated approaches. Integration of motor learning and development to support psychomotor and sensorimotor growth. Skilled in teacher training, assessment design, and individualized student support, with a strong commitment to equity-focused, inclusive education. Proven ability to build collaborative partnerships with educators, researchers, and community organizations to advance educational initiatives and research.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
14
14
years of post-secondary education
2
2
Languages
Work History
Research Associate
Marian Wright Edelman Institute
01.2022 - Current
- Design and lead research studies at the intersection of psychomotor learning, child development, and curriculum design within the Early Care and Education (ECE) field.
- Develop and maintain partnerships with program stakeholders to facilitate efficient participant recruitment and engagement.
- Conduct in-depth literature reviews to inform research design, methodology, and evidence-based practices.
- Collect, analyze, and synthesize research data and relevant information to support study outcomes and reporting.
- Manage and train undergraduate research assistants for fieldwork credit as part of an independent study course, providing guidance on research protocols and data collection.
Jumpstart Compliance Coach
SF State Jumpstart Program
01.2022 - Current
- Recruited and onboarded 127 students as Corps members for the SF State Jumpstart Program over a 3-year period, implementing streamlined recruitment and onboarding processes that increased efficiency and reduced administrative workload.
- Managed full compliance with Criminal History Check requirements, adhering to Jumpstart, state, and federal regulations.
- Cultivated and sustained partnerships with 13 preschool programs, fostering effective communication and collaboration to support high-quality early education programming.
- Maintained and analyzed child and Corps member data using Salesforce, Jumpstart, and AmeriCorps systems to ensure accurate reporting and data-driven decision-making.
- Collaborated with community organizations to plan and execute literacy-based events that serve children and families throughout San Francisco.
- Designed and developed curriculum for the Jumpstart Associate-Level Child Development Permit Pathway, creating a comprehensive and innovative program that supports aspiring educators to attain their Child Development Permit and secure employment.
- Co-taught the "core four" ECE courses aligned with the Associate-Level Child Development Permit, supporting aspiring educators in meeting permit requirements.
- Enhanced team and Corps member performance through the development and implementation of individualized coaching strategies, delivering ongoing mentorship to support professional growth and program excellence.
- Conducted regular site visits to preschool classrooms, observing Corps member performance, offering constructive feedback, and ensuring high-quality learning experiences for children.
- Engaged with funders and key stakeholders, strengthening relationships and garnering support to advance the program’s mission and impact.
Special Programs Coordinator
EDvance College
09.2021 - 12.2022
- Provided comprehensive support to the final cohort of students in the PATH Program at San Francisco State University, assisting with registration, connecting students to essential resources, and ensuring a smooth program completion and transition.
- Coordinated EDvance’s transition from a university-based program to a WASC-accredited institution offering a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Studies, ensuring alignment with accreditation and regulatory standards.
- Led the development and successful submission of EDvance College’s Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) application, securing official recognition as an accredited educational institution.
- Collaborated with faculty to design and validate a proficiency-based, modularized curriculum for EDvance’s student-centered BA degree program, ensuring alignment with Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) and Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs).
- Designed and managed EDvance’s central database, creating interactive forms to streamline the application process, enhance user experience, and improve data tracking and reporting.
- Coordinated the BA Preparation Pathway, providing Early Childhood Educators in San Francisco with structured academic advising and supports to fulfill General Education (GE) requirements and successfully transition into a BA program.
- Developed and implemented recruitment and enrollment strategies for EDvance College’s inaugural cohort of 30 early childhood educators, resulting in a diverse and successful first class.
- Collaborated with marketing and communications teams to design promotional materials, organize information sessions, and engage prospective students through targeted outreach.
- Facilitated informational and orientation sessions, offering prospective and incoming students guidance on program requirements while preparing them for academic success.
- Secured grant funding to launch and sustain special initiatives, expanding EDvance’s capacity to serve the community and address workforce development needs in early childhood education.
Teaching Assistant & Curriculum Consultant
The Dimon Institute
09.2021 - 12.2022
- Contributed to the development and delivery of curriculum for the Dimon Institute’s remote educational programs, ensuring high-quality, engaging, and accessible content for diverse learners.
- Co-facilitated a remote Developmental Movement course designed for both synchronous and asynchronous learners, supporting a flexible and inclusive learning experience.
- Led weekly discussion groups to deepen student understanding and engagement, fostering meaningful dialogue and cultivating a collaborative online learning community.
Teaching Assistant & Program Coordinator
The Dimon Institute
01.2020 - 09.2021
- Collaborated directly with Ted Dimon, Ed.D., founder and director of the Dimon Institute, to design and develop curriculum for remote educational programs, ensuring alignment with institutional goals, educational standards, and student needs.
- Coordinated the delivery of educational content across multiple platforms—including Zoom, PowerPoint, Padlet, and YouTube—to create engaging and interactive learning experiences for remote students.
- Established and facilitated weekly discussion groups to enhance student learning, promote engagement, and foster a collaborative online learning community.
- Organized and led a bi-weekly professional seminar for advanced students of Psychophysical Education, providing a platform for continued learning, skill development, and professional collaboration.
- Developed and led a remote Developmental Movement course that engaged 803 registered students through both synchronous and asynchronous formats, ensuring broad accessibility and high-quality instruction.
- Designed and implemented a Continuing Education (CE) Track to assess learning outcomes for 102 registered students enrolled in The Body in Action: Basic Principles of Movement Awareness (Fall 2021), contributing to the institute’s commitment to rigorous and meaningful learning evaluation.
- Maintained effective and responsive communication with current and prospective students, streamlining registration, addressing inquiries, and providing personalized support to create an inclusive and enriching educational environment.
Substitute Teacher
The Speyer Legacy Lower School
01.2020 - 01.2021
- Assisted teachers with delivering remote instruction and managing Kindergarten to 4th-grade students on Zoom, maintaining a structured, inclusive, and engaging virtual classroom environment.
- Planned and facilitated interactive learning activities to enrich curriculum content and increase student participation, engagement, and comprehension during online instruction.
- Designed and led a hands-on STEM lesson on Mechanics and Strength of Materials for 12 first-grade students, integrating the study of the Brooklyn Bridge to promote applied learning and deeper subject understanding.
- Provided individualized academic support in Zoom breakout rooms, delivering personalized instruction that addressed students’ unique learning needs and encouraged academic growth.
- Delivered one-on-one instruction in mathematics, humanities, and literacy for quarantined students, ensuring continuous learning and reinforcement of core concepts during periods of remote education.
- Implemented and adapted classroom plans left by lead teachers to maintain instructional continuity, reinforce key concepts, and support students' ongoing academic progress.
Assistant Teacher
Hollingworth Preschool
01.2019 - 01.2020
- Facilitated and maintained a well-managed, nurturing classroom for three- and four-year-old children, creating a safe, supportive environment that fostered learning, growth, and social-emotional development.
- Collaborated with the head teacher to develop and implement a comprehensive, developmentally appropriate weekly curriculum, incorporating activities aligned with educational goals and individual student needs.
- Designed and led sensory, manipulative, and pre-literacy activities that supported fine and gross motor development, cognitive growth, and early literacy skills, ensuring engagement across developmental domains.
- Composed detailed assessment reports to track student learning and developmental progress, providing valuable insights for parents, caregivers, and administrators to inform individualized learning strategies.
- Engaged in regular communication with parents, caregivers, teachers, and administrators, fostering collaborative partnerships to address student-specific needs and support holistic development.
- Facilitated weekly library check-out sessions, promoting a love of reading and literacy, while supporting graphomotor skill development through guided opportunities for writing and book selection.
Teaching Assistant
Teachers College, Columbia University
12.2018 - 05.2019
- Collaborated with the professor to create and refine instructional materials and course content for Awareness, Attention, and Consciousness: A Psychological Overview (Clinical Psychology Program), ensuring alignment with academic goals and promoting active, student-centered learning.
- Managed and maintained the Canvas course website for Awareness, Attention, and Consciousness: A Psychological Overview, ensuring the smooth operation of the online learning platform, tracking attendance, and providing technical support to students and faculty.
- Assisted in grading assignments and exams, maintaining accurate records and delivering timely, constructive feedback to support student progress and engagement with complex course content.
- Provided academic support during office hours, offering individualized guidance, clarification on psychological concepts, and assistance with assignments to enhance student understanding and success in the course.
- Designed interactive learning activities and resources to promote engagement with course topics, fostering a dynamic and inclusive learning environment.
- Developed rubrics and assessments aligned with course learning objectives, ensuring fair, consistent evaluation of student performance and facilitating meaningful, actionable feedback.
Teaching Assistant
Teachers College, Columbia University
08.2015 - 12.2015
- Collaborated with the professor of The Teaching of Drama and Theater (English Education program) to define course objectives and learning outcomes, contributing to the development of curriculum materials and instructional resources aligned with academic and pedagogical goals.
- Supported weekly classroom instruction for The Teaching of Drama and Theater course, assisting in the delivery of engaging, interactive lessons that integrated drama and theater techniques to enhance teaching practices in English education.
- Provided individualized academic support during office hours, clarifying complex concepts, answering student questions, and offering guidance on assignments and projects to promote deeper understanding and academic success.
Teaching Apprentice
Teachers College, Columbia University
07.2015 - 08.2015
- Collaborated with 12 high school students and 12 literacy teachers to develop a theatrical adaptation of Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and teamwork among participants.
- Assisted in the planning and coordination of daily program activities, ensuring smooth execution and providing ongoing support to both participants and lead facilitators.
- Led the creation and instruction of movement-based choreography for the production, guiding students in exploring physical expression to deepen their understanding of character development and narrative.
- Advised teachers on the integration of drama-based approaches into literacy instruction, offering strategies to enhance student engagement, creativity, and comprehension through the dramatic arts.
- Collaborated with teachers to design lesson plans and instructional materials that incorporated drama techniques to support reading, writing, and oral communication skill development.
- Facilitated workshops and professional development sessions for teachers, delivering training on drama-based instructional strategies to promote active learning, creativity, and student-centered pedagogy.
Education
Ed.D. - Interdisciplinary Studies in Education
Teachers College, Columbia University
New York, NY 05.2016 - 01.2022
Graduate of the Teacher Training Program - Psychophysical Education and The Alexander Technique
The Dimon Institute
01.2015 - 01.2018
Master of Arts - Philosophy and Education
Teachers College, Columbia University
New York, NY 05.2014 - 01.2016
Bachelor of Arts - Religion, Dramatic Literature, And Dance
Sarah Lawrence College
05.2008 - 01.2012
Skills
Curriculum Design & Development
Program Development & Coordination
Instruction & Facilitation
Academic & Professional Coaching
Teacher Training & Professional Development
Data Management & Compliance
Student-Centered Approach
Sensorimotor Awareness and Psychophysical Education
Awards
T & T Dimon Scholarship, Teachers College, Columbia University
Affiliations
- American Society of the Alexander Technique
- International Society of Posture & Gait Research
- National Association for the Education of Young Children
- San Francisco Early Literacy Network
Presentations
- Fenamore, T., The Presentation of Maladaptive Postural Deviations in Young Children, American Society for the Alexander Technique Research Panel, 02/2021, https://youtu.be/10aLM8bWg-k
- Fenamore, T., Adaptive Motor Learning & The Preschool Child, The Developing Self Conference, 07/2020, https://youtu.be/Eav2gqkmIQ0
- Fenamore, T., The Dynamic Self: Child Development and Psychophysical Education, American Society for the Alexander Technique Annual Conference, New York, NY, 06/2019
- Dimon, T., Fenamore, T., The Embodied Child, Alexander Technique Congress, Chicago, IL, 07/2018
Timeline
Research Associate
Marian Wright Edelman Institute
01.2022 - Current
Jumpstart Compliance Coach
SF State Jumpstart Program
01.2022 - Current
Special Programs Coordinator
EDvance College
09.2021 - 12.2022
Teaching Assistant & Curriculum Consultant
The Dimon Institute
09.2021 - 12.2022
Teaching Assistant & Program Coordinator
The Dimon Institute
01.2020 - 09.2021
Substitute Teacher
The Speyer Legacy Lower School
01.2020 - 01.2021
Assistant Teacher
Hollingworth Preschool
01.2019 - 01.2020
Teaching Assistant
Teachers College, Columbia University
12.2018 - 05.2019
Ed.D. - Interdisciplinary Studies in Education
Teachers College, Columbia University
05.2016 - 01.2022
Teaching Assistant
Teachers College, Columbia University
08.2015 - 12.2015
Teaching Apprentice
Teachers College, Columbia University
07.2015 - 08.2015
Graduate of the Teacher Training Program - Psychophysical Education and The Alexander Technique
The Dimon Institute
01.2015 - 01.2018
Master of Arts - Philosophy and Education
Teachers College, Columbia University
05.2014 - 01.2016
Bachelor of Arts - Religion, Dramatic Literature, And Dance
Sarah Lawrence College
05.2008 - 01.2012
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