Candice Nguyen - Early Childhood Education
When choosing where to study, Candice was attracted by the University of Auckland’s practical programme approach.
Candice grew up in Vietnam, and before beginning the Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Early Childhood Education), her background was in teaching English, but she wanted a career change.
The course lecturers are very experienced and supportive, providing many opportunities to share and discuss experiences. Besides the informative lessons on ECE settings, pedagogies, literacies, languages and cultures, children’s rights, Māori language and culture, I also have many practical lessons (and fun) doing arts, playing music, cooking, and learning about carpentry.
Having had placements in three distinct centres has given me a better picture of different teaching styles and how important a child’s environment can be for their learning.
"Through these learning experiences and rich discussions, I have gained better insight into the bicultural curriculum of Te Whāriki and understand more about our roles as ECE teachers in the culturally diverse settings of New Zealand."
Candice noted that her three placements were well thought out, and having them spread throughout the year provided great opportunities to put theoretical knowledge into practice.
“These placements also allowed me to reflect deeply on the prior beliefs and values on teaching that I had developed from my cultural background and upbringing. I discovered more about myself, who I am as a person and how I teach.
"I am very excited to become an ECE teacher and put all the knowledge I have learned from the lectures and the placements into practice. I am thankful to all the people I have met along the way: my lecturers, classmates, associate teachers and the teaching teams. I am especially thankful of the children I have had the pleasure of meeting, who have supported me in my learning journey and inspired me to be the best teacher I can be."