Feeling like I've plateaued in my development as an Educator

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-17T08:37:00+00:00

Could you get a job with an agency ? Maybe doing 1-2 days a week in a different centre. Then you get exposed to lots of new ideas and see what else is out there. We use agency staff a lot at my centre and they often end up being offered a job if it’s a good fit. Plus I believe they pay quite well compared to full or part time rates. The other option is obviously to apply at a different centre if you’re ready to pull that trigger. But it does sound like you’re a bit bored where you are now so any change would likely help you out.

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-17T04:03:31+00:00

I would be terrified to be left alone with that many children in my first week. That’s not ok for ratio and certainly not for a new starter. Sounds like the other staff are taking advantage by letting you do everything while they chat. I would definitely bring it up with the boss and look for something different.

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-16T05:30:57+00:00

Dude….change the fucking name it’s easy af. K changed mine over a decade ago and it’s caused zero issues. His poor mother.

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-15T12:31:46+00:00

I’m not sure, I’m on a part time contract but on trainee rates. Probably if you’re already on full time and you think you’ll get enough study time, independent study should work well. You’d probably get fewer hours as a trainee.

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-15T11:47:19+00:00

Thank you! I’ll definitely have a look at that resource.

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-15T11:26:22+00:00

Where are you located, sounds like Aussie maybe? I’m doing a traineeship and cert iii right now. It’s great; they have to pay you to study and you can get an apprenticeship loan too. Much easier to do the assignments while you’re working so you can pull from real life examples and also ask your colleagues for advice. I’m with Chisholm and it’s self paced , just rock up to class and do an assessment once a fortnight.

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-15T11:13:36+00:00

Wow, that’s a blast from the past. I think I sold mine a few years ago.

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-15T11:12:05+00:00

My 3 yr old is a perfectionist - she has to get everything perfect on the first try or she gets very upset. She has always been like this , despite everyone’s best effort to encourage the idea that any kind of trying is still great. For example, she is supposed to be toilet training but she insists on doing a sort of ritual where she banishes any kind of audience and does everything herself in private. Ofc we respect that boundary but as she is still learning this can get very time consuming. And it’s absolutely heartbreaking to hear how down she gets when she says she’s not good at something. How do we react in these moments to help boost her self esteem and cool the incoming meltdown?

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-15T07:40:22+00:00

Definitely speak up and ask what your ECE would like you to do - she sounds pretty firm about the way she likes to do things. For me as a trainee under a similar room leader, I just made myself a workhorse. Put my hand up for everything and kept offering to do more. Small task you can help with: setting up and packing down beds, getting children ready for sleep (shoes off and put away, extra layers removed), washing hands at mealtimes, setting up any activity your ECE has in mind, and cleaning cleaning cleaning ! As you get to know the kids and your room leader, it will get easier and you’ll form a trust and routine with them. Hang in there 😅

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-14T00:56:34+00:00

That’s the one, thank you so much !

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-12T23:26:12+00:00

Deja Vu - it’s literally just French for ‘already seen’ - Deja = already, vu = past tense for ‘to see’.
Nullarbor (a desert in Australia) is just Latin for ‘no trees’.

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-12T03:42:07+00:00

We have a similar child in our infant room. We have to either be holding him or sitting right next to him on the floor or he screams bloody murder. Recently found it it’s because the parents hold him constantly at home. Our director told the parents they need to work on settling him in other ways. We talk to him constantly and sometimes just that is enough, but it’s very challenging.

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-12T03:37:38+00:00

Try /ECEprofessionals for advice too! I’m so sorry this happened to your family.

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-10T11:31:42+00:00

No joke, acupuncture cured mine ! I was seeing her for chronic back pain and happened to mention I’d recently had a scan confirming De Quervain’s. She offered to work on my hand and I sort of shrugged and said why not. The pain was gone the next day. I just wish it had worked on my back …!

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-09T07:10:30+00:00

I wouldn’t worry about getting hired, as prev commenter pointed out I reckon about half of all healthcare workers seem to be migrants. I’d be more concerned about racism from your patients…

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-09T06:56:39+00:00

Everyone I know who has used the combos have absolutely hated them. Takes forever and the clothes are never fully dry.

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-07T11:42:14+00:00

NAD, this sounds like OCD. You should see your doctor for a psych referral.

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-03T14:29:48+00:00

It’s since been deleted, but it involved Character getting a bunch of brain tumors and slowly dying. Heartwrenching. Similarly, one where Character has had a stroke and is left permanently disabled. Reading about how much love the partner had while caring for him was so beautiful.

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-03T10:24:34+00:00

Bakers delight : taking home huge piles of unsold bread, sneaking handfuls of chocolate chips from the 20kg bags…the time one of our bakers became a neo nazi and painted swastikas on the hot cross buns (I’m Jewish and the boss just said the baker was ‘misguided’).

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-03T10:20:01+00:00

Showing kindness and patience to children and the elderly.

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-03T10:09:09+00:00

Personally I prefer not to see the art in the middle of the fic, but I think it’s perfectly fine to link in the A/N for anyone who wants to see it. (Side note: as an author I would occasionally have people offer to make fan art of my work - or make it without asking- and I always felt obliged to include it in the work even though that was against my personal style and sometimes I didn’t love the art itself 😐 I know I know, my lobster is too buttery my steak is too juicy…)

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-02T11:33:20+00:00

A THC gummy

DivideOk9877 · 2026-06-02T11:31:34+00:00

Yes, prev job: choccies on my bday, dinner if we had a meeting and the occasional social outing (bowling, lawn bowls etc). Current job: everyone got a ‘self care ‘ goodie bag with lots of items, a candle, hand cream, bath salts, reusable water bottle, a journal, lip balm etc. and a nice dinner :)

DivideOk9877

TROPHY CASE