McCormick Institute for Early Childhood

BY Sharmeen Reyes | April 23, 2025

This document may be printed, photocopied, and disseminated freely with attribution. All content is the property of the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership.

The term AAPI refers to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and covers countries from East, Southeast, and South Asia, such as Pakistan, Malaysia, and Cambodia. This term also includes descendants from the countries of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, such as Fiji, Hawaii, and Tonga. Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month is observed during the month of May.


Early childhood leaders and staff need to educate themselves about the importance of AAPI Heritage Month and how they can lead classroom activities that inform and celebrate people from this heritage. This is especially important when enrolled families or staff are members of the large group called “AAPI.”


Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are among the two fastest-growing racial groups in the United. But growing up in a South Asian household in the late 80s and 90s, I was never aware that there was a day in May, let alone a month, to celebrate people who shared my heritage. Even as an adult, people still question that I refer to myself as Asian because many associate the word “Asian” with those from countries such as China, Japan, and the Philippines, to name a few. If adults are confused, imagine the children in your classrooms with far less exposure to the world.


HISTORY OF AAPI MONTH


In 1979, President Carter proclaimed the first Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week in May to celebrate the contributions and influences of Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Native Hawaiians. The month of May was chosen to highlight two important days. The first is May 7, which signifies the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in the United States. The second date is May 10, marking the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States, with significant contributions from people of Chinese descent. AAPI week continued to be celebrated until 1990, when President George W. Bush proclaimed the first AAPI month. In 1992, Congress passed Pub. L. No. 102-450, which permanently designated May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month each year.


INTRODUCTION OF AAPI MONTH IN YOUR PROGRAM 


Before deciding what activities you can do to celebrate AAPI month, get to know the children and families in your program. If you have families that fall under the umbrella of AAPI, include them in collaborating and planning activities. Not only will this create positive and meaningful connections with your families, but those families will also be great resources.


Below are different ways your program can increase familiarity with AAPI heritage. One key note is that AAPI covers people from over 200 different countries. It is not realistic to be able to introduce aspects from all of their cultures respectfully. However, you can categorize countries to be able to expose your program to as many different types as possible. For example, one could group the South Asian countries together; there are similarities between the clothing and music even though different languages are spoken. Exposure is key! You do not have to spend much of your budget buying resources. With technology, finding budget-friendly or cost-free educational materials for your center is easier than ever.


  • Music: This can be as simple as playing music from various cultures. Asian Playground includes various songs from India to China. Pictures or videos of instruments unique to these cultures can also interest children.
  • Books: These can be physical books or even online books. Here are a few recommendations and resources to access free online read-alouds:
  • Common Sense Education
  • epic!
  • Eyes that Kiss in the Corners
  • Ohana Means Family
  • Bilal Cooks Daal
  • Foods: If you have families under the AAPI umbrella, you might have them bring their favorite recipes to share. Staff can also add pictures of food or plastic food items from these cultures to the dramatic play center. This would also be an excellent opportunity to do a cooking activity in the classroom.


These are just a few suggestions for integrating AAPI culture into your program during May (and year-round!) There are endless possibilities to engage the staff and children in your program. You just need to ask yourself which methods will be most impactful for you and your program.

Sharmeen Reyes, B.A., is an assessor and training specialist with McCormick Institute for Early Childhood at National Louis University. She earned her baccalaureate degree from the University of Illinois Chicago and is a licensed teacher with an endorsement in Early Childhood Education. She also holds an Infant Toddler credential, issued by DHS. Before moving to assessment work, Sharmeen had nine years of experience in early childhood settings as a Head Start teacher and an education coordinator. 

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The AI-Enabled Administrator: Reclaim Valuable Time

By Dr. Neal Green • February 8, 2026
Tools: Gemini Gems, NotebookLM, Perplexity Spaces Overview The evidence is clear that early childhood professionals' most significant challenge is a lack of time. Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, when used strategically, can give administrators some of the time they desperately need, allowing them to focus more on their staff and the children and families in their care. This approach aligns with the foundational goal of strengthening leadership effectiveness and program impact (Abel, Talan, & Masterson, 2023). When I scan the AI landscape of available products and platforms, it becomes overwhelming. There are so many options that it is impossible to keep up with every new development. Focusing on a limited number of AI tools backed by organizations with strong infrastructure and fiscal stability is a wise place to start your AI journey. McCormick Institute for Early Childhood’s (MIEC’s) upcoming professional development sessions will focus on three AI tools. These include Gemini Gems, NotebookLM, and Perplexity Spaces. Think of Gemini Gems as your customized AI assistant that you "train" to follow your rules and meet your goals. Gemini Gems are the right tool to tackle Internal Operations . NotebookLM is perfect for creating Family Support resources that stick. NotebookLM is a powerful AI tool that uses only the documents or other resources you add to generate specific, focused output. Perplexity Spaces is a fantastic choice to address Marketing demands. Like many AI tools, you can toggle back and forth between open web searches and focused documents that are specific to your work. Gemini Gems: The “Specialist Teammate” Gemini Gems allow you to create templates you can use repeatedly for agendas, HR policies, and more. If you have used AI in the past, you know that writing an effective prompt takes time, and they can easily get "lost" if you use AI often. Gems removes that challenge and lets you save your most effective prompts without having to rewrite them every time you use Gemini. It is up to you to decide if you want to create several smaller Gems to tackle common challenges you face or create larger Gems that encompass large swaths of your work. For our purposes, we will focus our Gem work on Internal Operations, addressing Program Administration Scale (PAS) Item 9: Internal Communications (Talan & Bloom, 2011). Imagine using a Gem to turn messy staff meeting notes into professional minutes with clear action plans in minutes or less! NotebookLM: The "Walled Garden" NotebookLM is an excellent tool for Family Support for your center, addressing PAS Item 17: Family Support and Involvement (Talan & Bloom, 2011). After uploading documents and resources, such as your parent handbook or community referral lists, to your Notebook, you can create several resources that parents/guardians of your center students will love. Just a few of the impressive features available with NotebookLM include audio (podcast) summaries, video summaries, and reporting functions with templates or the option to create your own report with metrics that matter most to you. Perplexity Spaces: The "Research Librarian" Perplexity Spaces is a perfect AI partner for Marketing your early childhood education (ECE) program, addressing PAS Item 18: External Communications (Talan & Bloom, 2011). You can build your own centralized repository, with control over branding to ensure consistency and present a professional, current image. Adding specific instructions to your space eliminates the need to format documents constantly and saves valuable time. The consistency that a Perplexity Space offers in this regard allows you to upload messages that are the "voice” of your brand. Your marketing efforts are not only more aesthetically pleasing but also enable you to track trends at similar centers in your area, helping you assess the competition. Strategies for Success: Audit your Internal Communications: Identify one repetitive task, such as creating staff meeting agendas (PAS Item 9), and automate it with a Gemini Gem. Curate your Family Resources: Gather three to five existing documents to "feed" a NotebookLM project for more responsive family support (PAS Item 17). Standardize your Brand: Use a Perplexity Space to ensure all public relations tools project a consistent, professional image (PAS Item 18). Reflection Questions: Which administrative task takes the most time away from your interactions with staff and families? How might centralizing marketing materials (branding) impact the professional image to prospective families? Table 1: AI Tools for ECE Professionals
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