Sara Pletcher M.S., M.Ed. has been in the field of education for over 20 years, beginning as an AMS trained Montessori teacher. She later went on to specialize in both early childhood and dual language education, earning Master's degrees from the Erikson Institute and Roosevelt University. During her career, Ms. Pletcher has worked in a broad range of contexts—including public and private schools, both in the U.S. and abroad. Ms. Pletcher has used meditation and relaxation techniques in the classroom to support students’ social emotional development and decrease stress. She has also published two children's books based on her experiences in the classroom—Ride the Wind and ¿Qué se dice en la escuela? In addition to working with children, for the past 10 years Ms. Pletcher has also been an adult educator, presenting at state and national multilingual conferences, working as a dual language consultant, and serving as adjunct faculty for both new and experienced teachers. She currently supports teachers as a full-time dual language instructional coach and is a Teach Plus Policy Fellow.