Mr. Tyler Named Teacher of the Year
We are extremely proud to announce that one of our early educators, Tyler Johnson, has been named the recipient of the Family Conservancy’s 2025 Excellence in Early Care and Education Award. Each year Family Conservancy honors a single teacher out of all early educators in the Kansas City metropolitan area, and this year Mr. Tyler earned that award.
“Tyler brings so much joy and passion into the classroom,” said Pam Simpson, Director of Early Education at The Children’s Place. “His creativity, connection with the kids, and ability to make learning fun truly make him one of a kind. We’re lucky to have him at The Children’s Place!”
Mr. Tyler has been working at The Children’s Place for two years but has taught in the early education field for 10 years. He says he knew from a young age that he wanted to work with children, growing up as the oldest of five kids.
“I love knowing I can make a difference in kids’ lives,” Mr. Tyler said. “I know how important it is that I show up for these kids and provide that consistent support. That’s what keeps me coming back every day—the fact that I can help them, but really, they help me so much too.”
Mr. Tyler said that one of his key educational beliefs is the importance of building a relationship with each and every child. He prioritizes talking with children at their level and getting on the ground playing with them to get to know each child and evaluate what their specific needs are.
Every day Mr. Tyler goes to great lengths for the children in his class, including even riding the bus alongside a child one time. He had noticed that one child had missed a few days and wanted to check in with him. Upon talking with the child’s caregiver, he learned that the child had anxiety about being on the bus because of past events he had experienced before he started at The Children’s Place.
Mr. Tyler realized that one simple way he could help this child would be to ride the bus with him. He spent a couple days getting a ride to the child’s house, waiting for the bus along with the child and his family, then riding together to The Children’s Place. After a couple days, the child felt comfortable riding the bus without Mr. Tyler and continued doing it every day without this additional support.
As a mental health treatment center, The Children’s Place’s Day Treatment program offers a range of therapies in an early education environment, including mental health, occupational, speech and expressive arts therapy. Social-emotional learning is a key focus of the early education component of this program, but Mr. Tyler said that he wishes that all school environments were able to prioritize this focus.
“Before we can learn the ABCs and 123s, we need to work on the social-emotional part,” he said. “Kids need to learn how to have a relationship with both peers and adults, along with how to manage their behavior. If you work on that first, you can get to the learning.”
Mr. Tyler was awarded the Family Conservancy’s 2025 Excellence in Early Care and Education Award in an award ceremony on May 3, surrounded by friends and family along with many others in the early education field in Kansas City.
“It’s been incredibly humbling,” Mr. Tyler said. “It was a huge surprise to get this award! It has meant a great deal more than I thought it would, showing me that people recognize the work I do and see things in me that I don’t even see.”
Mr. Tyler said that one of his key educational beliefs is the importance of building a relationship with each and every child. He prioritizes talking with children at their level and getting on the ground playing with them to get to know each child and evaluate what their specific needs are.
Every day Mr. Tyler goes to great lengths for the children in his class, including even riding the bus alongside a child one time. He had noticed that one child had missed a few days and wanted to check in with him. Upon talking with the child’s caregiver, he learned that the child had anxiety about being on the bus because of past events he had experienced before he started at The Children’s Place.
Mr. Tyler realized that one simple way he could help this child would be to ride the bus with him. He spent a couple days getting a ride to the child’s house, waiting for the bus along with the child and his family, then riding together to The Children’s Place. After a couple days, the child felt comfortable riding the bus without Mr. Tyler and continued doing it every day without this additional support.
As a mental health treatment center, The Children’s Place’s Day Treatment program offers a range of therapies in an early education environment, including mental health, occupational, speech and expressive arts therapy. Social-emotional learning is a key focus of the early education component of this program, but Mr. Tyler said that he wishes that all school environments were able to prioritize this focus.
“Before we can learn the ABCs and 123s, we need to work on the social-emotional part,” he said. “Kids need to learn how to have a relationship with both peers and adults, along with how to manage their behavior. If you work on that first, you can get to the learning.”
Mr. Tyler was awarded the Family Conservancy’s 2025 Excellence in Early Care and Education Award in an award ceremony on May 3, surrounded by friends and family along with many others in the early education field in Kansas City.
“It’s been incredibly humbling,” Mr. Tyler said. “It was a huge surprise to get this award! It has meant a great deal more than I thought it would, showing me that people recognize the work I do and see things in me that I don’t even see.” 
