Virginia preschool teacher featured on cover of NAEYC’s Teaching Young Children magazine

Local teacher to appear in the April/May issue of NAEYC’s magazine that celebrates and supports the work of preschool educators

(Alexandria, Va.) - Torria Baker, a preschool teacher at the NAEYC-accredited Inova Mount Vernon Hospital Child Care Center in Alexandria, Virginia, is being recognized for her work by being featured as the cover story of the April/May issue of NAEYC’s Teaching Young Children (TYC).

Baker is one of a series of excellent preschool educators chosen to be featured on the cover of TYC, which is distributed to 45,000 readers nationwide. Each issue provides useful, research-based ideas that preschool teachers can use in their work with children and families.

“Torria is a passionate teacher who is committed to the children and families she serves,” said Derry Koralek, editor-in-chief at NAEYC. “I am pleased to be recognizing her during the Week of the Young Child, a time of the year that we honor young children and the adults who make a difference in their lives.”

Baker, who is an NAEYC member, has been teaching preschool in northern Virginia for over ten years. She currently teaches a mixed-age class of 3- to 5-year olds. This year she will earn an associate’s degree in early childhood education, and she plans to continue pursuing higher education. “My field is constantly evolving, so if I am to continue to inspire preschoolers to learn, I must be a lifelong learner as well,” she says.

The center is also participating in Week of the Young Child this year along with hundreds of other programs and NAEYC Affiliates. Week of the Young Child (April 11-17) is an opportunity for early childhood programs across the country, including child care and Head Start programs, preschools and elementary schools, to hold activities to bring awareness to the needs of young children. NAEYC first established the Week of the Young Child in 1971, recognizing that the early childhood years (birth through age 8) lay the foundation for children's success in school and later life. This year’s theme is Early Years are Learning Years®.

“The Week of the Young Child is so important to me because it celebrates and recognizes the greatness of children,” Baker said. “This is a time where the community can come together and understand the importance of early childhood education and its impact on children’s development.”

TYC is also available in Spanish as Tesoros y Colores. For more information on TYC and to purchase the latest issue, visit www.naeyc.org/tyc/.

For the full cover story, click here.

Founded in 1926, the National Association for the Education of Young Children has nearly 90,000 members worldwide.  The association is the largest and most influential advocate for early care and education in the United States.

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