Brooklyn de Kosodate
Professional Educational Consultant
Bio
Saori Tsuji
Bio Saori Tsuji
In 2001, obtained a teaching license for middle and high school English in Japan. In 2002, went to the United States and obtained a Master's degree in Education and a teaching license at a graduate school in Ohio.
Subsequently, worked as an educator at a public elementary school in Charlotte, North Carolina for over 10 years. Served as a grade-level team leader for 5 years and was selected as Teacher of the Year in 2012. During tenure, placed great importance on close communication with students and their families, respecting the children's desire to learn. Also, empathetically addressed concerns and issues faced by their families, striving to provide support for children to grow up healthy and welcome a bright future. Obtained National Board Certification (Birth to 2nd Grade) while in service.
In New York, served as Education Director at the Japanese bilingual preschool "Brooklyn Aozora Community" for three and a half years. Engaged in curriculum development to actively promote child development, provided teacher guidance, offered support to parents, and worked on special education. Additionally, obtained qualifications for teachers to incorporate positive psychology into children's learning.
Following a challenging experience in raising her own child, established "Brooklyn de Kosodate" to create a space where parents can empathize and support each other from a perspective not just limited to the school, so that parenting doesn't become a solitary endeavor. Also, dedicated to cultivating a sense of self and valuing autonomy in learning to make oneself happy. In her private life, a mother of one. Experienced childbirth in the United States, personally experiencing the challenges of parenting and the differences in the cultures and systems of schools between Japan and America. Having ADHD herself, and having interacted with various children over the years, she shares advice on children's education based on these experiences on her website. If you have any concerns or questions about children's education or parenting, please feel free to reach out.
Qualifications:
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Teaching licenses (USA: NY, CA, NC)
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K-6 (mainly elementary school curriculum), Japanese as a foreign language
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Master's degree in Education
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National Board Certification
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Positive psychology (for teachers)
Work Experience:
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2005-2016: Classroom Teacher at Charlotte Mecklenburg School System
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2016-2019: Educational Director at Aozora Community
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2021- Present: Brooklyn de Kosodate
Our Service Menu
Brooklyn de Kosodate primarily offers four services targeting families raising children in the United States.
〜Overview of Services:〜
Our Services
01
School Search Service
in NYC
【Recommended for:】
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Understanding the school culture in NYC/U.S and getting an overview.
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Wanting to know the differences between public and private schools, as well as what needs to be done and the timing for enrollment.
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Discussing suitable nearby kindergartens, daycare facilities, and elementary schools.
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Exploring options like zoned schools, non-zoned schools, out-of-district schools, charter schools, and other alternatives.
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Discovering which programs and options, such as curriculum and ELL (English Language Learners), are applied to each school.
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Wanting to know the racial composition of the school, the experience level of the teachers, the academic environment, and feedback from parents
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2-hour session: $210
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1-hour session: $110
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1 minute: $2
School Search Package (Varies slightly based on region and state, in terms of the number of schools) $600
03
School Enrollment Procedure Support Service
【Recommended for:】
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Creating a timeline and action plan to start the enrollment process.
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Getting information on what needs to be done and the timing for enrollment
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Need assistance in handling the school enrollment process
Public school enrollment processing fee: $125
Private school enrollment processing fee: $250
02
Support for School
Life in the U.S"
【Recommended for:】
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Those experiencing difficulties in aspects of NYC school life. (such as kicking friends, getting into fights, talking back, not participating in class, not wanting to go to school, etc.)
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Those wanting to collaborate with the school because their child is facing issues like truancy or bullying, but not sure how to approach the situation.
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Those with concerns about their child's development and academics, wanting to consult with the school but finding it difficult to do so.
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Those feeling that they're not effectively resolving issues with teachers or school staff.
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Those wanting to learn more about the culture of American schools in order to better support their child.
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It is also possible to directly approach or consult with your child's teacher.
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2-hour session: $210
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1-hour session: $110
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1 minute: $2
04
Interpreting and Assistancein the IEP Process
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Depending on the case, please contact us first.
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IEP stands for 'Individualized Education Program.'
It is a customized education plan created for students with special learning needs. -
This plan includes the student's situation, goals, and necessary support.
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The IEP is an important document that outlines the path for the student to succeed in the optimal learning environment.
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Our service supports obtaining an IEP and ensuring your child receives appropriate services.
In some cases, a referral to specialized agencies may be made.
(EI 0-3 years old, CPSE 3-4 years old, CPS 5 years old - 21 years old)"
Our Workshops
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Information about NYC Public Schools
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About Child Development
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Social Skills
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Behavior
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Emotions
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About Child Play
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About Cognitive Abilities
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Reading Skills
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Writing Skills
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About Non-Cognitive
Abilities -
About 21st Century Skills
Upcoming Events
Testimonial
A.B. / ３year old・０year old's Mother / in Brooklyn
Through Brooklyn de Kosodate, I learned about NYC's education system, how to choose a school, and how to enter a school.We talked about our questions, family structure, and the importance of child-rearing in advance, and I got the impression that the service was tailored to each family.On the day of the event, she prepared materials for our family and explained everything based on them, and we felt Saori's good nature and passion for Brooklyn de Kosodate. From the pre-counseling stage, she took a good look at what our family needed from a third party's point of view, and the content of the service was exactly what we needed, for which we are very grateful.Not only does she have a wealth of knowledge about the NYC school system, but she also has experience working in the field of education, so I feel that she is able to provide me with information that I would not be able to obtain by simply doing my own research.It is very reassuring to be able to receive professional childcare support services like Brooklyn de Kosodate when living abroad, and we will continue to use this service as our child grows.
M.K. / 4 year old・１year old's Mother/ in Manhattan
It is the strongest ally for parents and children who are lost!
My son seems to have trouble concentrating on things, he's not a good communicator, he doesn't seem to play well with his friends, and lately I've been concerned about his violent tantrums.The PreK teacher says not to worry, but I'm worried about Kinder and beyond at this rate. ......When I talked to Ms. Saori about my concerns, she suggested that I take the IEP Evaluation.
In my lack of knowledge, I had a big misunderstanding that Evaluation of an IEP is "a procedure to judge whether or not a child has a developmental disability or autism.I gave up on the DOE website because of the endless explanations in English and the parade of technical terms. Saori gave us a clear explanation of the framework and benefits of the system and said that she would fully support us in helping our son obtain the services of an IEP, which motivated us to take the Evaluation.
From that point on, we went through various paperwork and multiple evaluations, and it took five months before we could actually start providing services to my son.It's been a long road with a lot of PDF files from the DOE, long hours of evaluation by the Psychologist, and no communication from the Agent or DOE, but thanks to Saori's strong support, my son was able to get SEIT and Speech Therapy services.My son is looking forward to meeting with the Therapists, and for the parents, the peace of mind and gratitude of getting free daily support and feedback from the Specialists is irreplaceable.
Throughout the entire process, Saori has been able to see how her son is doing and has been able to identify what exactly the parents are worried about.In the evaluation, she pointed out exactly what he was struggling with from the perspective of a professional in early childhood education and organized it in a way that allowed me to connect and clarify my own vague concerns with my son's behavior and actions that I had never understood before.She is also familiar with the IEP process, so she gave us detailed advice on what services we are likely to receive, as well as specific preparations and strategies for taking the Evaluation.
I could feel Saori's strong passion for providing a better environment for each child.I guess she really likes children.At the same time, as a parent in the midst of raising a child, I feel that my desire to help parents who are struggling with child rearing and that this will lead to the happiness of their children is being strengthened every day.It is no exaggeration to say that it is truly a temple of refuge for parents and children.If you have any concerns about your child's behavior or your own parenting, I strongly suggest you talk to Saori first!
Y.S. / 6 year old・3 year old Mother/ in Queens
We have two small children in our home.Due to the Corona quarantine, the school was closed and the house was trashed.So when I saw the photos of the room that Saori had organized at her friend's house, I was very impressed with the "room environment that leads to children's independence and makes it easy to raise children.So I consulted with her later and she visited me.This room is a dream come true, with books and toys arranged in a way that suits the child's growth, and a room that the child will want to use and clean up on their own.
M.T. / 4 year old・Mother/ in Manhattan
I was given advice on how to choose a school, which was easy to understand because of the detailed information about the school's characteristics, and I was able to learn about the school's system, which broadened my options for choosing a school. It was very reassuring and beneficial that you followed up on the parts that I could not reach even though I thought I had done the research on my own. Thank you very much. We are very satisfied with the service we received.
S.K. 4 year old・Father in New Jersey
The list of potential schools in the designated area and the characteristics and impressions of each school were very reassuring and helpful for a beginner who did not know where to start. I appreciated the fact that I could ask Ms. Tsuji any questions that arose during our conversations via e-mail and video chat, and I felt comfortable asking her questions if I had any trouble choosing a school. We also appreciated the help of Ms. Tsuji's network, which allowed us to connect with other parents who were actually attending the school and ask questions directly. I believe this will be an asset for families to connect with each other even after searching for a school. It would be helpful to have a school selection 101 that would allow us to compare the various educational policies of different schools, what are the major axes of educational philosophy behind each, and what are the representative schools for each axis/quadrant. I'd like to know what schools are representative for each axis/quadrant. It might be more efficient if we could then move on to selecting potential schools. I would be interested in taking a peek at any kind of mind map/thinking tool that you have in your mind that would help us look at and compare school philosophies/educational philosophies as a whole. Based on your wealth of experience in the NYC school scene over the years and your network of connections to the local school and family community, you have given us a lot of information and advice that will be of great help to beginners in choosing a school in NYC. She was flexible to answer any questions we had at the time, and became a reassuring partner in our search for a school.
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