Today is Early Childhood Educators’ Day, a day to acknowledge and celebrate the hard work of Australia’s educators in early learning services, including long day care, family day care, kindergarten, and occasional care.
At AnglicareSA, our early childhood educators who work within our Daphne Street Childcare Centre, whether in our mainstream childcare program or Autism-Specific Early Learning and Care Centre (ASELCC), are more than just educators.
They’re helping young children grow, learn, and reach their full potential.
For AnglicareSA Early Learning Room Leader Caroline Ramages, being able to work with children, inspire them, and nurture their development was all she wanted to do when she finished school.
“I’ve been in the early learning space for 29 years – it’s the only job I have ever done, and I love it,” she said.
“Being there to educate and help children with their development, and seeing their faces light up when they look at you is so rewarding.”
As an Early Learning Room Leader, Caroline makes sure the children, their families, and employees feel supported and comfortable in the room she oversees, which is for children under two.
“I oversee the other educators, mentor them, and make sure the room is running in accordance with the centre and AnglicareSA’s goals,” she said.
“Creating a sense of belonging is a large part of what we do as educators. We want the children to feel they are safe and belong in the space, and we want their families to experience that as well.
“Educators need to be mindful of the responsibility they have. Parents are leaving their children with you, and they don’t know you. We have to build relationships with families and make them feel comfortable to trust us in this environment.”
Caroline said being an early childhood educator was so much more than just looking after children while their parents were gone.
“You’re shaping the first few years of a child’s life, and I don’t think people really understand the amount of work, time, and passion that goes into programming and planning children’s learning,” she said.
“Babies and young children need to feel secure and safe, and the role of educators is to create that sense of belonging before we can branch into learning.”