Kelly Diggins
Early Childhood educator
East Maitland,NSW
Summary
Goal-oriented professional. Dedicated to driving operational success. Over 16years of experience managing store operations for large, reputable retail outlet Kmart. Positive, adaptable leader passionate about building lasting relationships and making a difference in the lives of others. Proactive and caring worker with communication strengths and good observational skills. Skillfully handles day-to-day activities while looking for opportunities to make a difference. Dedicated to supporting emotional, social and academic development of young children. Desire to complement education-based strategies with techniques to promote overall health and wellness. Compassionate Early Childhood Educator with passion for teaching and supporting young minds in setting foundation for life-long success. Proven to quickly develop rapport with children through friendly approach, patient demeanor and excellent communication skills. Organized with exceptional work ethic and dedication to completing projects. Skilled in both independently motivated and collaborative team settings. Creative and energetic Early Childhood Education professional devoted to offering diverse activity plans and experiential learning opportunities to enhance individual development. Friendly, supportive and motivated with strong desire to promote student potential. Offering over 3 years of experience with passion for building strong rapport with faculty, students and caregivers.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Early Childhood Educator - Room Leader
Foundations Learning Academy
05.2023 - Current
- Supported children with special needs, creating customized learning strategies to accommodate various abilities.
- Maintained and fostered positive and constructive interactions with staff, families, and children.
- Boosted children''s social skills development through group projects and collaborative games.
- Sanitized toys and play equipment each day to maintain safety and cleanliness.
- Communicated with parents and other staff about student progress.
- Applied play-based strategies to provide diverse approaches to learning.
- Cultivated a safe and inclusive classroom environment that fostered respect, empathy, and cultural awareness among students.
- Fostered creativity in the classroom through art projects, dramatic play, storytelling exercises, and other imaginative pursuits.
- Observed children to identify individuals in need of additional support and developed strategies to improve assistance.
- Gave one-on-one attention to children while maintaining overall focus on entire group.
- Established ongoing professional development goals, participating in workshops and conferences to stay current on emerging trends in early childhood education.
- Strengthened parent-teacher relationships through consistent communication, increasing parental involvement in the educational process.
- Consulted with parents to build and maintain positive support networks and support continuing education strategies.
- Collaborated with colleagues on curriculum development, sharing best practices to improve overall instruction quality across the school.
- Mentored new educators, providing guidance on effective teaching approaches and classroom management techniques.
- Enhanced sensory and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, and memory development, by employing both traditional and modern educational strategies and techniques.
- Fostered safe and nurturing classroom environment, allowing children to explore and learn confidently.
- Supported children's physical development with daily outdoor play and fine motor skills activities, enhancing their physical health and coordination.
- Promoted language development skills through storytelling and open-ended questions, increasing students' vocabulary and comprehension abilities.
- Integrated children with special needs into classroom, promoting empathy and understanding among peers.
- Encouraged children's independence and self-help skills through daily routines and activities.
- Provided emotional support and guidance to children, fostering sense of security and belonging.
- Collaborated with colleagues to share teaching strategies and resources, improving overall teaching quality.
- Organized and supervised large and small group activities.
Early Childhood Educator
Bright Beginnings Childcare Centre
08.2021 - 05.2023
- Maintained and fostered positive and constructive interactions with staff, families and children.
- Sanitized toys and play equipment each day to maintain safety and cleanliness.
- Implemented developmentally and culturally appropriate curriculum for children, creating positive and safe classroom environments.
- Applied play-based strategies to provide diverse approaches to learning.
- Gave one-on-one attention to children while maintaining overall focus on entire group.
- Promoted sensory development by providing access to different textures.
- Consulted with parents to build and maintain positive support networks and support continuing education strategies.
- Allowed for ample outdoor discovery time in schedule each day.
- Used classroom observations to create written assessments of student performance.
Home Manager
Kmart
08.2019 - 08.2021
- Mentored and coached staff to improve performance and interactions with customers and fellow team members
- Proactive with training strategies to keep staff at forefront of current best practices and safety protocols.
- Taught individuals how to properly complete Safe work practices, improving execution and streamlining processes.
- Excelled in every store position and regularly backed up front-line staff to keep expertise fresh and relevant.
- Produced regular reports to evaluate performance, adjust strategies and maintain agile, sustainable operations.
- Coordinated events for entire store, including holiday parties, and small gatherings.
- Devised new promotional approaches to boost customer numbers and market penetration while enhancing engagement and driving growth.
- Scheduled staff hours and assign duties
- Manage a team of 30plus in a single department, 2IC for store overseeing 180plus staff
- Direct, Plan & implement policies, objectives & activities to ensure continuing operations to increase productivity.
- Opened new store, hiring 180plus new team members, training in all aspects of Kmart operations and rostering
- Resolve customer complaints regarding sales and service
- Attend professional meetings, read literature and participate in training & other educational offerings to keep abreast of new developments and technology
- Oversaw home inventory of supplies and groceries by tracking use and placing new orders.
Home manager
Kmart
09.2012 - 08.2019
- Schedule staff hours and assign duties.
- Manage a team of 30 in a single department, 2IC for store overseeing 220 plus team members.
- Direct, plan, or implement policies, objectives, or activities of organizations or businesses to ensure continuing operations, to increase productivity.
- Deliver speeches, write articles, or present information at meetings or conventions to promote services, exchange ideas, or accomplish objectives.
- Resolve customer complaints regarding sales and service.
- Establish work schedules and assign work to sta members.
- Perform personnel duties, such as hiring sta and evaluating work performance.
- Perform risk assessments to develop response strategies.
- Write reports to summarize activities, including descriptions of goals, planning, scheduling, execution, results, analysis, conclusions, and recommendations.
- Attend professional meetings, read literature, and participate in training or other educational.
- Prepare and manage budgets.
- Supervise the activities of workers engaged in receiving, and storing products.
- Business continuity.
- Spearheaded proactive training strategies to keep staff at forefront of current best practices and safety protocols.
- Taught individuals how to properly complete SWP improving execution of processes.
Clothing Manager
Kmart
05.2010 - 09.2012
- Same roles as above position.
Customer Service
Kmart
10.2005 - 05.2010
- Confer with customers by telephone or in person to provide information about products or services, obtain details ofcomplaints.
- Keep records of customer interactions or transactions, recording details of inquiries, complaints, or comments, as well asactions taken.
- Use computers to produce signage.
- Plan commercial displays to entice and appeal to customers.
- Place prices or descriptive signs on backdrops, fixtures, merchandise, or floor.
- Dress mannequins for displays.
- Dress mannequins for displays.
- Change or rotate window displays, interior display areas, or signage to reflect changes in inventory or promotion.
- Attend training sessions or corporate planning meetings to obtain new ideas for product launches.
Hostess
Club Macquarie
05.2006 - 11.2009
- Greet guests and seat them at tables or in waiting areas.
- Provide guests with menus.
- Assign patrons to tables suitable for their needs and according to rotation so that servers receive an appropriate number ofseatings.
- Speak with patrons to ensure satisfaction with food and service, to respond to complaints, or to make conversation.
- Answer telephone calls and respond to inquiries or transfer calls.
- Take and prepare to-go orders.
- Operate cash registers to accept payments for food and beverages.
- Maintain contact with kitchen sta , management, serving sta , and customers to ensure that dining details are handledproperly and customers' concerns are addressed.
- Inspect dining and serving areas to ensure cleanliness and proper setup.
- Supervise and coordinate activities of dining room sta to ensure that patrons receive prompt and courteous service.
- Inform patrons of establishment specialties and features.
- Assist with preparing and serving food and beverages.
- Hire, train, and supervise food and beverage service sta.
- Prepare sta work schedules.
- Monitor compliance with health and fire regulations regarding food preparation and serving, and building maintenance inlodging and dining facilities.
- Count money and make bank deposits.
Education
Diploma in Early Childhood Education And Care - Childcare
Australian Early Childhood College
Newcastle, NSW07.2024
Certificate III Early Childhood Education And Care - Child Care
International Childcare College
Newcastle, NSW08.2023
High School Diploma -
Lake Macquarie High School
Booragul, NSW12.1999
Skills
- Customer Service
- Experienced Department management
- Experienced Store management
- Hiring
- Inventory
- Team building
- Meetings
- Exchange of money
- Safe work practices policies and procedures
- Quality service
- Facility inspections
- Activities scheduling
- Staffing
- Budget Management
- Multitasking abilities
- Verbal and written communication
- Training & Development
- Self-Esteem Education
- Lesson Planning
- Managing Activities
- Safety Awareness
- Leading Activities
- Transition Coordination
- Setting Schedules
- Managing Supplies
- Meal Organizing
- Arts and Crafts
- Computer Proficiency
- Positive Reinforcement Methods
- Early Childhood Education
- Maintaining Safety
- Nutrition Management
- Professional Relationships
- Fine Motor Skill Development
- Support Emotional Needs
- Caring and Empathetic Demeanor
- Classroom Management
- Documentation and Record Keeping
- Parent-Teacher Communication
- Gross Motor Skills
- Maintaining safety
- Sensory Activities
- Curriculum Planning
- Safety awareness
- Fine Motor Skills
- Classroom Organization
- Behavioral modeling
- Arts and crafts
- Outdoor Play
- Circle Time Management
- Practical Learning
- Dramatic Play
- Motor Skill Development
- Curriculum Development
- Developmental needs
- Self-Esteem Boosting
- Nutrition education
- Meal organizing
- Preparing meals
- Valid NSW license
- Managing supplies
- Play-Based Learning
- Collaborative and Team-Oriented
- Problem-Solving
- Strong Work Ethic and Dependable
- Organizational and Planning Skills
- Child CPR and First Aid
- Communicating with Parents and Teachers
- Documentation And Reporting
- Emotional Support and Development
- Conflict Resolution
- Early Childhood Development
- Supervising Classroom Activities
- Learning Strategies
Certification
- Diploma Qualified July 2024
- Safe Sleep Training
- First AId
- WWCC
Timeline
Early Childhood Educator - Room Leader
Foundations Learning Academy
05.2023 - Current
Early Childhood Educator
Bright Beginnings Childcare Centre
08.2021 - 05.2023
Home Manager
Kmart
08.2019 - 08.2021
Home manager
Kmart
09.2012 - 08.2019
Clothing Manager
Kmart
05.2010 - 09.2012
Hostess
Club Macquarie
05.2006 - 11.2009
Customer Service
Kmart
10.2005 - 05.2010
Diploma in Early Childhood Education And Care - Childcare
Australian Early Childhood College
Certificate III Early Childhood Education And Care - Child Care
International Childcare College
High School Diploma -
Lake Macquarie High School
- Diploma Qualified July 2024
- Safe Sleep Training
- First AId
- WWCC
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