Quaneda Morris
Early Childhood Education
For Quaneda Morris, Los Medanos College, is the home base she has turned to for mapping out her future, not once but twice. In 2019 she graduated with an associate degree in criminal justice and went on to San Francisco State to earn her bachelor’s degree. She then worked in a short-term therapeutic placement program for adults who had taken a wrong turn, often because of trauma they suffered in their youth.
“What I realized is that we always remember people who were bad to us or good to us very early on in life,” said Morris, 34. “Working with adults, at that end of the spectrum, I started to feel like it’s too late. I wanted to start helping people sooner and create positive relationships with children, knowing that what they learn now stays with them far beyond pre-school. I still remember my kindergarten teach, Mr. K. He was wonderful. I wonder where he is today!”
So, she returned to LMC to learn best practices for teaching children in the Early Childhood Education program. Morris graduates this spring and plans to work for a local early childhood education center while pursuing a master’s degree in education to become a school principal. Morris said she takes with her valuable life lessons from her LMC instructors and mentors.
“Connect before your correct,” she said. “I think that’s great advice for relationships with children and with adults.”
As for wisdom she would share with prospective students, Morris said, “There’s nothing wrong with change. Stay open to opportunities because it’s never too late to change direction.”