Background info
Educator name: Penny Hong
Centre name: Red Apple ELC Balwyn
How many years of experience: 18 years
How many years at Red Apple: 17 years and 2 months
Questions
1. What do you like best about working at Red Apple?
There is a great sense of belonging, supportive management and friendly staff. It feels like a big family.
2. How is your education program different from other early learning centres?
It is a flexible and free program, which is based on the children’s interests, strengths and needs. Every educator contributes to the program, even though I cover the breaks I still add to the programs in all of the rooms.
3. What is your favourite activity to do with the children?
I like activities which incorporate the natural environment. I enjoy doing nature walks with the children where I can point out things like a yellow leaf, we then discuss why the leaves change colours with the seasons.
4. Why did you choose to be an early learning educator?
I have always love being with children. I love to watch them grow, learn and develop through play.
5. What are your interests outside of the early learning centre? Do you bring any of that into how you teach the children?
- I love to sing and dance at home, so I am often singing and dancing with the children at the centre. I especially like multicultural songs and dances
- Yoga
- I enjoy sharing my culture with the children, I often bring in Chinese/Malaysian decorations and costumes etc for celebrations like Chinese New Year and the Moon festival.