Karen holds a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and works across all our rooms at Choklits.
Over to Karen…
I love working in education because I can teach my values to others through positive professional relationships and play! These values include physical and mental health, respect, honesty, family and friends.
I enjoy interactions with children that lead to learning and laughter. Some activities I especially seek with children include singing and dancing, reading, water play, cooking, playdough and Lego!
I feel a sense of belonging and camaraderie when working as part of a team of teachers and families and achieving common goals for children together.
While I am proud of my achievements in teaching, including swimming teaching, being a new mother has been the best thing ever and also the hardest as I suffered badly from postnatal anxiety. Upon recovering I have received a renewed sense of self and purpose.
When I’m not at Choklits I enjoy playing with my son Harry, swimming, walking my dog, chatting and being inspired with friends, watching movies, baking cakes, enjoying nature and simplicity.
There have been many things said over years but some that come to mind are, “You look beautiful” when I was dressed up in costume, “I love you” and “can you be my best friend?”. Of course, there were also plenty of other amusing comments when I was getting married and when I was pregnant…
Welcome to the team Elly!
Elly has joined our growing Choklits team in our Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Room.
Elly finished Year 12 last year and is undertaking a traineeship with us to obtain her Certificate III.
Elly has done over 1000 hours of volunteering in child care and is very passionate about working with children. She believes that “Children need to experience differences to be happy with theirs”.
Elly has cerebral palsy and works with her abilities to manage for this.
We are very happy to welcome Elly to the Choklits community and look forward to being part of her training, development and supporting her in her studies as she supports our early learners in their own study.
Tina is an Educator in the Choklits Pre-Toddler Room, holds a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, moved from China to Australia in 2008 with her family and now has over 5 years experience in early education.
Over to Tina…
I love working in early education and care because I believe learning is happening all the time, particularly through play. I have a strong passion to connect, interact and build positive relationships with children. I enjoy guiding children to grow and learn through to play. I sharing opportunities for children to explore, discover, imagine and create in their environment.
Throughout my career I’ve been most proud of my interactions with the children which include the simplest things like the children waving their hands at the end of the day and saying “bye bye, Tina”. When they run to me with excitement and hugs I can see them light up and I’m reminded of how much the children care for their educators just as we care for them.
When I’m not at Choklits I enjoy going for walks, being at the beach watching the sunrise and sunset. I also love to listen classical music and watch soap opera.
The cutest thing a child has ever said to me was actually my daughter who mimicked my words when she was 2 years old. When I was comforting and patting a dog, I said “sweetie, it’s alright, calm down”. My daughter walked up to our dog and used her cute voice “sweetie, it’s alright, calm down” and gave the dog a gentle pat on the head. I thought that was very cute because she didn’t know the meaning of calm down.
Tylisha is working towards her Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care and began working at Choklits recently after completing her placement with us.
Over to Tylisha…
I love working in early education and care because I get to make a positive impact on children during their most important years of growth. I enjoy creating a safe and fun space where they can learn, explore, and grow.
A proud moment I had recently was when I worked with a child who was learning the alphabet. We went through which letter makes which sound to help them understand the difference between the letters. It was amazing to see the progress!
When I’m not at Choklits, I enjoy enjoy hanging out with friends and family, being outside and doing anything creative whether it’s painting, cooking, playing games, or cross stitching.
The cutest and most beautiful thing a child has ever said to me was when a toddler said to me, “You’re a fun grown-up because you’re not boring.” It made me laugh so much and filled me with joy—it’s such a pure and unexpected compliment!
Leila is the Room Leader of Nursery at Choklits Ringwood, holds a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care and a Bachelor of Electronic Engineering and has over 17 years experience in education.
Over to Leila…
My teaching career started overseas where I worked as a high school teacher for 4 years. I then taught math and physics to year 10 students. Afterwards I decided to gain some experience working with young children, so I started to work as an educator in a kindergarten which lasted for 4 years. After I moved to Australia, I decided to continue working in the same field so I studied my Diploma of Early Education and Care to gain further knowledge about children aged 0 to 5 and how they develop, learn and think. I gained some local experience completing placements in 3 different child care centres including Choklits before officially starting at Choklits in October, 2020.
I love working in early education and care because I love learning about children through their eyes. Before verbal communication skills develop you can see children’s personalities, their needs and wants all through their expressions. I have always enjoyed working with kids from a young age and love watching them grow and learn in their infant years of life.
Throughout my career I’ve been most proud of being an early childhood educator where I can be part of young children’s life journey and provide a safe and comfortable learning environment for them. I just love children!
When I am not at Choklits I like to spend time with my family and playing with my beautiful daughter (who used to attend Choklits). Also, I am passionate about interior design and decoration which I took a course few years ago to learn about that. I also love to travel around Australia and overseas.
The most beautiful moment with children for me is when young children open their hands and ask me for a hug and being to start calling me by name.
Farina is currently pursuing a Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education. Prior to this, she completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management, with a specialisation in Human Resources.
Over to Farina…
I love working in early education and care because it allows me to nurture young minds while embracing the child inside my own heart. Making learning joyful and engaging for children isn’t just rewarding—it brings me genuine happiness. Being part of their journey and building strong partnerships with families and colleagues to create a supportive community fills me with purpose and reminds me every day why I love what I do.
I’m incredibly proud of my love for art and craft. Whether it’s creating something at home or with the children at childcare, seeing their fascination and excitement brings me pure joy. The best part? When they ask me how to do it, and with a little guidance, they create their own masterpieces. That moment when their eyes light up with pride fills my heart like nothing else.
When I’m not at Choklits, I love listening to music (my ultimate mood booster), working out, drawing, swimming, or cooking—these are my happy essentials! I’m also a total foodie, always hunting for new restaurants with flavours from every culture. These activities keep me energised and smiling all day long.
The cutest and most beautiful things the children do for me from time to time is make these adorable little cards bursting with colourful rainbows, smiley faces, and hearts. Every time they hand me one, my heart absolutely melts, and I can’t help but feel a rush of joy and pride.
Katy has been working in Early Childhood Education and Care for over 5 years and holds a Certificate 3 in Early Childhood Education.
Over to Katy…
I love working in Early Childhood Education and Care because I love being around children, watching them play and learn. It’s a privilege to be a part of their world and be involved with all their learning experiences. It’s especially nice to build relationships with families and other staff members. It’s fun to watch them grow and learn and develop their personalities and skills.
During my time as an Educator I have been proud that I can settle children who are normally very challenging to settle. I have been told I am very calming when they are feeling overwhelmed.
When I’m not at Choklits I enjoy going shopping, watching movies, walking my dog, craft activities, going for drives, visiting beaches & spending time with my Nana.
One of the funniest things a child has said to me was once when a little boy asked if he could come home with me so he could make me some spaghetti! He was so cute and we were cooking in the sandpit. We found some pots and made ‘pasta’ together.
Sukh has been at Choklits Ringwood for almost 2 years and holds a Certificate 3 in Early Childhood Education and Care.
Over to Sukh…
I love working in early education because it allows me to make a meaningful impact during the crucial formative years of a child’s development. I believe in fostering a nurturing environment where children can explore, learn, and grow at their own pace, laying a strong foundation for their future success. I am passionate about instilling a love for learning and helping children develop essential skills like empathy, curiosity, and resilience. I find joy in witnessing the wonder and excitement that children experience as they discover the world around them, and I commit to providing them with the support and guidance they need to thrive.
Throughout my career I’ve been most proud of providing a safe and nurturing environment where children can thrive physically, emotionally, and cognitively and supporting children’s growth and development across various domains, including social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development.
When I’m not at Choklits I enjoy quality time with my husband and 3 kids. We love exploring various activities together, including visiting the “gurudwara” for spiritual connection, as well as exploring local markets, waterfalls and gardens.
One of the most amusing jokes shared by a child with me was: “What flies and wobbles in the sky? A jelly-copter”.
Jordan is the Chef at Choklits Ringwood. He holds a Diploma in Kitchen Management, a Certificate 3 in Commercial Cookery and a Certificate 4 in Kitchen Management
Over to Jordan…
I have been a chef for 18 years having worked at different wineries, cafes, distilleries and now this is my first child care role which I am excited about! Making tasty, fresh food that has the children involved as much as possible and building excitement around every meal is something I really enjoy.
Something I am very proud of is creating a successful meal delivery business through covid lockdowns, where all of the menus were based on the favourite meals my children loved to eat. Involving my kids to help with cooking and delivering was something I loved, I felt very lucky being able to share what we enjoy about fresh food with our family, friends and strangers to create a community around it.
When I am not at Choklits I like to play basketball, go swimming and spending time with my family. I have 2 children and 2 step children, a German Shepherd, a parrot and 3 guinea pigs.
A very cute thing that happened recently was when the centre was very quiet and I sneezed without noticing a child nearby. I just heard a tiny little voice from the nursery say ‘bless you’.
Zoe has worked in early learning for almost 5 years and is an Administration and Communication Assistant at Choklits in Ringwood. She holds a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care and is currently studying an Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management.
Over to Zoe…
I love working in early education as I feel like you get to relive your favourite parts of your own childhood all over again and have even more fun! I love working with children as no two days are the same and you never know what to quite expect a child to say or do. The excitement and happiness that children bring to ours lives is unmatched and I feel so lucky to work in an environment where I am surrounding by this each day. Within my personal philosophy I believe as an educator we are here to be the biggest support for all children and create strong relationships with all families to ensure trust is established.
When it comes to my career, I have been most proud of my career progression over the last five years. I began as a student on work placement to an assistant educator, then in to a room leader position and now in my position at Choklits Ringwood as an Administration and Communication Assistant.
When I’m not at Choklits, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, going for walks, watching movies and baking lots of yummy treats!
The funniest thing a child has said to me was when they were looking at a photos of me in my home life, where I did not have my glasses on. I was asked where my glasses where? I said that it was the morning, I had just gotten out of bed and I don’t where my glasses to bed. The next time this photo was shown the same child told the entire class “Zoe isn’t wearing her glasses because she just got out of bed and she does not wear her glasses to bed!”. This moment made me laugh to myself as it was amazing the detail and information this child took in and made sure everyone knew!
