Meet Our Creative Team
Everyone in the Third Bend Studio team comes to this work through a deep love for children, play, community, and the kind of early childhood spaces where children are trusted, listened to, and truly known.
Together we bring years of experience in classrooms, research, family relationships, early childhood inquiry work, and creative play-based care.
We are so excited to introduce ourselves and share a little more about the hearts and histories shaping this space.
Maggie Harvey
they/them
Seda Turk
she/her
Decota Johnson
she/her
Maggie has spent more than a decade learning with and from children in Denton. Their work began in children's theater and fine arts preschool settings, where they became drawn to the ways children use storytelling, movement, and play to make meaning. Since then, Maggie's practice has been shaped by a deep interest in child-centered approaches to early childhood learning, including the study of Montessori and Reggio Emilia philosophy and practice at Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia.
Maggie has worked in university lab school settings, early childhood research, and play-based classroom communities. Their work has included developing emergent curriculum, conducting long-term inquiry projects with young children, pedagogical documentation, and children's photography research. Some of their work has been published in Teachers College Record: The Voice of Scholarship in Education and in the volume Critical Race Theory and Social Studies Futures: From the Nightmare of Racial Realism to Dreaming Out Loud. Maggie has collaborated with high school pre-teaching programs, university students/courses, and early-childhood researchers across many disciplines.
Maggie holds a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, their childcare director certification, and certification in play therapy Child Teacher Relationship Training (CRPT). Their work is rooted in a belief that children are capable, creative, complex people who deserve autonomy, community, trust, play, and joy.
Seda's relationship with early childhood education began in her own childhood growing up in a Montessori school run by her family in the shop under their second floor home. This early experience shaped her lifelong belief that children deserve environments filled with beauty, creativity, safety, independence, and meaningful relationships. Her work centers the role of materials, art, community, and place in young children's lives.
Seda has taught in private and museum based early childhood art programs, and spent many years in a university lab school as both a teacher and a project coordinator. In these roles she helped develop inquiry based programming, community atelier spaces, and creating material rich environments. Seda has also worked in early childhood research related to continuing teacher education, and the role of materials in bilingual classroom environments. She has created dozens of community partnerships between communities for children and local experts and organizations - primarily in Denton, her home of over 11 years.
During the pandemic Seda opened a mixed-age outdoor early childhood play pod. She later co-created a licensed home daycare with Maggie, where her work continued to deepen around play, identity, and belonging. Seda studied Early Childhood Education and is certified in play therapy Child Teacher Relationship Training. Across her work, she is committed to creating early childhood spaces where children feel deeply seen, creative, and connected to their community.
Decota brings a deep commitment to inclusion, emotional well-being, movement and mindfulness learning and accessibility for children, and thoughtful early childhood practice. Her work began in public early childhood special education, in addition to children's summer camp programming focused on outdoor education, community, and positive self-identity.
Decota later joined a university early childhood lab school, where she worked alongside children, families, educators, researchers, and university partners across many disciplines. Her work has included supporting inclusive classroom environments, early intervention practice, family programming and connection, and collaboration with research and support programs for children with autism. She brings a joyful, reflective presence to schooling life. She is especially passionate about helping other educators and caregivers build practices that support children's mental health, relationships, and sense of belonging.
Decota holds an associate degree in Psychology, certification in play therapy CRPT, a bachelor's degree in Special Education, and master's degree in Educational Leadership. She is currently studying for a Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership. Her practice is grounded in mindfulness and movement, creating inclusive classroom environments, and social-emotional learning. Her work is centered in the belief that early childhood spaces should help children feel known, empowered, connected to their external support systems, and secure.
