Over at team bilingual, we have started to receive the furniture for the setting; the internal space is becoming filled with all of the things that small children require. We are looking forward to the resources arriving next week, which will truly mark a milestone in our evolution. When I took on this amazing challenge, I always had some reservation that this achievement and dream would not be realised as there was simply so much to do in bringing a dream to reality. However, I have been continually astonished at the efforts of everyone involved and the exceptional quality of the finished product. My visits to the internal space is more and more frequent and the energy that is felt from being inside the setting fuels my desire to create the very best environment for the children.
As parents, you’ll appreciate that working in early years requires a certain mindset. As educators and leaders of learning we wish to create a culture that sets the tone of how we want the children to be, how we wish them to behave and the values that we set out to promote. An early year’s setting should feel like a home away from home for all. Parents should feel a genuine sense of community, willing to contribute to the evolution of the setting. The children run through the doors excited about the day ahead, the potential to explore and discover; they feel strong, resilient and listened to. The staff are valued members of a cohesive team, brimming with spirit and enthusiasm, who feel a natural duty of care to each and every child in the setting. Everyone in the setting treats each other equally, with respect and feels a true sense of belonging. This will be the basis of our culture.
Culture is something that can be difficult to define and it is my belief that leaders in any position have a responsibility to set the tone of what the culture should be – the ‘how we do things around here’. It is my duty to the Wellington families to ensure that the culture is one that imbues our values and identity and I am excited about working in partnership to achieve this. To me, culture is very much about a way of life; the ideas, customs and social behaviour of a particular group – in our case, the group being our Wellingtonian families. In less than 7 weeks, we will share our way of life with our founding families and our journey together will finally begin.
Vanessa Szucs-Hussain
Master, Wellington College Bilingual Shanghai
