Throughout NAEYC’s 100th year, we’re collecting stories from early childhood educators, asking people across the country to share their personal and professional journeys. In this issue, we feature reflections on what inspired people to join the field and how their experiences shape how they view it.
“As a first grader, I fell in love with learning because of the food and books that were available at my elementary school. I decided that I wanted to be part of what was happening there. My teachers embraced me, and the lunchroom ladies captured my attention. Then I discovered the library. There were more books than what we had at home, and I was free to explore them. I traveled through books because segregation limited where we could travel as a family.
“By the time I reached fifth grade, I knew that I wanted to be a teacher. Mrs. G. selected children to be ‘teacher for the day.’ I wanted to wear stockings and heels to school, change into my flats, and go to the teachers’ lounge to buy a Coca-Cola. I became one of the teachers for the day, and my career path was set.
“During high school, my world shifted. Segregation ended, and I entered an integrated world. My love for reading helped to ground me during those turbulent times, and I met a few teachers who continued to encourage and nurture my love for reading and learning. My English teacher made successful attempts to include students who looked like me. Other teachers practiced classroom-inclusive behaviors. Five degrees and 40 years later, I am still serving in education, with intentionality, increasing the hope and future vision of young children.”
—Sharon Miller, Tampa, Florida
“My journey as an early childhood educator started the day I enrolled my son, Anthony, in a Head Start program. I was a young mother, unsure of many things but certain of one: I wanted my child to feel safe, loved, and supported. What I didn’t know then was that his first classroom would also become the place where I discovered my own purpose.
“Every morning, I watched my son walk into his classroom with a light in his eyes—a light sparked by teachers who greeted him with warmth, patience, and genuine joy. I saw how he blossomed under their care, how he learned to trust his voice, how he transformed from ‘I can’t’ to ‘I can.’ That transformation didn’t just change him; it changed me. It showed me the profound impact early educators have on children’s lives, especially during the years when their brains are rapidly building the foundation for everything that comes next. I wanted to be part of that mission. I wanted to help shape future leaders—our ‘brain builders’ as I lovingly call them.
“Coming from a background of poverty, I understood deeply what it meant to feel unseen or underestimated. Education became my pathway forward, and I was determined to use it to open doors for others. Over the past 25 years, I have earned my CDA [child development associate credential], my associate degree, and eventually my bachelor’s degree. Each step was fueled by the belief that children deserve educators who see their potential long before they see it in themselves.”
—Kashonda Lawrence, New Haven, Connecticut
Please visit our Year of Reflections site to access additional stories, submit your own reflection in writing, or share photos, audio, or video files.
Copyright © 2026 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. See permissions and reprints online at NAEYC.org/resources/permissions.