Kia ora and welcome to the first ever blog post to come from Te Whare Rama Early Learning Centres! (insert applause here)
When musing on what topic to choose many came to mind - why choose us for your child, environments that inspire, why children should come to preschool but I’ve landed on a much more personal topic - my job description.
I graduated with my teaching qualification in the olden days (late 1980’s) and set off merrily and expectantly into a career that I chose for the reasons of both being a learner myself as well as inspiring learners.
Little did I know what was in store. I quickly moved to a leadership position and then owned my own preschool for a period of time when my children were young. I am now managing four preschools.
In those years my job description evolved and the current realistic situation is this:
I am required to combine the skills of a manager, a lawyer, a teacher, a nurse, a counsellor, an accountant, an advocate, an advertiser, a pediatrician, an evaluator and a plumber.
Yes, that’s right folks, I have had little to no training in most of the above but the skills I have learnt have been astounding.
From hearing from a child that their Mum had a “sore bum” to explaining the difference between sharing and turn taking, to applying plasters to microscopic grazes on a sobbing child, to listening and not speaking when a team member is having challenges, to stumbling and fumbling through an “Excel for dummies” instruction book, to managing the situation when a child opens their lunchbox when you could have heard a pin drop and says “f..... Sandwiches”, to supporting whānau through some really tough times, to numerous Christmas pageants/ Matariki events, and pyjama days when I was yawning all day as my feet were toasty in my slippers - these are only some of the memorable encounters and experiences for me.
My realisation is that the life I have chosen is far from glamorous.
This mahi is rewarding and challenging and tiring and inspiring and sticky and sweet and messy and uplifting and unpredictable and entertaining and fun. Would I have it any other way? Definitely NOT!
And now I must away as there are Hot Wheels in the toilet and I must use my plumber skills to get around the S bend.
Happy Wednesday!
Lisa,
Te Whare Rama Manager
