First Grade Teachers

I was an undergrad student at Georgia Southern University when I realized I would enjoy teaching. As an autodidact or person who has a passion for lifelong learning, I taught myself human anatomy and physiology through visual presentation. Driven by personal and professional milestones like this, I went on to earn two Masters: one in Secondary Education and the other in Special Education. Passionate about teaching with love and creativity, there is a level of depth and richness in my teaching style that supports students where they are at, and engages them in a collaborative, meaningful, and sustainable way.

Mrs. Santana is excited to begin her teaching adventure at YHALE. She has taught in elementary and middle schools in the Fulton and Hall County schools. She graduated from Truett McConnell University with B.S. in Middle Grades education, has three years of teaching experience, and will be continuing her professional growth as an educator.

She was recently married, then welcomed a baby boy, who is now a toddler, and brought a family pet home this summer. Outside of school, Mrs. Santana enjoys spending time with family and friends, arts and crafts, DIY projects, and hiking.

For this school year, she looks forward to welcoming her students and connecting with their families. A few of her educational philosophies are to nurture a growth mindset and to be life-long learners. When Mrs. Santana first came to the United States from the Philippines, she began in first grade, and she is truly happy to be in the classroom with first grade students at YHALE.

Ms. Chengli Zuo earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Jiangsu University of Science and Technology in China. She graduated with honors.

Ms. Zuo has taught Mandarin and has found success in this vocation. She especially enjoys working with children. Her focus is turning her passion for teaching into creating and developing unique, enjoyable, and inspiring ways to engage students. The goal is not only helping young minds to achieve success in learning, but also to empower students to take these foundational concepts into everyday life. This reflects Ms. Zuo’s personal desire for lifelong learning. She has an insatiable appetite for knowledge and is continuing her studies both formally and informally.

Hello, my name is Dr. Eunjung Kyeong. I received my bachelor’s degree in Korean Language & Literature, master’s and doctoral degree in Korean Language Education. I have about 14 years of teaching experience in multiple middle schools, Ansan University undergraduate school, and Inha University graduate school. In addition, I have given lectures on Korean language for native speaker, including professionals and students at The National Institute of Korean Language. I was a language researcher and taught Korean at The Korean Language and Culture Center of Inha University. I was co-authors of “The Digital Local Culture Encyclopedia of Korea” at The Academy of Korean Studies. I am a certified Korean teacher (PK-12) in GA, and have 2 certificates for Korean (for teaching both native and non-native speakers). I joined YHALE this year. I love to eat Korean food with my family and like to play the piano and violin.