Grace Dezwarte

Background

About Grace Dezwarte

As an early childhood educator and advocate, I am passionate about fostering curiosity, creativity, and lifelong learning in young children. I earned my Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I developed a strong foundation in lifespan development, psychology, and the environments and resources that optimize quality of life. In my Lead Teacher role, I apply research-backed, developmentally appropriate strategies to create enriching, inquiry-based learning experiences. My teaching approach emphasizes social-emotional growth, self-help skills, and child-led investigations that promote problem-solving, critical thinking, and positive approaches to learning. Collaboration is at the heart of my work. I have cultivated a strong, communicative, and productive co-teaching partnership built on shared expertise and a growth mindset. I also prioritize building meaningful relationships with families, ensuring open communication and caregiver involvement as a key pillar of classroom success. Beyond the classroom, I have experience in early childhood health content creation. As a Student Project Intern at Early Childhood Health Consultation (ECHC), I independently proposed and executed projects to expand the organization’s resource library. My work included developing health and safety infographics for new educators and creating behavioral health resources focused on social-emotional development and trauma-informed care. Through my content creation work at ECHC, my extensive parent communications in my teaching role, and my academic career, I have developed a strong ability to translate complex information into accessible, engaging content for diverse audiences. I was excited to apply this skill in a professional development setting at Here We Grow, where I led a Canva training on educational resource design and co-presented a session on inquiry-based teaching. In my current and future roles, I am a committed advocate for best practices in early childhood and parent education, recognizing that quality experiences before age five are pivotal to positive development.