Lee Ann Chavez

“If you want your children to be smart, read them fairy tales.  If you want them to be really smart, read them more fairy tales.” 

—Albert Einstein

I love this quote! One of the greatest scientists of all time understood that the essence of childhood is fantasy and reading. Without a great imagination and someone who spent the time to read to Einstein when he was young, would he ever have discovered the things he did? Studies have shown, people who read have been read to as children. Along with reading, I believe the ability to fantasize and play is the core of learning. The ability to dink around with things helps us understand how they work and the ability to question things develops critical thinking skills.

My name is Lee Ann Chavez and I have an Associate’s Degree in Child Development along with thirty years of valuable life experience in the classroom with young children. No formal education could replace this experience. I was a Mentor Teacher for the State of California for over 15 years where students would work alongside me in the classroom as they learned to become teachers. Several of our full time staff trained with me prior to taking on a master teacher role. This student teacher mentoring is just one aspect of working at the Center that I value most. I have been at the Center since 1997 and have seen several of my preschool children come to work here as they pursue college. I only half joke that I will need to retire when one of my old preschool children enrolls their child at the Center.

One of the other primary reasons I love working here is the ability to work closely with families and get to know not only the children but their parents as well. Raising good people is hard work, but when we work together the journey is easier. Relationships are the core to a good early childhood experience. Together with parents I love to support children as they develop into the best people they can become. My goal as a teacher is to provide the richest environment to support learning and guide children to become independent thinkers, socially competent and have confidence in their own abilities. When children believe in themselves they truly can accomplish anything they set their sights on.

Outside of work I keep this same focus with my growing family. I have been married to the same wonderful man since 1981 and we have one son of our own and two sons from my husband’s first marriage. So I understand the workings of a blended family. All three boys married three wonderful women. We currently have seven grandchildren. Spending time with my grandkids either at home or on family vacations is one of my greatest joys. We take a larger family vacation every few years and have gone to Hawaii to renew our wedding vows with our family and then back again a couple years later for my son’s wedding. In upcoming years my husband will retire and one more big trip will be planned.

In my spare time I love to sew, cross-stitch and garden. I make dresses, costumes and blankets for my grandchildren and try to create stitchery pieces for significant events in our family, such as births and weddings. My husband is a big Dodger fan so we also make a few trips up to Los Angeles each season to catch a few home games. I am an avid reader and can regularly be caught with a book or my Kindle in hand during a break or at home. I also create felt board story pieces to go along with children’s books that I collect and use in the classroom. I love teaching and look forward to working with each new family I come in contact with.

Lee Ann

"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself."

—John Dewey