Educator in Profile: Sarah Humphreys

Educator in Profile:

Sarah Humphreys

Meet Sarah Humphreys, who works at Cannon Hill Early Learning Centre.

1. What is your role within your service and what do you want to achieve in the next five years?

My current role within my service is a lead educator in the 2-3-yearold room, I have worked across all age groups. I am also the assistant director stepping up into a leadership position when required. I am currently studying my bachelors in early childhood education and primary education at university, within the next 5 years I hope to have completed my studies and have moved into an ECT position as I am passionate about educating kindergarten (preschool) aged children and preparing them for school.

2. What/who inspired you to forge a career in early learning?

The children inspired me, I had signed up to study my Certificate III when I was in high school as I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do when I graduated, and that way I thought I could go into childcare temporarily before discovering what I wanted to do long term. Once I went into services to complete my prac I fell in love with the children. The way that they see the world, the fact that they can always put a smile on your face and helping them learn and grow became something I wanted to be a part of. As soon as I graduated I applied for jobs in childcare and I got one right away, needless to say I stayed and continued my studies in this field and have been in the same centre for almost 12 years.

3. What do you find rewarding about working in the early learning sector?

The most rewarding part of my job is helping the children achieve their goals, watching them learn new and exciting skills and reach developmental milestones, and

knowing that I had a part in their learning journey. And all of the relationships I have formed with the children, getting big hugs in the morning as soon as I arrive is always heart-warming.

4. How would you describe your early learning philosophy?

I believe that children are infinitely capable learners, and we should help scaffold their learning in all areas of development through social interactions with both their peers and educators. In helping children and showing them helpful instructions or guidance, this will help the children internalize the information and use it to guide and regulate their own sense of agency. I believe open collaboration with my colleagues helps to generate a culture of continual reflection and renewal of high-quality practices.

5. How do you engage the families in your service?

We use the EDUCA platform to regularly update the families. On this app we can communicate with families via a message board, we upload daily stories about all the children, including photos of their day. Each child has individual profiles in which we upload observations, goals, and developmental plans of the children which the parents are able to add parent input to as well. We have a parent communication board which communicates daily occurrences and upcoming events, a blog site and Facebook page which keep all the parents up to date with everything happening within the service. We hold parent information evenings at the beginning of the year and offer parent teacher interviews throughout the year to help keep open communication between educators and families as I believe it is important to create a strong relationship with all families within the service and often communicate to create a positive cohesive learning environment for the child that is consistent.

6. What is your biggest challenge as an educator and what strategies do you put in place to manage these challenges?

The biggest challenge I have faced over the years is dealing with difficult behaviours, sometimes different behaviours in children can be overwhelming, confronting, and stressful. Managing these behaviours in a calm manner can sometimes be difficult, but I have learnt to remember that behaviours almost always stem from an underlying need that isn’t being met, and I make it my goal to discover how to help the child, rather than escalate with them in the moment. I try to implement strategies for individual children as they are all different and what may work for one child may not work for another.

7. How have the challenges you faced helped you grow as an educator?

I feel that working across all age groups every year has helped me work with a diverse group of children, giving me a good understanding of children’s developmental needs. It has opened my eyes to how important social and emotional development is in young children, and how to manage difficult behaviours when they arise, and have a deeper understanding of why these behaviours may be occurring. It helps to look at a difficult behaviour through an empathetic view and try your hardest to realise that the child is not doing it on purpose.

8. What is the most important skill you hope to develop in the children you educate and care for?

I aim for the children in my class to feel a sense of belonging and feel safe and secure in their environment. The skills I hope they take away from my class is a strong sense of agency, sense of identity and for them to have resilience, and be confident, social, and involved learners.

9. What advice would you give to someone who wishes to start a career in early learning?

My advice is to always come to work with a positive mindset and leave any negativity at the door. Do not be shy, create relationships with the families in your service as well as the children in your care. Always be interacting with the children, get down to their level, listen to their stories and play, if you are having fun they will be as well. Let them get messy and explore, do not stress about the clean up afterwards, messy play is one of the best ways children learn. And lastly invest in some good vitamins!

10. Finally, what’s your fondest memory from your own childhood?

My fondest memory of my childhood was playing with my pet dog, spending time with my cousins outdoors, going to the park and role playing superheros, going for swims and picnics at the waterfront, and going to theme parks, as an only child I enjoyed the social interaction with other children.