Lily Jing
Founder and Kirkland Lead
Lily从事幼⼉教育⼯作有24年，她有⼀个15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，也是PET亲⼦效能沟通，⾮暴⼒沟通，ICF教练艺术的践⾏者。 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 24 years and is the mother of a 15-year-old daughter. She is an AMS-certified teacher for ages 0-3 and 3-6, a Certified Positive Discipline Educator, 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 Zhao
Assistant Teacher (Kirkland)
Zhao Lili, 一位温柔的陪伴者。
在她之前的岁月里最幸福最满足的事情就是照顾自己的家庭和她的孩子和狗儿们。对孩子，她有着天然的热情和柔软，在陪伴他们成长的过程中，她也在不断感受生命的真谛。她的家庭有在中国和匈牙利生活的经历。伴随着孩子们的成长她也一直有在国际学校做家长志愿者的经历。生活中她喜欢听音乐，做园艺，带着狗狗去徒步。她非常期待在小步能和宝宝们度过更多温馨、精彩的时光！
Zhao Lili, a gentle companion.
In her previous years, the happiest and most satisfying
thing was to take care of her family, her children, and her dogs. She has a natural enthusiasm and tenderness for children. In the process of accompanying them as
they grow up, she also constantly feels the true meaning of life. Her family has lived in China and Hungary. As her children grew up, she has also been a parent volunteer
in international schools. In her life, she likes to listen to music, do gardening, and go hiking with her dog. She is very much looking forward to spending more warm and
wonderful time with the babies at Little Steps!
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是一名儿童艺术老师, 两个可爱宝贝的妈妈。在陪伴孩子成长的岁月里，带孩子们一起参加合唱团，欣赏和体验不同艺术形式，在大自然里感受世间万物。 生活和工作中会接触到各种各样的孩子，懂得要尊重和善待每个不同的孩子，享受和孩子们待在一起的每一刻，希望总能有积极正面的能量贯穿孩子的成长旅程。
Hasi is a children's art teacher and the mother of two lovely kids. During the years of raising her children, she has taken them to participate in a choir, appreciating and experiencing different forms of art, and feeling the beauty of nature. In her life and work, she interacts with all kinds of children, understanding the importance of respecting and treating each child kindly. She enjoys every moment spent with children and hopes to always bring positive energy into their growth journey.
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.
