My Journey as an Early Childhood Educator, Mentor, and Leader

When I embarked on my journey as an early childhood educator upon graduation from SUSS four years ago, I had no idea just how transformative and fulfilling this path would be. Over these years, I have had the privilege of not only nurturing young minds but also growing as a mentor and leader within my educational community. Reflecting on this journey, I am filled with gratitude for the experiences, challenges, and growth that have shaped who I am today.

Setting Sail: My Beginnings as a Teacher

The initial phase of my career was all about discovery. All I wanted to do during this period was to explore all the skills and techniques I have garnered over the years, from polytechnic to working and then university, and applying them in my very own classroom. It was also my first time being in a kindergarten setting and as a Beginning Teacher, I was met with the curious eyes and boundless energy of young children. 

Each day was a new adventure, filled with stories, play, and the joy of witnessing those "aha" moments when a child grasped a new concept.

Starting out as a preschool teacher can be both exciting and challenging. Classroom management was one of the initial challenges that I experienced as a Beginning Teacher, as managing the energy and emotions of young children required patience and consistency. It is really important to establish routines and make sure that it is maintained daily so that children will feel secure and understand expectations.

Building strong communication with parents also took time, as fostering trust and ensuring open lines of dialogue was crucial for supporting children’s development. By effectively communicating with parents about their child’s progress, behaviour and needs, during arrival, dismissal or through phone calls and emails, helps to establish trust and rapport with both children and their families.

Balancing administrative duties with teaching responsibilities was another difficulty, as it often felt like there were not enough hours in the day. I used to spend a lot of my weekends doing work and it became quite overwhelming for me because it felt like my life was only revolving around work. Thus, I started to set my priorities by identifying the most critical tasks and tackling them first before working on other things. I also ensured that I set clear boundaries between work and personal time to avoid burnout.

Having adequate rest and leisure time is important in ensuring that I am taking care of myself and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. 

Here’s some words of encouragement to new teachers just starting out:

Teaching is a journey, not a destination. There will be challenges, but each one is an opportunity to learn and improve. I always believe that the children you teach are a reflection of you as a teacher. Your attitude and how you manage the class can set the tone for your classroom.

Take time to reflect on your teaching practices and be open to change because adaptability and flexibility are crucial in meeting the diverse needs of your children.

Also as a teacher, sometimes you tend to forget about your own well-being when taking care of others. It is really important to take care of your physical and mental well-being, so please balance work with activities that you enjoy doing! If you need guidance or support, do not ever hesitate to ask your mentors or colleagues for help. Stay positive, celebrate small victories and focus on the progress you and your children are making! 

Stepping Up: Leading and Empowering Teachers

6 months into joining the fraternity, I was deployed to set up a brand new MOE Kindergarten. My Centre Head saw my potential to lead and thus, I became an English Curriculum Coordinator within my first year of teaching. Working with my team and also liaising with the Mother Tongue Language team, we set up the school from scratch.

When working and managing different teams, I realised the importance of effective communication and ensuring that everyone’s opinions are valued. Leveraging the strengths of each team member also helps in fostering a collaborative work environment where everyone feels included. 

A few years into my career, I was given the opportunity to mentor new educators and interns. This role was both challenging and rewarding. As a mentor, I aimed to provide guidance, support, and encouragement to interns and beginning teachers. I have to find time for conversations and observations as well as tailoring support to meet the individual needs of each mentee.

One thing that I observed from most of my mentees would be difficulty in managing expectations. A couple of them had set high expectations for themselves upon graduation, and it affected their outlook on teaching when certain things did not go the way they expected it to be. I would always remind them to be kind to themselves during tough times and to be resilient by developing a mindset that views challenges as temporary and surmountable.

By viewing setbacks as an opportunity to learn and improve, you can reflect and learn from the experience by identifying what worked well and what did not, and make adjustments accordingly. It was fulfilling to see them grow in confidence and competence, knowing that I played a part in their development. 

Mentorship also deepened my understanding of teaching, as I had to reflect on my practices and articulate them clearly to others.

Transitioning into a leadership role was a significant milestone in my journey. As a MK Level Head, I strive to foster a collaborative and positive culture within our educational community. I believe that effective leadership is about empowering others, encouraging innovation, and creating an environment where both educators and children can thrive.

Leading by example, I prioritise continuous improvement and advocate for practices that support holistic development. With that, I lead a Professional Learning Circle (PLC) yearly in my centre focusing on improving children’s diverse learning needs and conducting teacher action research together with my colleagues. 

Some of the projects that my team and I have embarked on touched upon building children’s confidence in using inventive spelling and strengthening children’s fine motor skills. This is one take away from SUSS that I value close to heart because through teacher action research, educators can come together and share their observations of children, insights, strategies and research findings. By facilitating these discussions, I help to create a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. 

Teacher action research empowers educators to investigate their practices, implement changes, and evaluate outcomes, ultimately enhancing the learning experiences for all children.

A New Chapter: Pursuing Further Studies

One of the pivotal moments in my journey was deciding to pursue a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education at NIE. The motivation came from a desire to deepen my knowledge and enhance my skills as an educator and a leader.

The Master's programme has provided me with advanced insights into educational theories, research methodologies, and leadership strategies. I was particularly intrigued by the curriculum and assessment modules, which provided me with a better understanding and knowledge in designing effective learning experiences and evaluating educational outcomes. 

Balancing Masters while working full time is definitely challenging and can be very exhausting. There were moments when I felt overwhelmed and considered giving up, especially during busy periods at work or when assignments piled up. Thus, planning and organising my schedule was important. I had to dedicate specific times at night after work to do my readings and my weekends to complete my assignments. Prioritising tasks and breaking them into manageable chunks helped make the workload seem less daunting. 

Having a strong support system also helped me to push through. Family, friends and colleagues provided encouragement and were understanding, which made a big difference. It was also helpful to connect with classmates who were in similar situations as sharing experiences and tips kept me motivated. It has been a challenging yet immensely rewarding experience that has significantly contributed to my professional growth. Looking forward to finishing my final semester in August! 

Looking Forward & Reflecting Back

As I reflect on my journey, I am excited about the future. There is always more to learn and new ways to innovate in the early childhood sector. I am fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to be a part of ECDA’s Pedagogists and Specialists in Teaching and Learning (PASTELs) in the Early Childhood Learning Centre Community (ECLC), focusing on the Language and Literacy domain, for the next two years. 

Through this opportunity, I hope to engage and learn from other early childhood practitioners, the good practices and strategies they have been implementing in their current centres and hopefully, build on our expertise together to create a stronger foundation in language and literacy for our children. 

The past four years have been an incredible journey of growth, learning, and fulfilment. From adapting to remote learning during the pandemic to addressing diverse needs in the classroom, resilience and adaptability have been essential. Each challenge has been a learning opportunity, reinforcing the importance of flexibility and creative problem-solving. 

Being an early childhood educator, mentor, and leader has allowed me to touch many lives and, in turn, be deeply enriched by these experiences. My goal is to continue growing, both personally and professionally, and to inspire others to do the same.

Whether in the classroom, mentoring new educators, or leading initiatives, I am committed to making a positive impact on the lives of children and the early childhood education community. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had and look forward to the continued journey ahead, dedicated to fostering a love of learning and supporting the development of both children and educators.