Lily Jing
Founder and Kirkland Lead
Lily从事幼⼉教育⼯作有25年，她有⼀个16岁的⼥⼉。 她是北美蒙特梭利AMS 0-3、3-6认证教师，正面管教认证培训师，ICF受训意象教练，蒲公英家庭教练，也是PET亲⼦效能沟通，⾮暴⼒沟通的践⾏者。 LILY喜欢研究孩⼦的情绪，个性。她认为接纳每⼀个不同的孩⼦，并与他们建⽴联结， 是⼀切"教育"的 开始。如蒙特梭利所说："⼉童是成⼈之⽗"， Lily还认为和 孩⼦在⼀起的每⼀天都是⾃我教育的历程。 她愿意和家⻓们成为朋友，呵护每⼀个⽣命的成⻓。
Lily has been working in early childhood education for 25 years and is the mother of a 16-year-old daughter. She is an AMS-certified teacher for ages 0-3 and 3-6, a Certified Positive Discipline Educator, an ICF ICF-trained imagery coach, a Dandelion family coach, and a practitioner of PET (Parent Effectiveness Training) and Nonviolent Communication. Lily enjoys studying children's emotions and personalities, and she believes that accepting each unique child and building a connection with them is the foundation of all education. As Montessori said, "Children are the fathers of adults." Lily also believes that every day spent with children is a journey of self-education. She is eager to build friendships with parents and support the growth of every child.
Mrs. Wanling
Lead teacher (Mercer)
婉玲老师是AMS（北美蒙特梭利协会）0--3岁受训教师，也是一双快乐儿女的妈妈。性格温婉细腻，踏实平和，亦刚亦柔有担当。她从事幼教多年，坚信幼儿早期的习惯养成和思维启蒙对孩子的后期成长乃至整个人生至关重要。在扎根教书育儿的探索中，她不断修炼自身的文化底蕴、德行厚度、内心高度和审美境界，在爱的涵养下唤醒、激发孩子的潜能，协助、引领孩子健康成长。她期待和家长们一起携手共建小步美好家园！
Wanling is an AMS-trained teacher for children aged 0-3 and a mother of two happy children. She has a warm and gentle personality, is down-to-earth and peaceful, yet firm and responsible. With many years of experience in early childhood education, she firmly believes that habit formation and cognitive development in early childhood are crucial for a child's future growth and overall life. In her exploration of teaching and parenting, she continually cultivates her own cultural foundation, moral character, inner strength, and aesthetic appreciation. Nurtured by love, she awakens and inspires children's potential, supporting and guiding them toward healthy growth. She looks forward to working together with parents to build a beautiful home and a bright future for their children!
Mandy Wei
Music Teacher
Mandy Wei, 毕业于四川师范大学，是海外华文教育认证教师、蒙特梭利认证助理教师，同时也是两个男孩的妈妈。性格温柔，多才多艺，喜欢古典音乐、诗词，会弹琵琶和洞箫，现在西雅图国乐团琵琶组演奏。她深信早期音乐教育对幼儿的全面发展具有非常重要的作用，不仅能够让儿童体验各种不同的音乐情绪、陶冶情操、还能促进身心、语言、认知感知、创造力等多方面发展。希望陪伴孩子生活的同时，锻炼他们的能力、培养良好性格，并带来活泼、丰富的学习体验！
Mandy Wei, a graduate of Sichuan Normal University, is a certified overseas Chinese language teacher and a Montessori-certified assistant teacher. She is also the mother of two boys. She is gentle, and talented, and enjoys classical music and poetry. She can play the pipa and the xiao. She firmly believes that early music education plays a very important role in the development of young children. It not only allows children to experience a variety of musical emotions and cultivate their sentiments but also promotes the development of body and mind, language, cognitive perception, creativity, and other aspects. She hopes to accompany children in their lives, exercise their abilities, cultivate good character, and bring lively and rich learning experiences!
Mrs. ZQ
English Teacher
ZQ拥有多⽂化背景经历。⼤学时代留学⽇本，专攻语⾔学。精 通中、英、⽇语。因家庭原因往返于欧，美，中，⽇之间。作 为两个中英混⾎⼥⼉的妈妈，⼀直从事语⾔类教学。 多样的经 历让她不仅注重孩⼦多语⾔的培养，更能深⼊认识到多样⽂化 的重要性。ZQ相信⼀个充满了快乐与安全感的童年是带给孩⼦ 们⾃信、幸福与⽆限未来的第⼀步。
ZQ is one of our teachers with a multi-cultural background. She grew up in China and went to university in Japan, where she majored in linguistics. She is fluent in Chinese, English, and Japanese. ZQ has also lived in the UK, the Netherlands, and now the USA. She is the mother of two children of mixed heritage. Her various experiences have inspired her to specialize not only in teaching kids to speak Chinese in an anglophone environment but also to understand and appreciate the value of contributions from different cultures. ZQ believes kids are the bridge to the future, they need to have both self-awareness and confidence; and with those as a foundation—in a fun and safe environment—they will get a solid first step towards a confident, successful, and happy life.
Zhao Yan
Assistant Teacher (Kirkland)
Yan是一个做建筑设计的妈妈，深度参与了女儿的养育和教育，用心陪伴她直到她步入大学。陪伴孩子成长的过程，给了她很多观察，学习和了解生命发展过程的机会， 也收获了很多的感悟和成长。Yan认为如果说设计和建造一幢房子是为人们构筑一个物质上的庇护所，从而让人们获得身体和精神上的安全感；那幼儿的养育和教育就像是一个帮助他们建构起强大的物质身体和内心世界，造起一座精神上的房屋，穿上一副无形的铠甲保护他们去勇敢地探索未来和经历世界。Yan非常开心加入到小步这个充满爱的能量场，希望能带着觉察和关爱，用心扶助小朋友们茁壮成长，搭建起他们内在的明亮小屋。
Yan, an architectural designer, was deeply involved in her daughter's upbringing and education, accompanying her wholeheartedly until she entered university. Accompanying her child's growth has provided her with numerous opportunities to observe, learn, and understand the developmental processes of life, accumulating profound insights and growth. Yan believes that if designing and building a house provides a physical shelter, providing a sense of physical and spiritual security, then raising and educating a child is like helping them build a strong physical body and inner world, creating a spiritual home and an invisible armor to protect them as they bravely explore the future and experience the world. Yan is thrilled to join the loving energy of Little Steps, hoping to bring awareness and care to nurture and support the children's growth, building their own bright inner worlds.
Ying Chen羊毛老师
Assistant Teacher (Kirkland)
羊毛老师是一位大学艺术系老师，迁居西雅图后从事艺术教育和环保活动多年。对教育、对利他有着天然的觉知，一直抱着一颗敬畏的心陪伴孩子。同时在养育自己的一女一儿的过程中，对生命的成长有了更加深刻的体验。很高兴能陪伴小步幼儿园的孩子们一起来探索这个世界。
Ying is a university art teacher who has been involved in art education and environmental activities for many years since moving to Seattle. She has a natural awareness of education and altruism, always accompanying children with a sense of reverence. Through raising her son and daughter, she has gained a deeper understanding of the growth of life. She is happy to accompany the children at Little Steps as they explore the world together.
Hasi Shaffer
Assistant Teacher (Mercer)
Hasi，是两个可爱宝贝的妈妈，也是一位充满爱与创造力的艺术老师，在自己的工作室和中文学校担任艺术课老师，用心陪伴孩子们手绘和制作手工。
喜欢美食。喜欢人像摄影，追求捕捉最精彩微妙的一瞬间。喜欢徒步爬山晒太阳，在大自然中感受世间的美好。
生活和工作中，她会接触到各种各样的孩子，深感每个孩子的独特，始终以尊重和善待为原则，用积极正面的能量陪伴孩子们，让艺术成为孩子们童年里温暖美好的记忆。
Hasi is a mother of two adorable children and a loving and creative art teacher. She teaches art classes in her own studio and at a Chinese school, lovingly accompanying children in their hand-painting and crafting endeavors.
She enjoys food and portrait photography, striving to capture the most exquisite moments. She enjoys hiking, basking in the sun, and experiencing the beauty of nature. In her life and work, she encounters a wide variety of children and deeply appreciates the uniqueness of each one. She always treats children with respect and kindness, brimming with positive energy, and makes art a warm and beautiful memory in their childhoods.
Zoey Zhang
Assistant Teacher (Mercer)
Zoey 是位化学博士后，两个七岁、九岁宝贝的妈妈。她性格温柔，耐心细致并热爱生活。上大学时曾有两个梦想——开一家甜品店和成为一名幼儿园老师。自从有了自己的宝宝后，她对教育有了全新的认知和体验，她感受到每一个生命都是独一无二，都值得我们温柔呵护和尊重。一直喜欢孩子的她在陪伴自己孩子成长的过程中，曾在中文学校担任Kindergarten班的中文老师（part time），积累了丰富的陪伴经验，深得孩子们的喜爱。
Zoey is a Ph.D. in chemistry and a mother of two children, aged 7 and 9. She is gentle, patient, and loves life. In college, she had two dreams: to open a dessert shop and to become a kindergarten teacher. After becoming a mother, she gained a new understanding and experience in education, realizing that every life is unique and deserves gentle care and respect. She has always loved children, and while accompanying her kids as they grow, she worked part-time as a Chinese teacher for the kindergarten class at a Chinese school, gaining valuable experience and becoming very popular with the kids.
