Samuel Jackson

• Mentor new teachers, sharing best practices and providing support throughout their first year of teaching.
• Support teams to observe, assess and document children's learning
• Led professional development workshops for colleagues on topics such as observation and assessment strategies, inclusion and behaviour support.
• Implemented effective classroom management techniques, and reflecting on daily routines to foster a positive and safe learning environment for all students.
• Participated in the Victorian Educational Leadership Program (VELP) in 2024 with the Department of Education and the Queensland University of Technology - conducted action research and asked to present findings to future cohorts of Educational Leaders

• Leading a team of 6 educators in a 20-place room of 2 and 3 year olds
• Writing a curriculum/educational program based on the Early Years Learning Framework
• Lesson planning/facilitating group and play-based learning
• Assessing group and individual learning goals
• Oversee behaviour support strategies and overall teaching practice
• Collaborate with parents and other early childhood professionals such as speech pathologists and occupational therapists

I sometimes as the Person in day-to-day charge of the Centre in the absence of the Director. In this capacity, my role included:

• Overseeing the Family Grouping at the end of the day
• Organising staffing across all rooms to meet child to educator ratios
• Overseeing other educators and ensuring policies and procedures are being adhered to
• Overseeing daily routine and the safety and wellbeing of the children and staff
• Managing QikKids to record children's attendance and absences
• Overseeing opening and closing procedures, including safety checks and locking the building at the end of each day
• Documenting children's learning through planning cycles
• Ensuring policies and procedures and adhered to
• Overseeing emergency drills and practices
• Active supervision
• Participating in ongoing critical reflection to refine teaching practice
• Food safety and handling
• Acting as Sustainability Officer
• Contributing to and publishing a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)
• Overseeing compliance such as incident reporting, cleaning practices, food handling, cake logs, sunscreen application and toileting procedures/nappy changes

Working alongside educators, families and a range of allied health professionals to support the inclusion of children with disability and/or complex medical needs into their local community kindergarten program. During this time, I was able to significantly develop my knowledge and practice around inclusive practices, behaviour support and strategies.