A role at Goodstart means the chance to change a life every day. We’re incredibly proud of the outstanding learning experiences our team members create as they set children up to succeed in school and beyond. If you’d like a career where you’re supported to make a difference, then read on as five of our early learning professionals share their powerful stories of impact.
Asuka Kirby, Assistant Educator, Goodstart Stafford (part of the Goodstart family since 2010):
“I believe we make a positive impact on the children, but I feel they impact me, too. Parents say to me, ‘You inspire my child,’ but it also goes the other way around. The children inspire me every day, so I always look for ways to inspire them. I ask myself, ‘How can I make it a more joyful learning experience for them?’ You and the child create a journey together. You learn from each other. It is beautiful to be part of their life, and for them to be part of my life, too.”
Adam Angwin, Area Manager - Central Coast, NSW (part of the Goodstart family since 2011):
“We had a little boy with level five cerebral palsy, which meant he needed support to sit and stand. His foster carers had struggled to get him access to early learning, so they came to our centre. When we first met, the boy’s carers told us all about his medical needs and the barriers they faced. But for me, the most important thing was to get to know this young boy as a child. And by doing that, we supported his participation in early learning for almost three years before he transitioned to school.
“We gave him the same opportunities every young child deserves. As time went by, you could see how he was growing, developing and participating. The change that made for him and his foster parents was profound. With the support of our Educators, he could play soccer with the other children; he could use a communication tool to participate in group times and share his love of cars. It was an amazing journey for the family and for us as a team as well.”
Erin Kristof, Educator, Goodstart Reservoir (part of the Goodstart family since 2021):
“I love making the kids happy and building that connection with them. During my placement, one of the boys in the toddler room was quite upset. The other Educators tried to get him to settle, but nothing worked. So, I called his name, and he came straight over to me for a cuddle. Moments like that are so special and make you feel great.”
Paige Fisher, Trainee at Goodstart Ingle Farm (part of the Goodstart family since 2020):
“I can think of so many special moments. Most recently, a little girl in our centre who is non-verbal started saying my name, which was just amazing. Her mum was in tears when she told me, ‘She’s saying your name at home!’ It was just beautiful.
“Another great moment is when you see a child write their name for the first time. You think back to all those times we’ve played with alphabet blocks, and you realise how much it matters. You can see how much they’ve changed and grown.
“Just this week, some of the children have come to the centre to show off their school uniform before their first day of school. It’s a little emotional seeing them go off to school, ready for their next adventure. But knowing I’ve been part of their growth and supported them in their learning, that’s super rewarding. You feel like you’ve done a good job.”
Tammy O’Hare, Teacher and Educational Coordinator, Goodstart Perth Kaadidjiny Maya
(part of the Goodstart family since 2009):
“Kindy graduation is always a special day. At my last centre, I gave a little thank you speech to the children on their graduation day. I was about to take up a new role at a different centre. I thanked them all for the wonderful memories they’d given me. It was quite emotional. Just the love and warmth from all the families - they were genuinely happy for me to be pursuing a new role, but they were a little sad, too. As an Educator, you always think, ‘I hope I’m making an impact.’ So, when the families thank you from the heart, you think, ‘Wow! I really am helping to set children up for life.’”
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A shared learning journey
Asuka Kirby, Assistant Educator, Goodstart Stafford (part of the Goodstart family since 2010):
“I believe we make a positive impact on the children, but I feel they impact me, too. Parents say to me, ‘You inspire my child,’ but it also goes the other way around. The children inspire me every day, so I always look for ways to inspire them. I ask myself, ‘How can I make it a more joyful learning experience for them?’ You and the child create a journey together. You learn from each other. It is beautiful to be part of their life, and for them to be part of my life, too.”
Equal opportunities to thrive
Adam Angwin, Area Manager - Central Coast, NSW (part of the Goodstart family since 2011):
“We had a little boy with level five cerebral palsy, which meant he needed support to sit and stand. His foster carers had struggled to get him access to early learning, so they came to our centre. When we first met, the boy’s carers told us all about his medical needs and the barriers they faced. But for me, the most important thing was to get to know this young boy as a child. And by doing that, we supported his participation in early learning for almost three years before he transitioned to school.
“We gave him the same opportunities every young child deserves. As time went by, you could see how he was growing, developing and participating. The change that made for him and his foster parents was profound. With the support of our Educators, he could play soccer with the other children; he could use a communication tool to participate in group times and share his love of cars. It was an amazing journey for the family and for us as a team as well.”
A special connection
Erin Kristof, Educator, Goodstart Reservoir (part of the Goodstart family since 2021):
“I love making the kids happy and building that connection with them. During my placement, one of the boys in the toddler room was quite upset. The other Educators tried to get him to settle, but nothing worked. So, I called his name, and he came straight over to me for a cuddle. Moments like that are so special and make you feel great.”
Moments of magic
Paige Fisher, Trainee at Goodstart Ingle Farm (part of the Goodstart family since 2020):
“I can think of so many special moments. Most recently, a little girl in our centre who is non-verbal started saying my name, which was just amazing. Her mum was in tears when she told me, ‘She’s saying your name at home!’ It was just beautiful.
“Another great moment is when you see a child write their name for the first time. You think back to all those times we’ve played with alphabet blocks, and you realise how much it matters. You can see how much they’ve changed and grown.
“Just this week, some of the children have come to the centre to show off their school uniform before their first day of school. It’s a little emotional seeing them go off to school, ready for their next adventure. But knowing I’ve been part of their growth and supported them in their learning, that’s super rewarding. You feel like you’ve done a good job.”
Memories to last a lifetime
Tammy O’Hare, Teacher and Educational Coordinator, Goodstart Perth Kaadidjiny Maya
(part of the Goodstart family since 2009):
“Kindy graduation is always a special day. At my last centre, I gave a little thank you speech to the children on their graduation day. I was about to take up a new role at a different centre. I thanked them all for the wonderful memories they’d given me. It was quite emotional. Just the love and warmth from all the families - they were genuinely happy for me to be pursuing a new role, but they were a little sad, too. As an Educator, you always think, ‘I hope I’m making an impact.’ So, when the families thank you from the heart, you think, ‘Wow! I really am helping to set children up for life.’”
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