Early Childhood Education offers ample opportunities to pursue a lucrative and interesting career, a student of the Auckland based Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) has said.
Jess Gaul-Crown said that the course content and the popularity of MIT encouraged her to seek and obtain this important qualification.
She said that her modest economic means may have forced her to end her scholastic career with high school, become a dropout and a failure in life.
Raised in a home with four younger brothers and her experience in babysitting motivated her to study Early Childhood Education.
But her options were limited as she completed NCEA Level 1 and 2 when she was 16 years old.
Secure future
She read about the Early Childhood Teacher Education (Level 4) at MIT and realised that qualification in the subject would secure her future.
After a year’s study Jess graduated with a sound knowledge of the subject as well as University Entrance.
What she learnt staggered her, including the prevalence of obesity in young children,
A Ngati Maniapoto and Ngai Tuhoe descent, Jess is keen to make a difference as an early childhood educator in her Glen Innes and Glendowie community,
She is now a graduate degree student,(Bachelor of Education- Early Childhood Teaching) at the Auckland City Campus (Queen Street) of MIT,
Useful transition
Programme Leader Rawinia Coe said that the ‘Certificate in Preparation’ for Early Childhood Teacher Education is unique and that it can help students who do not have University Entrance to make the transition into tertiary education.
“Some of our students had been told earlier that they will never succeed, but we have seen many doing the opposite. Students have proven to their families, friends and partners, and to themselves that they can succeed,” she said.
MIT offers support academic and pastoral support
“Students like Jess make our jobs worthwhile. She showed commitment and dedication throughout last year by attending classes every day and getting completing her assignments on time. She has the passion that will make her a sought-after Early Childhood teacher and a role model for children,” Ms Coe said,
Photo:
Jess Gaul-Crown
