Keyona Morrison

Early Childhood General Education Advanced Standing Program '23

Small moments of observing make me a better teacher and a better human—to just pause and observe things sometimes and not be so quick to talk or pass judgment. I now use observation lessons regularly with my students. It helps me to ‘meet them where they are,’ which is an important part of Bank Street’s methods.

Keyona Morrison grew up in Westchester County, New York and, after she completed her bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in sociology from the University of Mount Saint Vincent, she started working as an teacher’s aide at the Riverdale Neighborhood House in the Bronx. Being in the classroom with 3-year-olds felt right to her, and Keyona gradually advanced to assistant teacher and then to co-teacher. Because she had no formal training about early childhood education and what it meant to nurture children’s brains when they are at this formative age, Keyona listened when one of her colleagues told her about Bank Street Graduate School of Education’s Early Childhood General Education Advanced Standing Program.

This program is for teachers who are already working with children from birth through second grade in a publicly funded program, and it was a perfect fit for Keyona. She applied and received a scholarship that covered over 50 percent of her tuition, as well as credits toward her degree for her prior teaching experience. Throughout her graduate school experience, the program allowed her to maintain her job and leverage her classroom for hands-on learning.

In one of Keyona’s Bank Street classes about teaching science, her instructor had the students look outside at the brick buildings across the street and observe how the bricks were layered and packed, helping them to build their ability for close observation of the outside world. 

“Those small moments of observing,” Keyona said, “make me a better teacher and a better human—to just pause and observe things sometimes and not be so quick to talk or pass judgment. I now use observation lessons regularly with my students. It helps me to ‘meet them where they are,’ which is an important part of Bank Street’s methods. I encourage children to seek out the small things that might be taken for granted, and I can see them continue to notice the small things they see on a regular basis. They’re applying what they learned!”

Keyona also writes narratives about her observations of the children. This practice has led her away from her previous understanding that children should sit down and learn their ABCs and toward a more play-based approach that is based on relationships with the children and their individual interests.

“I work with 3-year-olds, and everything I learned at Bank Street about play and social and emotional learning, I just want to share it all in my classroom and also with their parents. We’re always trying out the new things I learned, whether it is turning the tables upside down to do Michelangelo paintings or pairing the kids to do relay races and practice teamwork. I use it all! I really couldn’t have had a better graduate school experience.”

The Graduate Admissions team is accepting applications to begin this program in January 2025. To learn more, please sign up, RSVP for an upcoming virtual information session, or schedule a time for a one-on-one meeting.