Title:
Early Childhood & Youth Development Instructor
Organization:
Dakota County Technical College
Biography
Dawn Braa is an Early Childhood and Youth Development instructor. Dawn has a M.A. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Phoenix. She also attended Minnesota State University, Mankato, earning her bachelor’s degree in Family Life/Child Development. She minored in Early Childhood Education and Parent Education at MSU, M. She has worked as a lead preschool teacher in both metro and rural Minnesota cities.
Dawn believes that teaching is a relationship between teachers and students…teaching and learning from one another. She strives to provide a creative and innovative classroom environment (traditional and online) that is conducive to learning. Her goal is to motivate students to be successful in studying and in applying their knowledge to their personal and professional lives.
Listed in Who’s Who Among American Teachers, she has received both CAFÉ and Giraffe grants and also won a FISH! Award recognizing her creativity and innovative spirit in the classroom. She has been awarded the Golden Apple Award three times, being nominated by students.
Dawn, along with a child life advisory committee, authored the first Child Life Assistant Associate Degree Program in the United States (according to the Child Life Council). This degree launched Fall Semester 2010. She has also been invited to speak at state and national conferences regarding topics in early childhood. She is passionate about networking with others and motivating those around her.
