3 Years After

Manila, Philippines

2012: Graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration (with distinction)

First career: Banking and Finance

I worked in the bank for 7.5 years in sales and marketing.

The money was good, but I didn’t feel much fulfillment.

I started to study a Master’s Degree in Finance.

I didn’t finish it. I realised it wasn’t for me.

Volunteer Teaching for street children of Manila

Started in my university years and sporadically during the work years.

I was trying to find what I really want to do in life.

I travelled to over two dozen countries in Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Travelling inspired me to live my life following my passion.

2020: Moved to Melbourne

Enrolled in a graduate diploma in early childhood education.

In the first 2 weeks of classes

My first assignment was scored 12/20.

I had to adapt immediately to the Australian way of essay writing.

2 weeks later: COVID-19 Lockdown

I had to learn quickly how to:

adjust to online learning
write deadly essays
understand at least 10 articles and book chapters to write one assignment
seek help from my classmates
show up on time in group works and consistently followed agreed group work timelines
cope with the stress of the virus as it impacted the whole world

2021: I graduated with distinction

Looking back, there is one important assignment that I have made which gave me so much leverage in entering the workforce as a fresh graduate with no work experience (not even placement experience yet):

My Teaching Philosophy

Used in all my job interviews
The centre directors said they loved it
I was told that after seeing it, they said “We got to have her with us”.

2021: I was really inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy so I joined a centre that is practicing this.

The centre director was very inspiring and approachable.

The centre was rated as exceeding by ACECQA.

First day in the job, I am in the 3 year old kinder room…. And I had no idea what I need to do.

Over six months I had to learn the job as an educator through observation of daily routines and rituals of the room, guidance by my co-educators, and learning from a lot of my mistakes.

In my first year as an educator…

The things I knew how to do were:

to write learning stories
quality relationships with the children
smoothly flow through the routine of any room I am in
share the routine work with my colleagues
lead group time

The things I struggled with:

I was completely lost, confused, and stressed on what I am supposed to do first or what to focus on
I didn’t know what to write in a program in general
Completing the planning cycle per child continuously through the year was a huge challenge
Designing the environment to be inviting and engaging for the children at all times
I didn’t know where to start in changing an existing room table or area set up
I didn’t know how to manage challenging behaviour

I worked in the babies room, toddler room and kinder room and learned how different each room is in terms of routines, rituals, children’s developmental goals and overall environment.

I became the room leader of the 3 year old kinder but I had to step down from the role because it was too much stress to take in for me. I felt I wasn’t ready. I didn’t sleep most nights from the anxiety of what I needed to face the next day. The new leadership team didn’t seem to care much in helping me grow and teaching me in areas that I lack. This time I was losing confidence in my capability to be teacher.

The management in the centre changed and it all went downhill from there, causing massive resignations in a small period of time, including mine.

2022: I got in my current role as the teacher and room leader for 3-year-old kinder

Prior to this move, I took a month off to reenergise my physical, emotional and metal health.

I now work for a non profit organisation because I align with their values of reinvesting revenues into the organisation through buying resources, state primary school level salary for teachers, and paid professional development training hours.

Learning from last year’s mistakes and bringing in the best practices from my previous centre, I am thriving.

I joined as many PDs that I can:

free mentor support for beginning teachers
beginning teachers conference
respectful relationships
puppets for emotional learning
embedding Koorie curriculum and practices in kindergartens (after work hours)
now I am doing a community of practice PD to create environments that provoke curiosity

Mindset of Continuous Learning

There is a seasoned ECT in 4 year old kinder and I shadowed her work, I asked her questions, and I asked for her opinion on set ups, on children with challenging behaviour, and on my environment displays.

I give an effort to have positive collaborative working relationships with my two educators in the room.

In my second year as ECT and room leader, I applied for the teacher mentor program within my organisation to get my full VIT teaching registration through mentor support.

Through this inquiry project for my full registration, I learned even more about what I am good at and what I need professional development on.

I learned how to see the room as a whole and its parts simultaneously.

It took me 3 years

To feel confident that I can lead the 3 year old kinder room
To be given environmental rating scales of 5
To complete continuous planning cycles for each child and the whole group
To teach at the proficient APST level
To make significant progress towards my purpose

3 Years After Abie’s Early childhood teaching career journey