As a former preschool educator, Ms Nithiyasri Subramaniam understands the challenges her child’s teachers face — balancing lesson plans and curriculum, while at the same time addressing parents’ expectations.
“I know what it’s like to manage a busy schedule and constantly question whether we are meeting the needs of each child,” says Ms Nithiyasri, whose three-year-old daughter Mitrasri Daneshvar attends PCF Sparkletots Preschool @ Bukit Timah Blk 305. “Educators often ask themselves, ‘Could I have taught the lesson differently? Have I done my best for the children and as an educator?’”
With her preschool teaching experience and her current role as a Special Educational Needs Officer at a special education school, Ms Nithiyasri’s unique perspective has helped her empathise with the PCF Sparkletots team. Whether by collaborating readily with Mitrasri’s teachers, offering positive affirmations or chairing the centre’s Parent Support Group, she finds ways to express her appreciation and support the educators in their work.
Ms Nithiyasri Subramaniam and her husband are deeply appreciative of all that the PCF Sparkletots educators do for their daughter, Mitrasri Daneshvar, aged 3.
Ms Nithiyasri’s empathy and altruism prompted senior centre principal Mrs Sumitra Tiwari to nominate her for the ‘Our Wonderful Parents’ initiative, organised by Preschool Market and supported by ECDA and the Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM).
Launched in May 2025, this initiative recognises parents who demonstrate trust, respect, empathy, altruism and appreciation in their partnerships with early childhood (EC) educators. Over 300 parents make up the inaugural batch of nominees, which aims to foster positive parent-preschool partnerships and encourage collaboration within the preschool community to create thriving environments for children and continue the growth of the EC sector.
SMALL YET MEANINGFUL GESTURES
“Children spend many hours with EC educators, who are trained to support their growth and development. It is important to respect and trust them,” Ms Nithiyasri explains. For instance, when potty-training her daughter, she sought the teacher’s advice on the best time to start and worked closely with the preschool to help Mitrasri reach this developmental milestone.
“When I pick up Mitrasri at the centre, I don’t just ask about what my daughter did in class. I take a moment to ask the teachers, ‘How are you? How has your day been?’,” she adds. During festive holidays, she shows appreciation by gifting the staff with cookies, fruits and other treats.
As part of the preschool’s Deepavali celebration, Ms Nithiyasri volunteered to conduct a cultural learning experience and showed children how to eat from a banana leaf with their hands.
These thoughtful gestures mean a lot to the team, says Mrs Sumitra. “Nithiyasri’s empathy is reflected in her interactions with educators. She often expresses appreciation for their efforts and volunteers to help out, such as assisting educators to set up learning corners and distribute materials during events. She also takes genuine interest in their well-being, checking in with educators when they seem tired and offering kind words or small acts of encouragement.”
THE PRESCHOOL COMMUNITY
As chairperson of the Parent Support Group, Ms Nithiyasri actively participates in centre activities and events. In one talk organised for parents, she shared her professional insights on the importance of early intervention and how to identify the signs and symptoms of developmental needs in young children. After the session, a parent concerned about her child’s learning progress approached Ms Nithiyasri for advice.
During dialogue sessions with parents, Mrs Sumitra (far left) and Ms Nithiyasri (far right) often lead the discussion and invite parents to suggest ideas on how to improve the centre or strengthen home-preschool partnership.
“Nithiyasri’s actions have fostered a stronger sense of trust and collaboration within our centre,” notes Mrs Sumitra. “Educators feel appreciated and supported, which boosts morale and teamwork. Families, too, feel inspired by her example, leading to greater parent participation in events and projects.
“This creates a lively, vibrant atmosphere where both parents and children enjoy quality bonding time. For Mitrasri, seeing her mother practise empathy and altruism daily will help her internalise these values.”
AFFIRMATION AND APPRECIATION
Parents who wish to strengthen their partnerships with their child’s preschool can look to Ms Nithiyasri’s approach, which emphasises the importance of teamwork with educators:
- Seek feedback. Ask the teacher, “How else can I help my child?” or “How can I support my child’s learning at home?”.
- Be respectful. When in doubt, check in politely with the educator.
- Give positive affirmations. Express appreciation by using phrases like, “Thanks for making the lesson so engaging. My child was very excited!” or “My child’s reading and writing have improved. Thanks for your support!”.
Above all, Ms Nithiyasri emphasises: “Put yourself in the teacher’s shoes. They work hard to take care of our children — the least we can do is appreciate their efforts. When educators are recognised for making a difference to a child’s life, it gives their work meaning.”
The best kind of parent-educator partnerships, says Mrs Sumitra, is one built on mutual respect and trust, where both sides contribute their unique strengths and perspectives. “Nithiyasri’s support reminds us that effective partnerships do not require grand gestures — just consistent, sincere communication and a shared commitment to nurturing young minds. When we work together with empathy, we create a supportive environment where every child feels loved and every educator feels valued.”
