Daseta Gray

Daseta Gray has a passion for teaching, more specifically education. I have been in the field of early childhood education for over 18 years. I began working as a teacher’s aid when I first began in Childcare. For the past 10 years I have been directing childcare programs. In 2011 I started my consulting business, Sabree Education Services. I assist in establishing new child care centers, ensuring the center is compliant with the city’s mandatory requirements. I advise child care Directors on age appropriate materials (i.e. age appropriate books & toys, properly labeled centers such as block area).

As an educator I find it critical to have parent involvement in their child’s learning. Within the childcare center’s I served as director I always created parent association and communication system : monthly classroom newsletter, parent teacher conferences, monthly classroom meetings and a monthly center meeting. This allowed the parents to really be involved in the center and their child’s learning. I also encouraged parents to attend field trips. I also had violin lessons for the children.

It was important for me to not just encourage the parents to be involved in their child’s day to day activities; I have to live by example. I am and have always been involved in my children’s education and extracurricular activities. My youngest daughter, now 14 years old has participated in several organizations: St. Aloysius Educational Clinic and Figure Skating in Harlem to name a few. Currently she has a full scholarship to boarding school in Massachusetts. Both my middle daughter and I attend all of her sister’s activities at school.

While at Union Settlement Association I organized the first Scholastic Book Fair (became an annual event) and requested mostly multicultural books to be sold as I wanted to make sure the books reflected the community.
Over the years I have witnessed parents exhibiting “questionable” parenting skills. For example they shout at the infant as if they are speaking with an adult. They grab the toddler by one arm. The parent is cursing and smoking in front of the toddler. They run across the street with the toddler as a car is still approaching (the light is green for the on-coming vehicle). Because of witnessing these actions I felt it was important for me to become a Certified Infant Toddler Specialist and to start writing articles in hopes of assisting parents/care givers and soon to be parents on ways to improve their parenting skills.

I also conduct infant toddler development workshops.
I migrated from Jamaica to the United States in 1981 at 19 years old with two children. I did several odd jobs while I attended school for my GED. I hold an A.A.S from Bronx Community College, a B.A in Psychology from Lehman College, a M.A from City College and I am certified by Program for Infant Toddler Care (PITC) as an Infant Toddler Specialist. I have completed several classes in the CPAC program.
My goal is to open my own program in Harlem or the Bronx, however space is very expensive. In the meantime I share information with parents and caregivers via my blog SabreeHarlemParents.blogspot.com and I am a contributing writer for The East Harlem Journal.

I am available for parent workshops and early childhood education staff development and trainings. I may be reached at 347-524-4178 or [email protected]