GEKA McKinnon

I Can't Do This.... I CAN do this...

Liz Polymeropoulos, Early Childhood Educator

GEKA Educator, Liz, shares a happy moment she recalls, regarding a child's positive attitude and resilience when faced with a challenging situation. Liz has provided permission for her memory to be shared.

Every day, one of the children would arrive at GEKA McKinnon Kindergarten, quite apprehensive. 

He would ask repeatedly, “Where is my mummy?” 

In response to this, I would remind him to take three deep breaths so he could feel calm inside his body, then I would reassure him by telling him his mummy would return to pick him up. This would calm him somewhat and he would continue on with his day as best he could. 

One day, however, he arrived at Kindergarten with a smile on his face, looking confident - which happily, took me by surprise! 

He looked up at me and burst out “I can do this!” 

This put a big smile on my face. I felt proud at how this young child had built resilience within himself to overcome his fear and anxiety.

Young children work hard to make sense of their social world. To feel emotionally safe, they need to be able to predict how the people around them will behave and what tends to happen in daily life. Sometimes, all it takes is a few positive words of encouragement to immediately turn someone’s day around. 

It is important in today’s challenging times to believe, have hope, and faith that we will 'get through this!'

“POSITIVE THOUGHTS ARE THE KEY TO HAPPINESS”.

We can all do this! 

Positivity 

Melissa Crowley, Early Childhood Teacher

The last term has been strange for every one, but I am so very pleased to see the children getting on with life! 

Many children are aware of the current crisis and in the first weeks, I was surprised to hear how much some children really knew about the virus and I even had a child draw the virus that looked very much like what we now know to be the dreaded COVID-19 germ. This lead onto a whole investigation of how our bodies respond, helping to give children confidence that we can manage this with a healthy body.  Since then the children have become aware of social distancing, hygiene and keeping everyone safe.

I have been blessed to work with people who have remained positive and despite everything, have still had smiles on their faces for the children and their colleagues.  The support that we have offered each other - close and from a distance - has made the whole situation much more manageable.  Together, we have found new ways to manage ourselves and the current situation.  We have laughed at ourselves as we grappled with having to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and then try to work in our 'plastic wonder suits' (gloves, masks and aprons)!

Through many conversations, we have resolved many issues,  supported each other's particular circumstances, checked in and laughed our way though this pandemic.  Throughout this challenging time, I have never heard anyone pass judgement on the decisions that were made to keep us safe, which shows so much respect for multiple perspectives.  

I am sure that the children have kept us buoyant with their good spirits and determination to keep learning.  Fortunately for us, we have a beautiful big garden that we have spent the majority of time in, exploring, tending, building and discovering every nook and cranny in the yard.  Luckily it has been a mild winter and lots of rain has helped the new gardens flourish, giving all kinds of hiding places and beastly creatures to find - if you know where to look! Having the fire pit certainly helped build a sense of community, as the two groups would gather together.

Having a mix of on-site and at-home learning, has given us the time to look into things more closely, finish projects in a timely manner and extend on each child’s interests in smaller groups.

I was looking back at photos from last year and long for the time when we can again have the busy, loud, buzzing room we are used to, but alas I have to find the joys in today.   

While this challenge has bought up many questions as to how to move forward, it is amazing to see that we can manage and adapt to whatever curve balls come our way. 

A very special shout out of thanks to our GEKA Management team, that have managed and supported every single employee and found ways to ensure everyone is heard and feels they matter.  I hope they understand how invaluable they are, as so many employees elsewhere, have not been so fortunate. I know they have worked extremely hard to advocate for us and as always, gone above and beyond, to look after us.  For me personally, I feel so fortunate and so very proud, to be a part of an organisation that cares for their community.