In this episode, I yarn with Kristine Willems.
Kristine is a diploma trained educator that has been working in early childhood for 32 years. Kristine usually works at a sessional kindergarten for Wyndham city council. However, she left her family and fur babies behind this year to move to the northern territory to teach in a remote community. So, if ever you have been curious about what that change would be like, then this is the podcast for you.
In this episode we will discuss:
- Kristine's background and how she came to work in the Northern Territory.
- What long daycare in the Northern Territory looks like and how it differs from metropolitan centres.
- Aboriginal languages and Jess's personal experience hearing indigenous elders who did not speak English.
- How flexibility is key to Kristine's role.
- Adapting to being able to learn in a physical way.
- Working with the local community.
- How Kristine navigates negative feedback or criticism when people think her presence is to 'save the children' (which she outlines is the opposite of why she is there).
- The importance of body language
- The value of kinship in community
- And much, much more!
