We are so excited to share this month’s teacher spotlight and recognize Miss Shyrah from our Kirkland location.
Miss Shyrah's expertise lies in infant care and building positive attachments. As our lead infant teacher, Miss Shyrah adores all of the children at the center — and they adore her right back, just as much as we do! (See more of our teacher spotlights to get to know all of our phenomenal teachers. Each one makes Lil' People’s World better every day!)
First starting in July 2021 as co-lead teacher, Miss Shyrah has been dedicated to our Kirkland location for over one year and we couldn’t be more grateful! Miss Jami, the director of Lil' People’s World’s Kirkland center, describes Miss Shyrah as “A warm and caring teacher. She has a brilliantly positive attitude and always has a smile. We enjoy and appreciate having her as a part of our team in Kirkland.
Miss Shyrah started caring for children at only 13 years old when she started her first babysitting job. Since then, she has naturally gravitated toward teaching. When Miss Shyrah’s own children were young, she enjoyed teaching and creating with them at home and volunteering as an art teacher at their elementary school. The joy she felt teaching led her to pursue it further once her children were grown. Miss Shyrah says, “I needed something more once my kiddos were too big to create with,” and adds, “I feel so loved when I am with children, they really do care about you.”
Now, she finds that there is no better way to express your immense creativity than with a classroom full of infants. “I love being able to make kids smile and to have fun with them, teach them new skills, and watch them grow as people, [and] I love the conversations I get to have with the kids and my co-teachers.” Miss Shyrah says. She adds, “I enjoy doing yoga with all of the children as well, and it promotes healthy movement from day one of infancy.” Which draws on her yoga teaching experience, yet another that led her to her destined role, teaching at Lil' People's World.
Miss Shyrah is an enthusiastic, energetic, and positive teacher, whatever mood those kiddos arrive with is changed instantly with her upbeat, colorful positivity. “Miss Shyrah is such a bright and passionate teacher!" shares Supervising Director Miss Bobbie. "She does such a phenomenal job getting to know each of the children as if they were family. She connects with the other teachers and is a wonderfully creative team member.”
While growing up, Miss Shyrah’s biggest influence was her mom, “She was always supportive of what I liked to do, she was a good guide and allowed me to be a free spirit. I was born in Oklahoma and lived in Texas until I was 10, then moved to Washington. She was always there.” Now, the infants influence Miss Shyrah not to take things too seriously and always have fun!
Something Miss Shyrah wishes people knew about Early Childhood Education is the mental capacity it takes to care for several young children at one time. “If you don’t take care of yourself at the same time, you can easily burn out,” she says. It’s true, we too wish this was universal knowledge and advocate for all of our teachers to make the much-needed time for themselves.
Miss Shyrah’s Favorites Outside of the Classroom
During Miss Shyrah’s “me” time, she enjoys crocheting, art, and re-furbishing old furniture. She is also an avid collector of art supplies and crystals; the moonstone is her favorite. Her love for these hobbies helps reduce stress and keep her mind calm.
While crafting away, you may catch her re-watching Jane the Virgin, a satirical telenovela by Jennie Snyder Urman.
Miss Shyrah’s favorite children’s book is The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle, and she sweetly reflects on its connection to her. She says “My son and I used to read it when he was a baby; [it] makes me cry every time I think about reading it, with his little sweet voice mimicking the words.”
Currently, she’s reading Brittany Spears’ new autobiography The Woman in Me.
If she could have any superpower, Miss Shyrah would be thrilled to fly. “I would be able to go anywhere, at any time,” she exclaimed.
And, last but not least, the most important question followed by an answer to go down in Lil People’s World history… We asked Miss Shyrah “PB&J or grilled cheese sandwiches?”
And for the first time ever, we have a fan of PB&J!! “You just can’t mess it up!” Miss Shyrah says. Her ultimate PB&J is old-fashioned white bread, strawberry jelly, and creamy PB.
Thank you, Miss Shyrah, for all of your continued support and love for our Lil' People's World family. You are so appreciated!