Professional Development Programme For Educarers - Half A Year On

Does she look familiar? In 2017, we shared the story of Ms Loh Huiling, Senior Educarer from PCF Sparkletots, who is also one of the participants from the first intake of the Professional Development Programme for Educarers or PDP(E). This year, we re-connect with Huiling to find more about her experience after she has completed the PDP(E) compulsory core training.

Huiling (left) with her Centre Principal, Ms Adil Goh

The compulsory core training “(3Rs) Interactions: Building Trusting Relationships with Infants and Toddlers” is an exclusive course offered only to educarers on the PDP(E). The course helps them to understand the importance of early relations and attachments, and how they influence the development of young children. What’s more, PDP(E) participants get to receive an exclusive resource package which contains a guide and a DVD!

To many, changing diapers or showering infants and toddlers are routine and mundane tasks, but Huiling begs to differ now that she has completed the 3Rs core training. She admits that having been an educarer for some years, such tasks have become second nature to her, and she did not give much thought to how else she could interact with her children. Now, she understands the importance and effectiveness of using simple tasks during routine care to help young children grow. She now sings and talks to infants and toddlers during routine care tasks and has learnt how to study their expressions and reactions to her voice and words. She shares a time where she introduced a newly-bought basket to the young children during routine care. To her surprise during outdoor play, the young children were able to bring this basket to Huiling when she asked “Where is my basket?”. Through this, Huiling realised that her children were not only observing her, they also understood when she spoke with them. Interaction with the children is indeed a two-way process.

Huiling is gratified when parents share with her that their children are now more calm and able to express their needs clearly. Armed with this new knowledge of the 3 Rs, she has gone on to conduct sharing sessions with her colleagues in her centre and curriculum sessions at HQ with other educators.

Huiling conducting sharing sessions with her colleagues in her centre

Huiling with her toddlers during indoor and outdoor play

Principal, Ms Adil Goh, nominated Huiling for PDP(E) in 2017. Huiling speaks fondly of Ms Goh, who has provided her with tremendous support since the start of her PDP journey. “Ms Goh carves out time for me to carry out sharing sessions with other educarers, and assures me that she fully supports me to be on the PDP(E)”.

When asked about her experience with PDP(E), Huiling summarises, “The 3Rs core training from PDP(E) in particular has re-ignited my passion as an educarer! Respectful interactions are really important for a child’s development. Caring for my toddlers is no longer the same and routine care is so much more fun now that I have prioritised respect and meaningful interaction”.

Nominations for PDP(E) are held once a year and nominations are now open until 16 April 2018.  Hurry and nominate or be nominated here!