“Kindergarten has always been about setting children up in those lifelong learning skills, helping them become capable and confident children and adults. It’s about preparing them for life, not just preparing them for education.

It goes back to the children all the time. Through all the changes over the years with the Association, and with early childhood education, we always worked to advocate for the children and what was best for them without losing that quality in teaching and learning.”

In the two decades that Linda has spent, so far, with our Association, she has noticed some big changes in the way early childhood is perceived…

“Attitudes have changed. When I first started teaching, people looked at us more as babysitters, so we were constantly having that battle of showing people that’s not what we were doing. Now, through us being more accountable, and having the primary curriculum aligned with ours, it’s more evident that we are here working with children, teaching.”

…and in the tools available…

“Technology has made such a huge difference. Before, if a child was interested in something, we’d go down to the library and see which books we could find. Now, we go onto the internet and it’s instant. It’s really sped up the learning process.”