As a result, she began commuting from Shenzhen to Hong Kong SAR for a two-year study programme. In 2018, as she was completing her Higher Diploma, Yew Chung Community College was upgraded to YCCECE. Then, after receiving her PhD in education from the University of Auckland in New Zealand in 2023, she returned to the college as an assistant professor.

Studying at YCCECE had challenged Dr Liu’s preconceptions about early childhood education. She found that it involves much more than just holding babies, changing nappies, and imparting knowledge. Real early childhood education requires careful thought and reflection on personal growth.

As a college student, she had discussions with her teachers and classmates about how to evaluate introverted children.

"In traditional educational settings, teachers encourage children to speak up and express themselves positively. Describing a child as introverted is a slightly negative evaluation. However, in our discussions, we all agreed that we should not judge a child as 'good' or 'bad' based on a single personality trait. Instead, we should consider the reasons behind the child's introversion, as well as the positive aspects of the child that we, as adults, might have overlooked," she said.

This approach applies to other evaluations as well. She continued, "Standards are prescribed by authorities or experts in the adult world, and it is convenient to draw conclusions about people and things using a single set of standards. However, is that conclusion comprehensive? Is it considerate? We should be more cautious about this issue in early childhood education."

Through such reflection and discussions, she has continued to recognise the profound impact that a teacher can have on children. This type of influence permeates every aspect in the classroom and beyond.

During her two years of study, she completed three internships at kindergartens in Hong Kong SAR, and every evening, she reflected on and recorded her daytime experiences. In one diary entry, she described a scene she had observed during the day:

"I have noticed that the teachers' interactions with and guidance of the children are not fixed; they are based on observations of the children at the moment. For example, if a child wants to eat only the vegetables or the meat, the teachers would use a negotiable tone to encourage them to try each food, and casually discuss the nutritional benefits of each food. This turns the previously mundane task of queuing for food into a brief, engaging discussion."

"Through such interactions, the teacher subtly imparted knowledge, social rules, and values, while also fostering the child's abilities in various areas," she concluded.

Towards the end of her studies, Dr Liu had considered pursuing further education abroad to obtain a higher degree. Ms Alice Wong, then Director of the College's ECE programme, suggested that before delving into theoretical studies, she should gain in-depth understanding of the profession by immersing herself in teaching in order to identify possible topics that she might want to explore in the future.

"By spending time and interacting with the teachers, I was able to appreciate the essence of ECE more, pursuing a graduate degree," Dr Liu said. She was inspired by the genuine enthusiasm of her seniors and teachers for early childhood education. After graduating, she worked as a kindergarten teacher in Shenzhen for three years. When discussing the joys of early childhood education, she frequently mentioned key words such as "relationship" and "trust."

"For instance, building long-term, close relationships with the children and watching them develop from age 3 to 6. When they graduate, they sometimes tell me, 'Teacher, I'm a bit sad to leave, but I'm growing up.' As a teacher, I cherish these trusting relationships," she said.

During her PhD studies at the University of Auckland, Dr Liu studied Te Whāriki, New Zealand's curriculum framework for Early Childhood Education (ECE). This experience gave her the opportunity to reflect on ECE in China and to think about how to integrate Chinese and international theories of ECE.

YCCECE provided the ideal environment for her research in this area because of its diverse student body, which includes many Filipino, Pakistani, and Indonesian students who grew up in Hong Kong SAR.

When teaching, Dr Liu encourages her students to incorporate their diverse cultural backgrounds into the discussions. "Many educational concepts, including assessment methods and evaluation standards, originate from the West. Because we have many students from different ethnicities, I ask them to consider education from their own cultural and family backgrounds, including in the Chinese cultural context, to examine how these factors might influence their perspectives," she explained.

The emphasis on relationships and trust is evident in her current classroom as well. With students who have just finished high school and are not yet prepared to become early childhood educators, she focuses less on explaining theories and more on sharing various kindergarten case studies. Through analysis and discussion, she develops trusting relationships with her students.

"As the students participate in classroom discussions, they form real connections with the profession. These connections do not result from imparting knowledge. I encourage them to be active learners and to build their knowledge through interactions. That's where I find my sense of fulfilment," she said.

In Nurturing the Future with Love, a collection of essays celebrating 90 years of Yew Chung Early Childhood Education, Dr Liu contributed an article reflecting on her ECE journey. She wrote, "Life experiences are ever-changing, and the important thing is to be in a place where you gain something that deeply affects you. Yew Chung Community College shaped my views on children and education, and these insights will stay with me for a long time."