Jason Rodker, Psy. D. (TCS Co-op Director)

I am Dr. Jason Rodker, Director of the TCS Co-op, a Clinical Psychologist, and Certified School Psychologist. My two children are students in the program. Prior to enrolling my children at The Cottage School (now TCS Co-op), I earned two master's degrees in education, as well as a doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis on child development. I had worked in several school settings, across all grade levels, with all ages of students, serving as a member of Child Study Teams, a consultant to teachers, and a student counselor. Informed by this background, I was very particular about the kind of educational environment that I wanted for my children, and unsatisfied with the conventional options. Finding The Cottage School was like finding an antidote to the high-pressure school environments that I saw leading increasingly younger children to burnout. Over the last handful of years, I have learned about the school's educational approach, including the Positive Discipline model, and I have seen first-hand the ways in which the program encourages my children to grow toward their fullest potential and to become their unique selves. I currently work in private practice, providing therapy for children, adolescents, and adults. My ongoing professional work, particularly with regard to the ways in which children and families are impacted by typical educational experiences, continues to reinforce my belief in the importance of the environment that we create and the relationships that we foster at TCS Co-op for the long-term psychological wellbeing of our children.

Laura Soulages (Teacher and Advisor)

Laura Soulages has been an educator for the past 35 years. She founded The Cottage School in 2002 and directed it for about 20 years. Her experience ranges from early childhood to college level in Argentina and in the United States. Laura was born into a family of scientists and artists in Argentina and grew up with a diversity of cultures, chiefly influenced by her grandparents’ European traditions. Her home life and her schooling demonstrated the importance and the pleasures of a good education, and she discovered the significance of putting academics and art into daily communication.

Throughout her career, Laura developed an approach to education that she called Organic Education. Her vision came to life in the form of The Cottage School to provide organic education for all students with an emphasis on creativity, innovative thinking, cooperation, nurturing environment, joy for learning, appreciation of nature, and multiculturalism. During her twenty years as director of the school, Laura facilitated parenting workshops and training to teachers on topics such as, The Importance of Play, The Importance of the Arts, Keeping Creativity Alive, Poetry Appreciation, and Positive Discipline; all components of the Organic Education.

Laura is now in the process of writing a book, “Organic Education, a natural approach to learning.” In the book, she explains that “Organic Education embraces the natural desire to learn that comes from within the student when the student is intrinsically motivated, and therefore, engaged in learning.”