Grace Luy
NAEYCNEWS
Member Spotlight
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.
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.
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.
62 Young Children
Fall 2026