Let us take a moment and travel back through time, during childhood days when you gleefully raced around the classroom, enjoying precious moments with your friends. Perhaps these memories have become hazy, but you can still recall feelings of joy, curiosity, and boundless imagination that enveloped those times when the world's mysteries beckoned to be explored. A child's mind is a truly remarkable place and a pivotal stage in human development. If you have a strong passion for nurturing the young minds of the next generation— then Early Childhood Education might be your true calling.

Every student possesses an untold story. Amelia, who pursued a diploma in early childhood education, unveils the story of how her dreams and aspirations guided her on this path.

Exploring Teaching Techniques in Early Childhood Education

Amelia's inspiring journey as an early childhood educator began with a deep-rooted passion for nurturing and teaching young minds. Motivated by her involvement in her aunt's inclusive classroom for special kids, Amelia recognized the importance of proper knowledge to support and guide children with diverse needs. This realisation led her to pursue a Diploma in Early Childhood Education (ECE) at UNITAR Malaysia. 

Educating children has always been a driving force in Amelia's life. Following the completion of her diploma, she embarked on a career as a preschool teacher, where she gained invaluable firsthand experience in guiding young minds. Through this experience, Amelia realised that rather than imposing a rigid environment, learning should be captivating and enjoyable, where children are encouraged to explore, discover, and flourish their ideas. 

“Right now, I work as a curricular specialist dealing with kids of age 4 to 6. My job is to ensure that the lessons we carry are age-appropriate for the activities we plan. I aim to make the learning experience appealing and inspire children to strive for more. There are no limits to the lessons—when a child shows a desire to learn more, their journey continues as we supply more experiments and activities for them. I want kids to explore their potential, as the sky's the limit.” 

Driven by her unwavering passion for education, Amelia has taken her commitment to new heights by pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Education with a specialisation in TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language). With her background in early childhood education, she is excited to inspire and educate international students with limited or no prior knowledge of the English language. Recognizing the profound impact linguistic skills have on a child's development, Amelia aspires to develop effective strategies that enable young learners to acquire English at a young age, laying a solid foundation for their language proficiency. She emphasises, "By leveraging my TESL knowledge, I intend to adapt selected primary and secondary English language lessons for early childhood education, ensuring they are tailored to the unique needs of toddlers and young children."

Lessons can be Anything but Boring: It’s All About Delivery

Rather than adopting a rigid and traditional teaching approach, Amelia believes that a dynamic and stimulating learning environment is the classic formula to ignite the spark within children's imagination and curiosity. 

"I have people telling me they’re amazed at how I manage to be a preschool teacher. Personally, I find great joy in exploring various learning techniques to engage with children. It requires thinking beyond conventional methods and embracing a childlike perspective, establishing a connection that allows mutual understanding. You can't speak from a higher level of authority, because then you can’t build a connection with them. Instead, you have to build that trust, and confidence with a child, because they are children with instincts, and when we come into class all ferocious and loud, not friendly, they will hold back. But if you are lively and cheerful, and deliver the lessons through fun activities, they will desire our presence. Teaching children is interesting, and they’re all different from each other; so each of them will surprise you.”

By utilising the five pedagogical approaches she gained during her diploma education, Amelia approaches each interaction with children with confidence and a strong foundation.

Juggling With Work While Furthering Studies 

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Amelia’s daytime job didn’t stop her from furthering her academics. By enrolling in UNITAR's bachelor’s programme in 100% online mode, she can juggle both her work and study life at the same time. As one of the pioneering virtual universities in Southeast Asia, UNITAR has been offering online learning modes for an extensive line of programmes that makes learning while working possible for working professionals.

“The classes are fully conducted via Team Microsoft, during night time around 8 to 10 pm. I find it quite reasonable since most of us work during the day. Also, the classes are not conducted every day, the first semester would usually contain five subjects, and they will break that semester in half, which gives you the first three subjects for seven weeks, and the two remaining subjects in seven weeks. If I need clarification about certain subjects, I can always communicate with my lecturers via email.”

Moreover, UNITAR recognizes the value of work experience for adult learners. Through the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL), working adults in Malaysia can leverage their professional experience to gain admission to UNITAR International University. This unique opportunity allows individuals to reduce their study duration and costs while pursuing their passion for early childhood education.

Develop Your Mastery in Early Childhood Education at UNITAR Malaysia

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The Diploma in Early Childhood Education (ECE) programme at UNITAR is designed to equip aspiring educators with a foundational understanding of preschool education. Students gain essential knowledge, skills, and competencies required to excel in various industries involving children, such as preschools, childcare centres, development centres, and children's enrichment centres.

UNITAR's ECE curriculum covers a wide range of subjects, including storytelling, creative movement, puppetry, and role play. For an in-depth learning experience, simulation rooms are also integrated into their learning structure to ensure their students are prepared for real-life situations.  

“Instead of using real babies, we used dolls to practise how to hold and interact with toddlers, focusing on language and appropriate behaviour. Since we need to deal with young children, we couldn't simply instruct them to sit or behave in a certain way; we needed to use different approaches. With that, I can say that UNITAR provided valuable training that greatly benefited me during practical sessions and when I began my career as a preschool teacher.” Amelia muses.

Apart from diploma-level programmes, UNITAR also offers a variety of programmes in early childhood education, including degree, master's, and micro-credential programmes. These programmes can benefit individuals interested in pursuing a career in early childhood education in several ways.

If you have a genuine passion for teaching and nurturing young minds, the Diploma in Early Childhood Education at UNITAR Malaysia is the perfect stepping stone towards a rewarding career.

Ready to embark on your rewarding journey in early childhood education? Contact our experienced education counsellors to assess your qualification and simplify the application process for you. Click on the link below for FREE counselling: