Grace glover

I was born in Jackson, TN. My family moved to the Nashville area when I was in 7th grade. I lived in Hendersonville, TN where I went to middle and high school. In 2023, I lived in Bowling Green, Kentucky while I was attending college at Western Kentucky University. Most recently, I moved to the Bellevue area and have been loving it!

Fun fact: Grace is actually my middle name but my parents have called me by my middle name all my life! 

My journey into teaching began in high school, where I gained early experience working in my church’s nursery and summer camps. After earning my Associate degree, I became a Pre-K Special Education Teacher Assistant at an elementary school, where I developed teaching strategies and gained invaluable experience working with children with special needs.

While pursuing my Bachelors degree in Child and Family Services, I continued building my teaching experience at my college’s Early Childhood Intervention Center. Through my coursework, I had the opportunity to study and apply a variety of teaching approaches directly in the classroom.

I have a deep passion for early childhood education. I have some experience in Montessori-inspired methods and see parallels with the Reggio philosophy. I’m excited to bring my knowledge, experience, and passion into this wonderful community and continue to grow as an educator.

I am one of the preschool teachers at the Garden Campus. I am working and learning directly with the children each day in our classroom and in nature. I look forward to adventures alongside our great explorers every day.

During college, I was fortunate to have two professors who became incredible mentors in my educational journey. Their passion for early childhood education and child development deeply inspired me and helped shape my own teaching philosophy. My mom has also been one of my greatest heroes and mentors; her dedication to education and early learning continues to influence me every day.

Alongside their guidance, I found myself drawn to the work of Maria Montessori. Through reading her books and studying her philosophy with, I’ve gained a deep appreciation for child-centered, hands-on learning. Montessori’s beliefs resonate with my own values of children as capable individuals. This theme is also powerful in the Reggio Emilia philosophy.

I feel like I’m finally stepping into my professional career now that I’ve graduated from college. It’s been a long journey, with pauses and work experiences along the way, but those chapters have shaped who I am. I’m so excited for this new season of change: graduating, moving to a new city, and beginning my work at A New Leaf. I’m deeply grateful for the path that brought me here.

I love to travel! I have been to the Galapagos Islands and the Dominican Republic. I am hoping to travel more in the next few years. I love talking about all the different places I could visit around the world.

I am passionate about geography and often take map quizzes for fun! I love trying new places even if it’s a new coffee shop, restaurant, or even a new antique store.

I love spending time with my family and dogs! I’m a homebody so I enjoy being home either reading, cooking, or doing a fun craft!

I took Spanish classes in college so I have a beginner level fluency in Spanish. I try to practice it often. I also speak geography!

I have never been a picky eater so I always want to try new foods. I love sushi, salads, and any type of pasta dish. I really enjoy finding new recipes to cook, trying new seasonings and combinations of foods!

My favorite color is blue. However, when I decorate and style my home I use earth tone colors. I love green, orange, beige, brown, yellow. Those colors are very cozy and calming. 

Learn how to sew and crochet, hike all of the Smoky Mountains National Park, and travel around Europe.

I am passionate about learning and exploring the world around us. I love how unique and special the learning experiences are for our students.

I am excited about the role I have in providing adventurous learning journeys for all of our students and to continue my own each day.