9 Reasons Quality, Passionate Educators Make a Difference

The moment by moment interactions with your child make them feel loved and cared for — and help develop who they become.

If your child attends a daycare or child care centre, the interactions they have with the staff play a huge role in their overall development and wellbeing.

Child care educators work hard at what they do. They manage a range of responsibilities while taking special care of each child.

The daily duties of child care educators include:

Communicate with and care for children
Play games and design learning activities
Offer varied experiences, like outdoor play and reading together
Clean dishes, mop, sanitise toys
Organise and orchestrate meal, snack and rest times
Manage different dietary needs
Write notes, reflections and stories about children
Change nappies
Implement important learning frameworks
Teach numbers, letters, shapes, manners, motor skills, and more
And more

If educators aren’t passionate about what they do, these tasks become routine or “required,” rather than done out of a desire to care and teach.

When child care educators are not invested in their work — meaning they are only “going through the motions” — the children also suffer. They receive subpar experiences and interactions, instead of ones filled with love, care and joy.

Here are 9 reasons quality, passionate educators make a difference for your child:

1. They focus on the individuality of each child

Rather than completing activities in a one-size-fits-all mentality, passionate educators take the time to learn more about each child and what they need to be successful.
For example, quality child care educators communicate with parents to understand the child’s strengths, interests and limitations. They also observe the child to see how they respond to certain activities or approaches.

Excellent educators will put in the effort to make adjustments and monitor things along the way.

In addition to this, high quality educators tailor learning more often. They genuinely care about your child, even outside of the classroom.

2. They make children feel like they belong

Caring educators go out of their way to make children feel loved, welcomed and valued. This instills a sense of belonging and confidence in a child. In other words, the educator makes them feel involved and worthy.

When this occurs, children are more likely to be engaged in learning and social activities.

As children grow, this need for belonging continues.

Michael Ungar, Ph.D, family therapist and author shares that, “Research shows that our children, no matter what their age, ethnic background, or where they live, want to feel engaged at school. They want to feel like they belong.”

3. They show enthusiasm

Passionate and dedicated educators are able to demonstrate exceptional enthusiasm, even when they have many tasks on hand (i.e. changing diapers, taking notes, conducting meal time).

Such educators are able to balance the care of every child in addition to showing excitement in learning and play activities. They are driven by a desire to make a difference in each child’s life.
When an educator expresses genuine interest in daily activities, your child notices this enthusiasm. It makes them feel excited and content as well.

By generating enthusiasm, passionate teachers put their heart and soul into every minute they spend with your child.

4. They try new things

Because passionate educators care about the learning and growth of your child, they are curious to learn and try new teaching techniques and activities.

They are interested in expanding their own horizons and the horizons of the children around them.

An engaged educator teaches more than just lessons from a textbook or curriculum. They integrate real life lessons and experiences that teach about life.

In this way, quality educators are curious about the world around them and bring that curiosity to the children. Children, in turn, grow the confidence to learn and explore on their own.

5. They demonstrate patience

Because passionate educators are focused on an excellent experience and outcome for each child, they can slow themselves down to take care of a child’s needs — even when it requires extra patience.

When a child receives care from someone who is kind and patient, it makes them feel like they matter — and that they can be themselves.

6. They look for solutions

A quality educator is always looking for solutions, instead of trying to avoid or escape problems. When it comes to working out an issue between two children, or a new process at the centre, they seek out and aim for solutions.

Their focus is on how to make things better, smoother and healthier for everyone involved.

7. They give children a greater opportunity to succeed and learn

With a quality educator, your child will be under the care and direction of someone who is highly skilled and highly passionate about your child’s cognitive and behavioural development.
Your child won’t just be a number, they will treated as someone special and important. For example, high quality educators will make learning classes fun and engaging.

Rather than “teaching,” they will provide an environment that’s exceptional for learning.

8. They communicate with parents and families

The best educators know that involving parents and families in the care and education of a child is essential.

They will ask insightful questions, listen to what the parents say and seek feedback on how to improve their teaching or the centre.

Because these educators communicate and learn from parents, they are able to provide an excellent experience for each child.

9. They don’t give up

A quality, passionate educator is not going to give up when things are difficult. They are going to work to make things better. For instance, if the child care centre is short-staffed, they will rise above that occasion and make sure that every child is cared for.

Not giving up also means they won’t give up on your child.

High quality educators will exhibit patience and dedication to make sure that every child has exactly what they deserve and more.

It’s important to remember that even the best teachers have rough days in their personal and professional lives.

Teaching young children is challenging work and can sometimes be emotionally tiring.

The difference we see in the educators we hire is that they are driven by their passion to make a positive difference. They put the needs of the children above their own.

We are proud to employ the high quality child care educators who work at Harmony Early Learning Journey. They are incredibly passionate and dedicated to every child who enters our doors.
To visit one of our child care centres and meet an educator today, contact us to book a tour.