The Early Childhood Connection
Behind the Business...
Shaneilia Brown (B. Ed., Ed. M.)
Certified Early Childhood Practitioner
I am an Early Childhood practitioner with over 10 years of experience working with young children and their families. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from The Mico University College and later completed a Master of Arts in Education with a concentration in Early Childhood Education at Grand Canyon University. I was honored as Educator of the Year by the State of New Jersey in 2022 and 2025. Throughout my career, I have worked closely with families to create effective plans, strategies, and instruction that support children’s cognitive, social-emotional, language, and physical development.
I believe Early Childhood Education is important because it lays the foundation for a child’s future success and helps equip young children with the skills they need to become successful adults. My goal is to help families understand the importance of this stage of a child’s life and to guide them in creating the best learning, growth, and developmental experiences for their children. Early Childhood Education is a critical stage of development that requires a strong foundation, a supportive team, appropriate resources, time, and a nurturing environment that encourages growth and learning.
My Philosophy
I believe the early years of a child’s life are the most crucial because learning is happening all the time across all areas of development. My educational philosophy aligns with a progressivist approach, as I believe children learn best by doing when given meaningful opportunities. Children have a natural ability to learn, and at The Early Childhood Connection, we support families by providing appropriate programs, resources, tools, and instruction that address the needs of the whole child.
The quote, “Every child can learn; every child must learn,” by George Evans reflects my belief that all children are capable of learning, though not in the same way or at the same pace. When children struggle, it is often because instruction does not meet their learning needs—not because they are unwilling or unable to learn. This belief is the foundation of my educational philosophy.
I understand that all children are unique, come from diverse backgrounds, and learn differently. Guided by the theories of Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky, I believe education should honor each child’s individual learning style, temperament, and developmental stage. The purpose of education is to build skills and knowledge that help children become successful members of society. Because learning is not one-size-fits-all, it is the shared responsibility of educators, families, schools, and community partners to provide meaningful opportunities that support young children’s growth and development.
- Shaneilia Brown