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!
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Photographs: courtesy of Grace Luy. Copyright © 2026 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. See permissions and reprints online at NAEYC. org / resources / permissions.
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