Background info
Educator name: Angela Cayley
Centre name: Red Apple Early Learning Centre
How many years of experience: 4 years
How many years at Red Apple: 4 years
Questions
1. What do you like best about working at Red Apple?
I love that we are a small 2 room centre, which gives us the opportunity to be close and build strong relationships with each other. Working here makes me feel like I have a second family to come to everyday, and I always feel respected, valued and supported by both staff and our wonderful families.
2. How is your education program different from other early learning centres?
I believe that children learn best through play and our environment is always reflecting the children’s current interests, ideas, and culture to best enhance their learning. We also value family input and ensure we implement this wherever we can, and our strong relationships with our families make this possible. Culture is celebrated and valued, and something that we do well here at Red Apple. We have strong values that we embed that ensures children can build independence and confidence, and valuable life skills.
3. What is your favourite activity to do with the children?
I really enjoy spending quality one on one time with each child, and building strong relationships. Sitting down at their level and engaging with them is important to me, and joining in their play is something that I love being a part of too.
4. Why did you choose to be an early learning educator?
I chose to work in this industry because my love for children inspired me to become a teacher, and my love for learning made me passionate to help teach others. For me personally, teaching is not just a profession- it is a journey. No work, or career, is more rewarding than being a teacher and helping shape the minds of our future generations. The love, affection, laughter, imagination, respect, creativity and fun that I experience every day is absolutely priceless and I can honestly say that I have so much FUN at my job. I also love the paperwork, which sounds strange- but I get the opportunity to share what I see with parents, let them know how their children are tracking developmentally, share special moments with them and also plan for their learning which is really special to me.
5. What are your interests outside of the early learning centre? Do you bring any of that into how you teach the children?
I enjoy reading, and I believe that literacy is a vital part of children’s development so I like to help children develop those building blocks for literacy, and also develop a love for books. My reading corner is always full of books that the children have chosen, or books that interest them and relate to what they are learning about. I also like cooking, and I try to provide the children with opportunities to cook as often as I can.
