What does it take to be a great educator?
During my time as an Early Childhood educator I have held many different roles, from assistant to lead educator, in a variety of different age groups and in both a casual and a permanent capacity. Having now moved into a consultant role in the Early Childhood division at anzuk I feel I have seen education from a range of unique angles.
Our team recently discussed our ‘BE GREAT’ core values and considering this I have compiled my own interpretation that I hope can be useful for anyone working in education.
B E G R E A T
Belief
Trust in yourself and your support team. Utilise the people around you; whether that be your mentor or your anzuk consultant. Remember, you’ve done the hard work in your studies and you are increasing your knowledge with each new experience. Trust in YOU!
Exceptional
Go the extra mile, it will always be worth it. Take the time to properly tackle a difficult situation. Ask another question. Be supportive of the people around you; you may be there for a day, a month or a year, however long it is, be special and make your mark.
Growth
You can never know enough about education; there is always something to learn! With the right mindset, you can learn from anything or anyone, whether it be from children, another educator or teacher or someone completely unexpected, open your eyes and ears and allow yourself to learn from those around you.
Relationships
SO IMPORTANT! First and foremost, form bonds with the children. You would be surprised how quickly you can impact the life of a child. Bring something new to the table and watch how their eyes light up. Play a song they have never heard before or take the time to listen and it could create a wonderful chain of reactions. Build relationships with peers and colleagues, you never know where they could take you or where you may meet again. Good impressions last!
Empower
Support and inspire! Love what you do and do it for all the right reasons. Be proud of the impact you make to a child’s education and let others around you know it. We work in a wonderful industry and should always shout it from the rooftops.
Attitude
Be the best version of you. We aren’t always happy or feeling positive, but bringing a smile and cheerful, ‘good morning’, into the workplace can be just what others need.
Team
Teamwork makes the dream work as we like to say in the Early Childhood division. Two minds are better than one! 10 minds can come up with 1000 more ideas. Collaborate with others and make education a sharing experience, all ideas are valuable and have purpose.
I hope this list helps you feel somewhat inspired for your next workday, to be perfectly honest, reflecting on this has inspired me.