Theresa has worked in early learning for 2 years and is an Educator at Choklits in Croydon. She is currently working towards her Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care.

Over to Theresa …

I love working in early education and care because I enjoy supporting children’s growth and development, watching them learn new skills, and helping them build confidence in a nurturing environment.

Throughout my career, I’ve been most proud of the positive relationships I’ve built with children and their families, and the meaningful impact I’ve made in supporting each child’s learning, confidence, and sense of belonging.

When I’m not at Choklits, I enjoy going shopping, staying at home, and spending time with my family.

The cutest, funniest, or most beautiful thing a child has ever said to me was when I was playing with some kids and one of them ran toward me and shouted my Burmese name, saying, “Bawi Cing!” I was laughing and surprised. It was the cutest thing – how he called my name and tried to pronounce it.

Gemma holds a Certificate III in Business Administration and a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care. She serves as our 2IC and Administrator at Choklits Croydon.

Over to Gemma…

I take great pride in the extensive knowledge and skills I have acquired throughout my career in administration. Beginning my journey as a young, nervous 18-year-old receptionist, I have since developed a profound sense of confidence and built a diverse skill set that has enabled me to excel in my role today.

I have always been passionate about early education and care, as it offers the unique privilege of witnessing children’s remarkable growth and development. I am grateful for the knowledge and growth that the Choklits family has given me.

Outside of my responsibilities at Choklits, I enjoy spending quality time with my family and friends, teaching dance, reading, camping and hiking.

One of the most heartwarming moments I’ve experienced was when one of my young dancers surprised me with drawings they had made for my wedding. They had envisioned themselves as flower girls and even designed my wedding dress. It was a truly touching and unforgettable moment that highlighted the deep connections we build with the children in our care.

Savannah is the Centre Manager at Choklits Croydon and has been working in Early Childhood and Care for over 7 years. She holds a Bachelor of Psychology, an Advanced Diploma in Community Sector Management, a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care and a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.

Over to Savannah…

I consider Early Childhood Education and Care a profession. In the first years of a child’s life, their brain development will create the foundations for all learning and development later in life. It is truly amazing to think that I am helping to shape children and fostering their development, establishing their curiosity and wonder of life and learning. I believe that the development of a child’s imagination is crucial because as Vygotsky so rightly says it “is an important component of absolutely all aspects of cultural life, enabling artistic, scientific, and technical creation alike.” It is said that through imagination we develop new ideas and this is one of the reasons why I love working in Early Childhood Education, because new ideas do not come from nowhere; they are based on our experience, combined with our imaginative faculties. Ensuring that we support the children allows for the next generation to thrive. There is a great amount of evidence to support the fact that early investments in children’s health, education, and development have benefits that compound throughout the child’s lifetime, for their future children, and society as a whole. Successful societies invest in their children and protect their rights, as is evident from countries that have done well on health and economic measures over the past few decades.

I began my career coaching netball assisting teams to win grand-finals. Watching the children’s faces beam with pride and joy opened my eyes to the possibilities of Early Childhood Education and Care. Whilst studying, I started as an educator, progressing to a room leader, an educational leader, administrator/2IC and now to being the Centre Manager at Choklits Croydon. This has been a great achievement as every aspect has provided a completely different approach and allowed me to gain insight into the lives, ambitions and futures of children, families, the community and my fellow educators.

When I’m not at Choklits I enjoy spending time with my family, my huskies Luna, Zeus, Rocco and Loki, my cat Tiffany, playing netball and reading.

Children are truly wonderful, the mind of a child shows that despite all they have seen, they don’t exclude the thoughts and opinions of others, no matter their size or age. I believe that teachers learn from their students, we are continuously learning and extending ourselves in more ways than one. Children’s brains are like sponges, absorbing everything going on around them. Every little thing they soak in builds connections in their brain. One of the most important ways you can build your child’s brain connections is to talk and listen. Children love to learn and so I ensure that I provide them with as much information as I can. When I first started the children in my toddler room were studying the solar system, later on when they grew up and I watched these children graduate from kindergarten, the group shared a fact they learned, one child said “The solar system has 8 planets, many moons, asteroids, comets, dust and so much of gas and they all orbit the sun.” After the ceremony, the child’s parents approached me to tell me that the child continuously spoke about space and the solar system and how much he loved it. I was so thrilled to think that I had made an impact on the child’s learning and life even after a few years.

One of the most heartwarming experiences I have had was when a child I had looked after years ago asked me to go and watch them do their BMX race.

Tahlia joined our service administration team at Choklits in Croydon in 2024. She holds a Diploma in Event Management and is probably the first person you will meet when you enter the centre.

Over to Tahlia…

I love working in early education and care because it allows me to form meaningful connections with children, which can be heartwarming and deeply rewarding. Additionally, by supporting children, I also support their families, and helping parents navigate early childhood challenges brings me a great sense of satisfaction.

I am proud of achieving success in managing the marketing department despite having no formal qualifications in the field. My journey has been a testament to the power of self-learning and determination.

When I’m not at Choklits, I enjoy spending quality time with my two girls and partner, who bring so much joy to my life. I also love playing basketball and socialising with friends and family.

The cutest, funniest, or most beautiful thing a child has ever said to me was when one of my girls simply said, “I love you.” It was a moment that filled me with warmth and a profound sense of accomplishment. Hearing those words from someone so special made me feel incredibly valued and reminded me of the simple, yet powerful, joy of being a parent.

Jayde has worked in early learning for over 2 years at Choklits in Croydon. She holds a Certificate III in Education Support and is working towards her Bachelor of Teaching in Early Childhood and Primary Teaching.

Over to Jayde…

I love working in early childhood education because it gives us a chance to see how every child is so unique and has such a special role in the world that we live in. When working in this field we are given a chance to see a child’s spark for lifelong learning be lit and watch them navigate their world through new experiences. I believe that early childhood education is where children are set up with the foundational skills that they will use for the rest of their life, and that is why I love working in this field because we get to witness and contribute to the incredible journey of each child, helping them build confidence, curiosity, and a love for learning that will serve them throughout their lives.

Throughout my time working with children, what I have been most proud of is seeing the progress they make, both big and small, and knowing that I played a part in helping them reach their potential. Whether it’s witnessing a child’s first steps in reading, seeing them solve a challenging problem, or observing their growing ability to express their emotions and thoughts, these moments are incredibly rewarding. It’s a privilege to be part of their journey and to support them as they develop the skills and confidence they’ll carry with them for the rest of their lives. Perhaps one of my proudest moments to date was the first Kinder Graduation I was a part of, seeing the children so proud of themselves and knowing that how far they had come and that all the hard work in this job really is so so rewarding.

When I am not at Choklits, I am at university working towards my Bachelors and my weekends more often then not are spent studying; however when they aren’t I spend my time with my family and my dog Frankie.

The cutest thing that a child has ever said to me was when they asked “Jaydey will you be my best friend?” and I responded with “yes” but it got better when they asked “forever and ever?”, this moment was so special because it is moments like this that really remind me the impact that we have in these children’s lives.

Michelle holds a Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Teaching and is a provisionally registered Teacher who has been working in early childhood education for 16 years. She is also the Co-Educational Leader at Choklits Croydon.

Over the Michelle…

I love working in early education and care because I believe that as educators we have the chance to help support and develop the child’s own innate ability to learn and also help to foster their own understanding of the world and environment around them. I love being able to come to work and feel that I am making a positive difference in the children’s day and lives, and seeing them absorb and reflect on the positive impact that I can have on them, helping them to grow and develop their own self worth and confidence.

Throughout my career I’ve been most proud of being apart of a child’s journey and growth, and having a positive impact on their lives, helping them develop into successful individuals, whilst cherishing their uniqueness. I love being able to help children achieve milestones that are important to them, understanding that each child develops at their own pace and whilst a milestone that to many may seem minor, to the child that has just achieved it, it was their biggest accomplishment ever. I also love being able to make children smile and laugh, so much like in Monsters Inc, I sometimes feel like I run on giggle power!

When I’m not at Choklits I enjoy building and collecting Lego, riding my bike, and spending time with my family.

Over the course of my 16years experience in working with children, many funny things have been said, like the time I was out shopping on the weekend and I saw a child from my room, they looked at me and quizzically asked “Do you live at Bunnings?”.

Dani has been working with children for many years, holds a Certificate 3 in Early Childhood Education and Care, a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care and is hoping to complete her Bachelor’s degree in the future. Her experience ranges from working with individual families to the early learning centre environment, on top of raising her two (almost adult) children.

Over top Dani…

I love working in early education and care because I love being around kids and helping to shape their futures. Children are so beautiful and innocent. I love their conversations and the cuddles.

Throughout my career, I’ve been most proud of being resilient, adaptable and resourceful.

When I’m not at Choklits I enjoy running as I am an avid ultra trail runner! I’ve always been a very active person but only started regularly running about 7 years ago and started doing trail run events about 5 years ago. I’ve completed 1 x marathon, 5 x 50+km events, 1 x 100km and Oxfam 100km. I like the endurance and the beauty of ultra running!

I thoroughly enjoy it when children call my name. It is the sweetest thing that they remember me, my name and I am a part of their existence.