The influence a teacher can have is profound, muses Jola Sung, while reflecting on her choice of career, her time in classrooms, the children she has met along the way – and her drive to mentor teachers so they can connect with children and instil a lifelong love of learning.

Still, when she arrived at Macquarie to study the-then Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education, Birth-12), she admits she had a lot of learning ahead of her. "Even though I knew early childhood education was what I wanted to do, I’d had very little experience interacting with young children," Ms Sung says.

"I needed a lot of guidance, especially in my first year, to find my common sense and understand what was appropriate for children’s learning," she says.

"I remember early on, I included cotton wool in a teaching basket for children, thinking it would be a fun sensory experience. I hadn’t realised it could be a choking hazard until my lecturer gently pointed it out to me. I was so embarrassed at the time but so grateful for the guidance shown by my lecturers. It was moments like these that helped me develop my practical knowledge and confidence as an educator."

Indeed, Ms Sung says the support she received from her lecturers, especially Professor Sheila Degotardi, was invaluable in her development as a teacher.

"They were so patient with me while I was finding my feet and always provided insightful feedback on my assignments to help me improve. They also helped me feel mentally prepared for all my practicum experiences, which made a world of difference to my belief in supporting teachers’ practices today."

The pracs not only cemented Ms Sung’s understanding and knowledge – the experiences and connections she made have had a lasting impact. Each placement offered her exposure to a different type of early childhood centre, from large private facilities to small community-based settings.

"I took on as many as I could to gain experience,’ she says. ‘They were all quite different and after a placement, I was often offered casual work as an assisting educator or teacher or inclusion support, and these varied experiences helped me gain a full-time early childhood teacher job straight after graduation."

One experience stands out above others. "Following one prac, I was offered a government-funded inclusion support role for a two-year-old boy with challenging behaviours, whose first language was not English. He attended two centres and I ended up working with him in both settings," Ms Sung says. "I started to incorporate my university work, studying him a lot more and it all just aligned."

The bonds she forged with the boy and his family highlighted to her that teaching goes far beyond imparting information. "It’s about building relationships, meeting children where they are emotionally and socially, and stimulating their curiosity and brain development during those formative years."

Ms Sung continued to tutor the boy at primary school, and says it was both rewarding and reinforced her belief in the profound, long-term impact a dedicated teacher can have. "His parents brought him to my graduation and gave me flowers. It made me realise what I do is really important because the parents were just so thankful," she says. "He was no longer engaging in challenging behaviours and it affirmed just how much impact you can have when you pay attention to every child."

It’s a lesson she hasn’t forgotten, despite moving away from hands-on teaching positions. "In my first role out of uni, I found my passion for leadership and mentoring, and began my journey as a centre director, which was a highlight of my career." Ms Sung says. "It was such an influential role and my team and I built a great reputation in the community."

After relocating to Queensland with her husband, she decided to continue mentoring centre directors and teams, which led her to Affinity Education Group, where she is National Education Manager, leading a team of degree-trained early childhood teachers.

"My role is to support centres in improving their pedagogy and practice, as well as quality improvement, so I still spend a lot of time working in classrooms alongside our teachers," Ms Sung says. "I’ve also contributed to the creation of our organisation’s research-informed lifelong learning curriculum and have delivered training to nearly 300 centres across Australia to help them engage with our curriculum."

Now influencing the learning of thousands of children across the country, Ms Sung is also a strong advocate for the sector. "Research tells us that the first five years of a child’s education and upbringing are so important in setting them up for future success. It’s not spoken about enough and requires greater recognition from society and policymakers."

There have been significant challenges for the sector in the years since COVID-19, with experienced and talented teachers leaving the industry and children arriving in early childhood settings and schools with "bigger emotions and behaviours", she says. "We need to do a lot of upskilling to bring our sector back to standard to help navigate effective ways to support our children growing up in today’s society."

It’s a complex and dynamic industry for new graduates, one that requires a continuing growth mindset, says Ms Sung. "What we learn at university and pracs prepares us for the classroom, but it’s the practice and collaboration with colleagues that truly shape us. Early childhood education is a fast-paced and emotional sector, heavily based on relationships and entering the field with a willingness to learn is really important."

Ms Sung encourages new graduates to embrace advocacy and leadership, be passionate and unafraid to challenge established ideas and seek both mentoring for themselves and opportunities to mentor others. She also reminds new teachers to remain humble and open, especially as they transition from study to the workplace.

"It’s a qualification that’s in high demand and you may be the only bachelor-qualified educator in your centre, so coming in with a modest approach and being willing to learn – from your colleagues, parents and, above all, the children – is key. Children just see the world so differently. It’s an honour to help shape those important first five years of a child’s life," she says.

Jola Sung's bio

Jola Sung graduated from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education, Birth-12) in 2013. She also holds a Master of Leadership from Deakin University and a Diploma of Leadership and Management from the Australian Institute of Management.

As the National Education Manager, Affinity Education Group, Ms Sung leads a team of degree-trained early childhood teachers and education advisors, overseeing curriculum, its implementation and quality improvement across hundreds of early childhood education centres in Australia. Her responsibilities include supporting professional development, driving educational quality and leading national initiatives such as Affinity’s communities of practice and the lifelong learning curriculum.

Ms Sung was recently invited to speak at Australia's largest virtual early childhood conference, Mana, and is a passionate advocate for early childhood education. She is dedicated to building sector capability, supporting new graduates and is always open to connecting with students and alumni who share her passion for early childhood education.

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