into Teachable Moments.” Key to this was the author’ s agency to respond to children’ s questions and interests, make adaptations in plans and materials, and still align with overall learning goals.
Closing out the cluster is“ Together We RISE: Tapping Educator Agency to Guide Children’ s Social and Emotional Learning.” Sara D. Hooks, Jennifer K. Pett, Janese Daniels, and Nicole Vasanth describe how early childhood educators had the agency to work with each other and families to create a curriculum for children’ s social and emotional development. They offer suggestions for approaching this in other settings.
There are many challenges to educator agency, such as rigid expectations and materials for curriculum, teaching, and assessment and a lack of space and supports for teachers to be flexible, responsive, and leaders in their contexts. While it is important to acknowledge these challenges and why they negatively impact educators, children, families, and systems, it is also important to strive for change and elevate where positive change is happening. I hope the real-life voices and stories of agency and intentionality in this issue resonate with what you need and the change you seek in your setting.
Recently, NAEYC’ s senior director of publishing and content development, Susan Friedman, visited an early learning program in Dallas, Texas. She noticed the documentation of children’ s active engagement and learning throughout the school, including painting with different colors.
Photograph: © NAEYC Copyright © 2026 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. See permissions and reprints online at NAEYC. org / resources / permissions.
Is your classroom full of children’ s artwork?
To feature it in Young Children, visit NAEYC. org / resources / pubs / authorsphotographers / photos or email editorial @ naeyc. org for details.
— Annie Moses, YC Editor in Chief
Summer 2026 Young Children 5