Caring for her little ones —infants and toddlers aged between months and three years — for the past six years have put Ms Mohamed Elias Ilaheenisa on a rewarding career path. Here are three highlights.

Winning two awards over consecutive years
“I won the PCF Achievement (Educarer) Award, which is presented to a staff member who has displayed a strong commitment to enhance the learning and well-being of PCF Sparkletots preschool children, in 2017. A year later, I took home the National Institute of Education Leading Foundation Teacher Award, presented for demonstrating a commendable effort in making a difference
in the lives of the children under my care.

“The awards recognise my efforts to ensure developmentappropriate practices as an infant educarer, and provide support to and mentor trainee and novice educarers.”

Being an Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) Professional Development Programme (Educarers) participant

“I was nominated to attend this three-year, 180-hour structured professional development (PD) programme by my centre principal Ms Sharifah Nazihah. The programme, which started last July and will end in June 2021, will prepare me to take on more senior job roles by deepening my professional knowledge and improving the quality of my teaching practices to work with children across a wider age range. I can also choose from a variety of PD activities and complete them at my own pace.”

An ECDA Awards 2019 – Promising Early Childhood Educarer award nomination
“To win this has been a career goal I hope to achieve. My biggest motivating factor is knowing my efforts are being appreciated both inside and outside the classroom. I am grateful for the acknowledgement of my contributions, and that my professional  leadership has been respected and professional development supported. I would like to thank my district head Mr Tan Kah Teo, executive principal Ms Cheah Chai Luan and Ms Sharifah for their unwavering belief in me.”