For Shevana Davies and Mirren Wilson, work in early childhood education comes naturally.
“Ever since I began to walk, I would say hello to other children, try to climb in their chairs, just be around them and interact with them,” said Shevana. “I’ve always loved being around little kids, and that’s still true today.”
As Mirren put it: “I’ve always taken on the role of looking after kids.”
Now, Mirren is taking that life experience into the workplace at Thames Kindergarten; Shevana is caring for children in a small business setting in Coromandel. Both say the work experience — including individual time with the children and support from parents and teachers — have confirmed their passion for early education.
“I just love it,” said Mirren.
At the same time, the two aspiring educators are pursuing their own learning, with coursework that often includes relevant lessons for their careers. Coursework on nutrition, they say, has been especially useful.
Shevana said classroom learning has helped her make informed decisions about day-to-day issues, such as whether to give a chocolate treat to young kids when they ask. “That’s because of what I’ve learned in school,” she said.
With classroom training and on-the-job experience, Shevana and Mirren are one big step closer to the careers they’ve dreamed of since they were young children themselves.
