With World Teachers’ Day coming up on Friday 25 October 2024, we took the chance to hear first-hand what working in early childhood education means, and why it is so important in guiding young learners in Victoria to be the best they can be.
According to Montana Slavik, an education leader at Renown Kindergarten and early childhood scholarship recipient, there are many reasons why professionals find working in the sector so rewarding.
After beginning her career in education at a secondary school, Montana made the move into early childhood education in 2018. It was a natural career path for her to take, having previously worked as a youth mentor, nanny and high school theatre production team member.
Montana said her shift into early childhood fell into place through positive study and work placement opportunities, and ‘at the end of the day, I really just loved it!’.
Montana is one of many people in the sector who are inspired by the opportunity to have a lasting impact on the lives of hundreds of young children and their families.
‘Working in a kindergarten is incredibly rewarding,’ Montana said. ‘I am so passionate about how children learn and develop and all the different approaches you can take to support children to be successful.
‘The joy of teaching comes from the everyday moments of connection and discovery shared with our children. I love the challenge of being innovative and creative to support their diverse learning needs.’
Advocating for the early years
‘Our role is multi-faceted and extends beyond the kindergarten, including working with families and helping to share the benefits of early education with the wider community,’ Montana said.
‘We aim to build children’s confidence and sense of wellbeing while maintaining their motivation to actively engage in learning with others.’
Montana takes a proactive approach in her teaching and is always inspired by the education professionals she works with every day.
Surrounded by colleagues and senior leaders, they work together to continuously grow and evolve as early childhood professionals and provide the best play-based learning experiences for children in their programs.
A varied and valuable career
Early childhood education is a career where you can help shape young minds, in a variety of settings.
‘Through my varied experiences, I've learned invaluable lessons in adaptability, empathy and the profound impact of early childhood education on young minds and families,’ Montana said.
With a desire to grow professionally and continue to make a difference to our children across Victoria, Montana successfully applied to the department for an early childhood scholarship to become an early childhood teacher and will continue to pursue opportunities for learning and development.
Montana’s experience embodies the belief that a career in early childhood provides tremendous opportunities to build a valuable career.
This commitment that Montana shares with many more professionals in our sector, is celebrated on World Teachers Day.
Share stories of your team
If you have a story that you’d like to share about an early childhood educator or teacher at your service please let us know. We would love to talk to them about what drives them in their work and explore the impact they have.
You can contact the department’s communications team using the email address below.
Find out more
For more information, refer to:
- World Teachers Day
- Kinder: Best Start, Best Life
- Financial support to study and work in early childhood.
For further enquiries, or to share stories, contact the department by email: ec.portfolio.communications@education.vic.gov.au
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