Those are issues NAEYC continues to address. What are some ways that NAEYC informs your practice?
NAEYC became an essential part of my practice when I began my journey toward national board certification. I found myself turning again and again to its position statements, publications, and professional development resources. The position statement on developmentally appropriate practice has truly shaped how I plan my curriculum, observe children, and respond to individual needs. The articles in Young Children and Teaching Young Children [ EYC’ s predecessor ] are full of research-backed practices I’ ve used directly in my classroom. And I just bought the third edition of The Intentional Teacher: Choosing the Best Strategies for Young Children’ s Learning. That’ s a resource I’ ll use to reflect on my own teaching choices.
This year, NAEYC celebrates its centennial. What does that milestone mean to you?
Being a member of NAEYC has had a powerful impact on my work in early childhood education. It has helped me feel connected to a larger professional community. 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 early childhood education for 100 years, and that is a collective achievement of dedicated educators, families, researchers, and policymakers.
You help to develop a robust early childhood education community by serving on your school’ s leadership team. Why is that work important to you?
Our school leadership team is made up of administrators, instructional assistants, teachers, and a social worker. We create vision and mission statements, define and evaluate our strategic implementation plan, and undertake schoolwide initiatives. I’ m particularly interested in mentoring new teachers. When I was a beginning teacher 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 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. Copyright © 2026 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. See permissions and reprints online at NAEYC. org / resources / permissions.
14 Educating Young Children
Spring 2026