Education is in Dominique Foster’s blood. Along with being a pastor, her father was an educator. Before him, her grandmother was an educator and principal. While Foster didn’t necessarily see herself following in their footsteps, she’s also not surprised she ended up in early childhood education.

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“School has always been a wonderful place and safe space for me, so it’s not shocking that I landed here,” said Foster.

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What was a shock though was being named the 2022 DC Teacher of the Year after 14 years in the field.

“For many early childhood teachers, we can often feel overlooked,” said Foster. “It was truly an honor just to be recognized. It has allowed me to amplify and elevate my voice. To speak up for not just early childhood teachers, but all teachers during such a challenging few years in education.”

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As an early educator, one of the challenges Foster has faced is shifting the mindset of parents and caregivers on what effective early childhood education looks like. For example, rather than sending home the often requested work packet, Foster prefers sending home a bag of resources like loose parts, materials to paint, and hands-on activities. This often leads to questions about what to do with the supplies, which Foster uses as an opportunity for dialogue.

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“I always like to listen and make sure that parents’ voices are respected,” said Foster. “I also try to share my knowledge on what I feel are the best ways to learn and best practices for young children.”

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While virtual learning brought on a unique set of challenges for early educators, Foster made it into a win.

“Going into the 2021 school year, at that point we knew we were going to be virtual for at least a while,” said Foster. “[I went in thinking] we’re going to make this work. We started with 19 children, and we finished the year with 19 children still logging in, still excited, still learning and growing.”

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Part of Foster’s success with virtual learning was using the bags she sent home as a way to create equitable spaces.

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“You’re not just looking around your house for a pencil or a notepad,” said Foster. “Everybody has them. They’re the same colors, they’re the same designs, on top of all the other hands-on resources and STEM activities.”

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Foster also credits her success to her student’s parents and caregivers.

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“A large part of it was due to the caregivers really just supporting and trusting me,” said Foster. “After a while, I received so many messages saying “We’re so upset. We’re going to miss today’s class. We have a doctor’s appointment.””

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As far as Foster is concerned, her students' skills weren’t affected by virtual learning. Still, she doesn’t see it as a replacement for the social and emotional benefits gained by being in the classroom.

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“I’m very intentional in creating a very exciting classroom environment and making sure it really is that Third Teacher,” said Foster. “One of the things we do in our classroom is create opportunities for the children to offer love, offer support, and offer knowledge to others within our community.”

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While Foster has completely pivoted back to teaching in the classroom, she hasn’t forgotten lessons learned while teaching online.

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“I learned that I needed to invest more in my self-care,” said Foster. “Being at home allowed more time to take care of myself and enjoy time with my daughter. I just didn’t realize how little time I was leaving for me until we were locked in our homes.

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It felt good, and I have come out of this being more intentional in taking time for myself and being okay with that.”

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Armed with a rejuvenated mindset, Foster is more determined than ever to continue creating safe spaces for the children she teaches.

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“My dream and wish for young children is that they come into these classrooms and into these learning spaces, whether it be in-person, virtual, or anywhere else, understanding that learning is, quite honestly, limitless.”