Grace Luy
Prekindergarten Teacher
The Early Learning Center at Memory Road
Raleigh, North Carolina
Grace Luy was a former early childhood educator working in the Philippines when a very personal reason lured her back to the profession.
Her son.
“I began my career in teaching because I love working with young children and believe in the power of early learning,” she recalls. “But life took me in a different direction, and I had stepped away from the classroom. Then my son was diagnosed with a visual impairment.”
Knowing the importance of early intervention and inclusive education, Grace began researching the supports that public schools in the United States offer to children with disabilities. She moved to the US ahead of her family in 2007 and began teaching prekindergarten in Wilson County, North Carolina. When her son arrived and enrolled in the local school system, he received an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and worked with an educational support team.
Today, Grace has a master’s degree in education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with an emphasis in early childhood intervention and family services. She is a national board-certified teacher in early childhood and is trained in the preschool pyramid model. She has worked for the Wake County Public School System since 2016; for the past three years, as a prekindergarten teacher at The Early Learning Center at Memory Road. That 5-Star pre-K program was the first standalone prekindergarten center in the Wake County Public School System.
Following are excerpts from a conversation about Grace’s professional practice and the role that NAEYC plays.
You’ve described your career as nonlinear. What is it about early childhood education that resonates with you?
Preschool educators have an incredible opportunity to shape a child’s foundational years. There’s something powerful about witnessing the “aha” moments when a child understands a new concept, expresses themselves for the first time in a new way, or builds a relationship with a peer. I’m inspired by the creativity, curiosity, and resilience that young children bring to learning every day.
How would you describe your teaching approach?
As educators, we understand and support the development of the whole child—socially, emotionally, physically, and cognitively. Along with teaching content like math, literacy, and science, I teach a lot of social and emotional skills to help children feel safe and secure and to build empathy. We practice taking turns and using positive words. I pay attention to my classroom design and routines to embed social skills into daily activities. I use visual schedules and offer lots of choice. I work to help children with diverse strengths and needs, and I work to help families feel the way I want to feel as a parent: Super cared for.
You teach 15 children, six of whom usually have IEPs. What does a typical day look like in your classroom?
Our district follows a specific curriculum, but the teachers have autonomy to design their days. No two are the same: I usually plan a week of lessons, and we do a lot of project-based learning. The children’s interests help to inform what my focus will be. My classroom is play-based and full of movement, curiosity, and connection as children learn. No matter what we’re doing, there’s a comforting rhythm.
What do you see as key challenges in the profession today?
It can be challenging for teachers to support children’s different behaviors. This requires collaboration with administrators and the whole teaching team to ensure that every child is learning, growing, and positively engaged. And of course, the profession needs more support and recognition of its importance. Despite clear research showing that early experiences have lifelong impacts, many early childhood educators work long hours with limited resources and inadequate and inequitable compensation. The field continues to face high turnover and underfunding.
Those are issues that NAEYC continues to address. Can you share an idea you learned from NAEYC that informs your practice?
I was introduced to NAEYC early in my US teaching career, but it became an essential part of my practice when I began my journey toward national board certification. I found myself turning to NAEYC’s position statements, publications, webinars, and professional development tools. NAEYC kept coming up as a trusted, research-based source for developmentally appropriate practice and equity-centered teaching. It influences early learning program standards and professional expectations, and it provides a clear framework for what high-quality early childhood education should look and feel like.
This year, NAEYC celebrates its centennial. What does that milestone mean to you?
As an early childhood educator, NAEYC’s centennial means being part of a 100-year tradition of dedication to young children’s learning and well-being. NAEYC has elevated the field of early childhood education for 100 years, and that is a collective achievement of the educators, families, researchers, and policymakers who have contributed to improving the lives of young children.
You serve on your school’s leadership team. Why is that important to you?
Our school leadership team is made up of administrators, instructional assistants, teachers, and social workers. We create vision and mission statements, define and evaluate our strategic implementation plan, and undertake schoolwide initiatives. I’m particularly interested in mentoring our new teachers. When I was beginning in the United States, my school assigned a mentor to me. She really helped me navigate my new environment. That’s why I want to pay it forward. I invite beginning teachers to my classroom to see real-time strategies in action. We work to create a positive learning environment, to guide children’s behaviors, and to communicate more effectively with families. I share my experiences, connect new teachers to resources, and encourage them to recognize and celebrate wins. Confidence grows through encouragement!
Photographs: courtesy of Grace Luy
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