For Maitland's Nguyen, it's pre-K all the way; she's Teacher of the Year semifinalist

Interview Rebecca Nguyen, and you’ll find out quickly that she has always wanted to be a teacher. And you’ll learn Nguyen came to Morgan City’s Julia B. Maitland Elementary for her student teaching and has been there ever since.
One more thing: Nguyen comes to the interview with notes, and those notes contain information that parents of toddlers will want to know.
Nguyen’s next interview will be later this month as one of the semifinalists in the Louisiana Department of Education Teacher of the Year program. The list of 22 semifinalists will be narrowed to nine finalists, one of whom will be named Teacher of the Year in July at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.
The faculty at Maitland has already won recognition for its pre-K program. The school has received awards of excellence for seven years in the Classroom Assessment Scoring System in which teacher interactions with pre-K students are observed at least twice a year.
That’s an important achievement in an elementary school trying to improve an overall D grade in the state’s accountability program.
Nguyen’s connection with Maitland stretches back even farther than the seven years.
Raised in Morgan City, Nguyen attended Sacred Heart, Holy Cross and Central Catholic before moving on to Nicholls State for her bachelor of science in education.
She did her student teaching in first grade and pre-K at Maitland and joined the faculty in 2008.
Now married to Dat Nguyen, she’s a mother of 7- and 2-year-olds. And she’s doing what she wants to do where she wants to do it.
Nguyen’s wish to be a teacher has been with her “I guess since I was a little girl. I always wanted to be a teacher,” she said.
And Nguyen wants to be a teacher at Maitland.
“There’s a sense of family here at Maitland,” she said “and I could not imagine myself anywhere else.”
One member of her school family is paraprofessional Marla Calamia, who has been with Nguyen since the beginning.
“I don’t know what I’d do without her,” Nguyen said.
Lessons
“Parents of young children can help prepare their kids in several ways,” Nguyen wrote in her notes. “These are some key skills parents can work on.”
—Social skills. “Parents can encourage interaction with other children to develop social skills like sharing, taking turns, and cooperation.”
—Independence. “Parents can foster independence by allowing children to do tasks like dressing themselves, using the restroom independently and tidying up after play.
“As a parent myself, it is sometimes hard to let go of the reins but they can learn from their mistakes. You would be surprised at what they can do on their own.”
—Language development. “Parents should read regularly to enhance vocabulary and language skills. Encourage them to express themselves verbally.
“I have recently seen a decline in language development. Could this be attributed to an increase in technology or screen time?
“Possibly. Everything is good, but in moderation.
“It is very important to set limits when it comes to technology and take the time to have conversations with your children.”
—Emotional regulation. “Parents need to help their children identify and express their emotions in healthy ways, teaching them coping skills for managing frustration or disappointment.”