I am a certified teacher and global education researcher who combines field-grounded realism with methodological rigor. I move beyond cosmetic reform to examine the foundational mechanisms of learning and the core problems that prevent systems from delivering for children. By probing beneath surface symptoms, I study why foundational learning reforms succeed or fail in multilingual, resource-constrained education systems, with a focus on the mechanisms linking policy inputs to classroom routines and child learning. I mentor early-career scholars and partner with ministries of education, NGOs, and international organizations, driven by a strong belief that education can widen what is possible, especially for children whose futures depend most on whether systems deliver.