Tamsyn has worked in early learning for over a year and is an Educator at Choklits in Croydon. She is currently working towards her Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care.

Over to Tamsyn…

I love working in Early Childhood Education and Care because It’s a very rewarding career and I get to watch children grow. I believe that children deserve to be nurtured and respected in every environment. I enjoy all the funny moments and seeking out learning opportunities whenever I can. I also work with a great team of people who have made my time at Choklits extremely positive. I am so happy to have a workplace that is respectful to both children, and staff.

Throughout my career I’ve been most proud of completing my Certificate III and becoming qualified. This was definitely a big milestone for me, and it will allow me to pursue further study. It’s been so exciting to end my traineeship days and finally become an educator.

When I’m not at Choklits I enjoy spending time with friends and family (and my pets), DIY-ing clothes, buying second-hand, and binge-watching. I love to do anything creative such as sewing, dioramas, and drawing. I also love to make terrariums and caring for indoor plants.

The cutest thing a child has ever said to me was that I was ‘cool‘. It feels like a big achievement to be recognised as cool by a child, and it made me super happy.

Allen has worked in early learning for 2 years and is an Educator at Croydon. He holds a Certificate III Early Childhood Education and Care.

Over to Allen…

I love working in early education and care because every child is unique and learns in their own way. I enjoy creating a safe, caring and fun environment where children feel confident to explore, learn and grow.

Throughout my career I’ve been most proud of building strong relationships with children and families. Seeing children become more confident, independent and happy through my support is the most rewarding part of my work.

When I’m not at Choklits, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, playing badminton, watching football, travelling and trying different foods. I also enjoy learning new ideas about early childhood education.

One child once told me, “You’re my best friend today.” It made me smile and reminded me how important kindness, trust and caring relationships are in early childhood education.

Sarah has worked in early learning for 2 years and is an Educator at Choklits in Croydon. She holds a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care.

Over to Sarah…

I love working in early education and care because every child is unique and learns in their own way. I enjoy helping children grow, learn new skills, and build confidence every day. I believe children learn best when they feel safe, happy, and supported. My goal is to create a caring environment where every child feels included, valued, and encouraged to explore, play, and reach their full potential.

Throughout my career, I’ve been most proud of building strong relationships with children and their families. I love seeing children grow in confidence, learn new skills, and reach important milestones. It’s rewarding to know I’ve helped create a safe, happy, and supportive environment where children can learn and thrive.

When I’m not at Choklits, I enjoy spending quality time with my family and friends, going for walks, dancing, colouring and listening to music.

One of my favourite moments was with a baby who couldn’t talk yet. Every morning, as soon as they saw me, their face would light up with a big smile and they would reach their arms out for a cuddle. It was such a beautiful feeling and reminded me that children can show trust, love, and connection in so many ways, even without words.

Elina has worked in early learning for 1 year and is an Educator at Choklits in Croydon. She holds a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care.

Over to Elina…

I love working in early childhood education and care because I find it rewarding to be part of children’s foundation years and support their growth and development. I love watching the children learn, explore, and grow in a safe and caring environment. My own childhood experiences have shown me how important it is for children to feel valued, supported, loved and to know that they truly belong.

Throughout my career, I’ve been most proud of choosing a path that I truly love and am passionate about. Completing my Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care is a milestone I’m grateful for, and I’m so excited to continue my learning and growth journey through my Bachelor studies.

When I’m not at Choklits, I enjoy trying new baking and cooking recipes, going pilates, going on long drive with my partner and enjoying quiet moments in my own little relaxing space.

The cutest thing children have ever said to me was when toddlers started babbling my name, saying “Lina, Lina” because “Elina” was a little tricky for them to pronounce.

The funniest moment was when a toddler was crying during morning drop-off, but as soon as I opened the door, he looked at me and said “Hi Lina” while still crying. I asked him “Am I Lina?“. He stopped crying, looked at me to make sure he was right, and giggled as he replied “No Lina“. That little interaction helped him settle and reminded me how meaningful and special working with children can be.

Ester has worked in early learning for two and a half years and is an Educator at Choklits in Croydon. She holds a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care.

Over to Ester…

I love working in early education and care because I enjoy spending time with children and being part of their learning journey. Seeing the children reaching their milestones feel so rewarding and make me want to do better in my job and as a person.

Throughout my career, I’ve been most proud when I see children achieve something new. One time, I was surprised when a child clearly called my name, even though I’d never heard them say it before. It made me realise how quickly children absorb the knowledge and experiences around them.

When I’m not at Choklits, I enjoy cooking and watching comedy series.

I work in the toddler room where the age group is under 2 years old. When I came back from my annual leave, the children saw me and immediately smile and came running at me. I think it’s really sweet that even though they’re very young they still remember me and happy seeing me after not seeing me for a while.

Tanya has worked in early learning for 16 years and is an Educator at Choklits in Croydon. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design from RMIT University, a Certificate in Italian from Università Roma Tre, a Graduate Diploma in Primary Teaching from La Trobe University, and a Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education from RMIT University.

Over to Tanya…

I love working in early education and care because I finally discovered a vital way to put my life experiences, knowledge accrued along the way and my passions of caring for our precious environment, love of art and of language into daily practice. Working with our youngest learners is an enormous privilege and joy, through which there is much to learn daily, about how they learn best.

Throughout my career, I’ve been most proud of finding ways to instil confidence in the capacities of children to be intrinsically motivated to do their best as members of our community. (Other examples are drawing and writing, playing games, singing, learning Italian, self-care, and most importantly being independent thinkers). This involves us all sharing ideas and feedback on a daily basis.

When I’m not at Choklits, I enjoy seeing new parts of the world like the deserts of Marocco, the cheetahs of South Africa and the sublime fjords of Norway. We are huge soccer fans (Viva La Roma!). I adore dancing and live music in Melbourne – the greatest city in the world. My favourite place is getting lost in the great Australian bush.

I love when a child makes a comment that shows deep reflection on a practice or concept we have covered together, such as ‘” ‘teached ‘my family to open the tap only a little” after a discussion about how precious and small our freshwater reserves are, on Earth. And proudly showing me their bowls after lunch, looking almost clean, as wasting food is a no-no.

Selena has worked in early learning for two years and is an Educator at Choklits in Croydon. She holds a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care.

Over to Selena…

I love working in early education and care because I want to create a safe space where children are able to be themselves and can freely be themselves without any worry.

Throughout my career, I’ve been most proud of how far I have come within the centre and how far my connections with the children have come.

When I’m not at Choklits, I enjoy painting, taking my dog out on walks and spending time with my family and friends.

The cutest, funniest or most beautiful thing a child has ever said to me was when I was sitting down and a child came up to me out of nowhere, told me I was their favourite and that they loved me, then simply walked away like they hadn’t said anything at all.

Sally has worked in early learning for two and a half years and is an Educator at Choklits in Croydon. She holds a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care.

Over to Sally…

I love working in early education and care because I love seeing children smile.

Throughout my career, I’ve been most proud of leading Artist Investigation projects, celebrating Chinese festivals, and sharing piano, dancing, and yoga experiences with the children.

When I’m not at Choklits, I enjoy having dinner with my family and friends.

The cutest, funniest or most beautiful thing a child has ever said to me was:
“I want a Band-Aid.”
“Why?”
“Because my finger feels cold! Look!“

Terisa has worked in early learning for 4 years and is an Educator at Choklits in Croydon. She holds a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care.

Over to Terisa…

I enjoy being part of children’s learning and development and watching them grow in confidence. i believe every child is unique and deserve to feel safe, valued, respected and supported.

Throughout my career I’ve been most proud of the meaningful relationships i have built with children and families. i feel proud when i see children become more confident, independent and comfortable in learning environment.

When I’m not at Choklits I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, going to church, staying active and going to the gym.

The cutest, funniest or most beautiful thing a child has ever said to me was when a child told me ‘I love you‘ and gave me a big hug. It was such a simple moment but it made me feel very special and reminded me of how meaningful the relationship we build with children can be.

Grace has worked in early learning for 8 years and is an Educator at Choklits in Croydon. She holds a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care.

Over to Grace…

As a mother of two children, I deeply understand how precious and short the early years are. That is why I truly enjoy being with young children. They are innocent, lovely, and full of energy. Every day I spend with them gives me new strength and fills me with love and warmth. Working in early childhood education gives me the opportunity to support children’s growth and witness their progress, which makes me feel very happy and fulfilled.

I have been working in early childhood education for eight years, and I still truly love this profession. Many children enjoy being with me and even call me “Grace Mama”. Some of the children I cared for in my last centre are now in high school, but they still ask their parents to send me photos and share updates about their lives.

When I occasionally see them, they still give me a hug and call me “Grace Mama”. These moments make me feel very proud, touched, and grateful. They remind me that the love and care we give children can stay with them for many years.
I also feel very grateful that I have been able to maintain good relationships with their families. It is such a beautiful and meaningful part of my work.

I have a wide range of interests. I teach Chinese at a community school, and I really enjoy supporting children’s learning and growth, including my own children. In my free time, I like reading, watching movies, cooking, looking after my home, spending time with animals, gardening, and chatting with friends. These simple things bring me happiness and help me stay positive, caring, and connected with the people around me.

There are so many warm and beautiful things children have said to me. One special moment happened last week in the Kinder room, when Annie and Evan asked me, “Grace, can you tell us what animal you like?” I told them that I had adopted a little cat and that she was very cute. They asked me to draw my cat for them. After they saw my drawing, they said, “Can we come home with you? We like your cat, and we like you too.” I felt very touched and warm in my heart. I jokingly said, “That’s great! You can come home with me after kinder today.” Evan then said, “I need to ask my mum first. Can you come to our house?” I will also ask my mum.”I replied. This moment made me feel very happy and emotional. It was not only sweet and funny, but it also showed that the children understand the importance of asking their parents for permission. They also communicated politely and respectfully, while checking how I felt about the situation. I felt very proud of them.