If anyone had told Lia Nokes a few years ago she should give up a successful career in design to go kindergarten teaching, she'd have thought they were mad.
But that's exactly what she did – and she loves her new career even more than the old one.
Armed with
a bachelor of education in early childhood education from AUT (Auckland University of Technology), she has landed her "dream job" as a teacher at Belmont/Bayswater Kindergarten in Auckland.
It was having children of her own that changed Lia's world, and her career path.
Ten years ago she thought she had it all - a great career designing bathrooms and kitchens, being her own boss, making her own decisions.
"I had full responsibility for my jobs, including visiting clients, design, co-ordinating tradesmen."
But having three children under five years took her into the world of kindergartens and play centres.
"I thought hard about what I could do to suit this stage of my life and could continue to do for the next 20 years – and decided to become a kindergarten teacher.
"I thought this could be a stimulating job that would fulfil my desire to do something creative, worthwhile, be responsible and involved in decision making – as well as fit in with my family life and provide a reliable wage."
She chose the AUT degree course because it was recognised by the Auckland Kindergarten Association, and because the way it was structured made it easy to study.
"There were two days on campus and the rest of the study I could do at home in my own time, which made it easy to fit around my young family."
Lia says at first getting a degree wasn't a priority when she thought about teacher training – but now she's pleased she went the extra distance.
"Teachers with degrees get paid more, and also parents at the kindergarten are impressed when they see that I've got a degree."
Lia works in a team of three teachers, looking after 45 preschoolers in morning or afternoon sessions. They have two afternoons free a week to plan, discuss and evaluate, and attend professional development courses or meetings.
"The job is everything I dreamed it would be. Working with the children is stimulating, creative, challenging and fun. No two days are the same.
"It's child-initiated – we follow the children's interests and get them involved in in-depth projects such as Maori stories and legends, sewing or making a mosaic mural.
"Kindergartens are also about community involvement – parents get involved as helpers and with fundraising."
After having children, Lia Nokes swapped a career in design to study early childhood education
If anyone had told Lia Nokes a few years ago she should give up a successful career in design to go kindergarten teaching, she'd have thought they were mad.
But that's exactly what she did – and she loves her new career even more than the old one.
Armed with
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