Music Educator, Performer, and Early Childhood Music Specialist
Dr. Jaime Titus is a dedicated music educator, flutist, pianist, guitarist, and vocalist who has been sharing her passion for music with learners of all ages for over 35 years. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from The Ohio State University and brings a rich and varied background to her work, with experience spanning early childhood music, university instruction, private teaching, conducting, performing, and church music.
Jaime has worked with young children since her teen years and became a certified Music Together® specialist in 2020. She teaches for the Prelude Music Foundation, focusing on emergent math skills, early literacy, and social-emotional learning, while delivering the Music Together curriculum to low-income, Title I schools throughout the greater Houston area.
She has also served as the music and movement specialist at the West University Methodist School and collaborates with preschools across Houston, offering professional development and training on how to seamlessly integrate music and play into early childhood classrooms.
Jaime lives in Houston with her husband and two children. She enjoys reading, cooking, yoga, cycling, caring for her many pets, and giving back through community volunteer work. She is passionate about bringing the joy of music to teachers, children, and families, and is honored to contribute to the early childhood music landscape in the Houston community.
Site Director at Presbyterian Children’s Center
Venice Ray, a seasoned Site Director at Presbyterian Children’s Center, brings 23 years of experience in the Early Childhood Development field. Her expertise in early childhood development and family studies is not just a profession, but a passion that drives her to encourage teacher growth, inspire children, and promote positive parent interactions. Venice's academic achievements include a BSAS in Child Development and Family Studies from Tarleton University, a CDA, and a teacher credential from California. Outside of work, Venice finds joy in presenting at conferences, spending quality time with her family, and exploring the world through cruising. With three young children and a 21-year marriage. Family is a cornerstone of Venice's life. She takes pride in sharing her love for children.
School Literacy & Culture, Rice University
Sharon Dworaczyk has worked with young toddlers through second-grade age children for over thirty years. Her educational background consists of an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education specializing in Early Childhood and English as a Second Language from Texas A & M University in College Station and a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Houston, Clear Lake. She was trained in the Classroom Storytelling Project from the School Literacy and Culture at Rice University in 1996 and has continued with the project as a mentor teacher and seminar leader. Sharon has also worked with Creative Writing Camp since 1999 teaching entering Kindergarten through First Grade students and as site supervisor since 2014.
Head of School at Oak Forest Montessori School
Louise Dyer has been blessed to know what God created her for, on this earth. Educating young minds has been her passion all of her life. Now that she is older, it has been amazing to see how Louise’s role has transitioned from a traditional educator, to being a servant in the educational field God gave Dr. Maria Montessori in 1897.
Louise graduated from Stephen F. Austin University with a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree from Lamar University. There was additional work completed at Baylor University.
She taught at United I.S.D. in Laredo Texas, Mart I.S.D., and Silsbee I.S.D. before becoming Directress of School for Little Children, a preschool with a Montessori emphasis. She received her first Montessori training from Margaret Humphrey, who was trained by Dr. Montessori.
In 1980 she was asked to start a Montessori School in north Longview with a friend. Although she believed that the Montessori Method was truly the best way to educate children, with a newborn, a one-year-old, and a five-year-old, she declined knowing it would take too much time from her young family to begin such a large project. Ten years later, she and her husband purchased the school from the original owners. This allowed her passion for educating young minds using the Montessori Method to flourish.
As the Oak Forest Montessori School in Longview grew, it was necessary for Louise to have more training. Louise commuted on weekends and in the summers to receive her American Montessori Society training in: 1) Preschool, 2) Lower Elementary and 3) Upper Elementary. She was then was trained in 4) Infant and Toddler through the North American Montessori Training Center.
In 1999, with the support of her husband Bob, she purchased a preschool in Nacogdoches and turned it into a Montessori School. In 2001, an additional Montessori School was purchased in Clear Lake. As the schools were purchased, Louise relinquished her duties as Directress of the Oak Forest Montessori School and became Head of School for all three schools. Doing so allowed her to travel from school to school developing curriculum and training guides.
In 2005, Louise’s husband came into from work and said “We need to build a Montessori School in Tyler”. Not having any land in Tyler to build a school, not knowing anyone in Tyler to be Directress of the school, and not knowing anyone with Montessori training to be guides for the students, Louise prayed “Lord, if you want a Montessori School in Tyler, please find land for us”.
One day Bob came in and said, “I think we have found land for the Tyler Montessori School”. Six acres of farm land was purchased on the west side of Old Jacksonville Highway across from the Holly Tree subdivision. There were no buildings in the area when the property was purchased. Together they then began to design and build the school naming it Oak Hill Montessori School. God provided a Directress, guides, and parents who wanted their children in a Montessori School. Guides were trained in the summer of 2008. The school opened in the fall of 2008 and there has been a waiting list every year since. The school now serves students from 2 years of age through the 8th grade.
Louise now only serves as Head of School at Oak Forest Montessori School and has begun devoting her time to writing a curriculum to put God back in schools.
Mother, Educator
Karen Emerson is a mom who raised her children in childcare and has witnessed firsthand the benefits of a strong foundation for young learners. With nearly 20 years of experience, she is dedicated to helping teachers build supportive, effective classrooms. Karen aims to ensure that new teachers feel encouraged and understand the significant impact they have in their daycares. Having worked in various aspects of childcare, Karen deeply appreciates the crucial role everyone plays in creating a nurturing and successful learning environment.
Texas Rising Star Certified Assessor Mentor
I have been working in childcare since I was a young adult and have over 35 years of early childcare experience. I’ve worked in classrooms, was a curriculum coordinator and ran an early learning program. Currently I am a Texas Rising Star certified assessor mentor for the state of Texas. I have been through extensive training to become a certified assessor. I hold a child health care consultant license; I am a certified PD specialist and registered trainer through the Texas Workforce Registry.
Seminar Leader with Rice University School Literacy & Culture
Devin has worked in the early childhood field for over 11 years. Her educational background consists of an undergraduate degree in Early Childhood - fourth-grade education from Baylor University and a Leadership Certificate in Early Childhood Literacy from Rice University’s School Literacy and Culture. She was a part of the School Literacy and Culture Early Literacy Leadership Academy (ELLA) for cohort one and has continued with the project as a mentor teacher for the Developing Oral Language, Storytelling Project, and the ELLA programs. Devin has worked in Houston ISD in both traditional classrooms and as a specialist in an Oral Language Development Lab as part of a collaboration with Rice SLC. She is currently a seminar leader with Rice University School Literacy and Culture.
Join us for this year’s Methodist Preschool Teachers Conference. View and download the registration form, session schedule and descriptions.
