On 3 July 2023, Singapore Expo’s Hall 2A served as a nexus for the educational fraternity of Singapore. A crowd of over 1000 early childhood educators, gathered for the annual Professional Development Day (PD Day) 2023, marked the largest gathering since the onset of combined training sessions in 2017. Notably, this event strayed from the traditional focus on pedagogical enhancement, pivoting instead towards a theme of critical importance in modern education–teacher wellness.
This year’s PD Day represented collaboration across a variety of early childhood education brands, including Kinderland, ELFA, NurtureStars, and SkoolgKidz, and was spearheaded by the KLC International Institute. The theme,“Honouring Our Pillars of Strength: Propelling Excellence Through Supporting Your Wellness and Well-being”, gave prominence to the integral role of educators’ personal well-being in shaping the future generations.
Dr Carol Loy, Director of Curriculum and Professional Development, sparked the conversation by presenting an internal survey. This revealed that 90% of teachers experienced a surge in responsibilities and workload in the wake of school re-openings, a fact that underscores the urgency of discussing and tackling educator wellness.
Adding to the discourse on holistic wellness, Ms Marion Mony, Director of Programme and Professional Development, proposed a 3Ps approach—Physical, Psychological, and Professional wellness. This encouraged educators to prioritise their health, mental stability, and pursue continuous professional development.
The event was packed with a variety of workshops, covering a wide spectrum of topics, all guided by industry experts. These ranged from sessions on stress and fatigue management, fostering mental well-being, and building positive peer relationships, to discussions on dietary myths. The day concluded on an energetic note with a lively Zumba class, emphasising the importance of physical wellness.
Educators attending the event found the sessions illuminating and beneficial. Michelle Ang Qiu Yan, Centre Leader of a local preschool, remarked that the event was a reminder of the significance of prioritising her own well-being. Her sentiments were echoed by other attendees, testifying to the positive impact of the PD Day 2023.
Reflecting on the event, Mr Seet Lee Kiang, General Manager of an Early Childhood Division at a notable education group, stressed the importance of such initiatives. He believed the event allowed educators to foster relationships, broaden their knowledge, and equip themselves for the evolving landscape of the education sector.
The 2023 Professional Development Day offers a beacon of progress in acknowledging and addressing the often overlooked aspect of teacher wellness in the sphere of early childhood education. The reverberations of this shift are likely to be felt not only in the educators’ personal lives but also in the classrooms they mould, leading to enriched learning environments and better student outcomes.
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This content was provided and edited by WUSG.
