Educator Highlights: Tiffany Eden, Director of Immanuel Lutheran Child Development Center in Twin Falls, ID
The educators at Immanuel Lutheran Child Development Center in Twin Falls, Idaho share our passion, the thing that motivates us every day: They want to help children fall in love with learning, and this must start in children’s earliest years. To this end, the center’s educators are thoughtful in curating a play-based curricular mix that addresses every area of early childhood development that not only prepares young children to thrive in school but is also built on delightful fun that nurtures a positive association with school.
With this in mind, you can imagine how honored we were to learn that the center’s director, Tiffany Eden, has Preschool With a Purpose in use across three classrooms and with 39 students! When we designed Preschool With a Purpose, we wanted to make it efficient in every sense of the word for educators, and this meant it needed to be relevant to teachers of all experience levels. Our hearts sing knowing that this has been the case with Immanuel Lutheran Child Development Center’s educators.
We are grateful to you! And we thank Tiffany for sharing her school’s experience with Preschool With a Purpose. Keep doing what you do and helping children discover the joy of learning.
What makes you most excited to go to work every day?
Tiffany: I love going to work each day to welcome families, support and encourage teachers, and provide a high-quality early learning program that nurtures young minds and fosters a love for learning.
What is something your teachers are enjoying most about Preschool With a Purpose?
Tiffany: Our teachers appreciate the curriculum’s well-structured themes and the thoughtfully included book suggestions that complement each topic. They love having a variety of engaging ideas to implement, making lesson planning both exciting and efficient. The clear organization of the curriculum makes it easy to use, allowing teachers to focus more on meaningful interactions with the children. Additionally, they find the family newsletter to be a valuable tool for keeping parents informed and involved in their child’s learning journey.
What is something your students are enjoying most about Preschool With a Purpose?
Tiffany: Our students love the hands-on and engaging activities in the curriculum! They especially enjoy finding hidden objects, participating in exciting science experiments, and singing the fun, short songs that make learning memorable. Large group time is a favorite, as it encourages interaction and collaboration. The themed lessons keep their curiosity sparked, and they take pride in wearing their wristbands home to share what they’ve learned with their families.
What is something you, as director of your school, appreciate about Preschool With a Purpose?
Tiffany: As a director, I appreciate that the curriculum aligns clearly with the Idaho Early Learning Standards, ensuring our program meets important developmental and educational benchmarks. I also love seeing how excited and engaged our teachers are in using it, as it provides them with well-organized resources, creative ideas, and meaningful ways to support children's learning and growth.
Are your teachers using Preschool With a Purpose as is, putting their own spin on it, or something in between, and why?
Tiffany: I have three preschool teachers implementing the Preschool With a Purpose curriculum in their classrooms. From an experienced teacher to a fairly new lead teacher, they all enjoy using it. One teacher follows the suggested lessons closely, while another adds her own creative spin. I love that the curriculum is flexible—it can be used as is or enhanced with additional ideas—allowing each teacher to bring their own strengths and teaching style to the classroom while maintaining a strong educational foundation.
Do you use any Highlights Early Learning materials and want to share how? We’d love to feature you on our blog! Email earlylearning@highlights.com or message us on Instagram @highlightsearlylearning.