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Voices from the classroom: Early childhood care and education teachers reflect on school readiness
The School Readiness Project, led by the Pacific Community (SPC), is transforming early childhood education across the Pacific. Developed in partnership with the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), regional governments, and UNICEF, the project focuses on understanding how students transition into the first years of primary school and identifying ways to support this transition effectively.
A recent highlight of this initiative was the School Readiness Reflection Workshop, held from 3rd to 6th December 2024 in Nadi, Fiji. The workshop brought together a diverse group of 25 participants, including Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) teachers, policymakers, and stakeholders from eight Pacific Island countries and Australia. This gathering followed the successful pilot and contextualisation of the School Readiness tool, the early Human Capability Index (eCHI) tool. The reflection workshop provided a platform for assessing the project’s progress, share experiences, and plan its future.
Among the most valuable contributions were the insights of ECCE teachers, who shared their first-hand experiences of how the School Readiness Project is shaping classrooms and young lives. This workshop provided an invaluable opportunity to hear from these educators, who shared their insights and experiences with the School Readiness Project.
Unaisi Tinai - ECE Teacher at Nausori Primary School in Fiji
“School readiness, for me as a teacher, is about grooming a child to develop holistically and preparing them to enter primary school. With the eCHI tool, I faced challenges with some of the questions, as I needed to contextualise them to suit my students—especially in terms of language and references to things like animals we don’t have in Fiji, such as elephants. To address this, I used simple terms, picture talk, and vernacular language. The eCHI tool aligns with our curriculum, but it goes into more detail. For example, while our curriculum has six Foundation Areas of Learning and Development (FALD), the eCHI tool focuses on nine domains.
Using this tool not only helps me support my children in the classroom but also helps me grow as a teacher by identifying areas where my students may lack and addressing those gaps. It allows me to mould each child holistically.”
Stephanie Avel – ECCE Practitioner from Papua New Guinea.
“As an ECE (Early Childhood Education) teacher practitioner, I strongly feel that the school readiness tool is vital and believe it should be rolled out in schools within my local context. The items outlined in the tool are extremely handy and essential for ensuring children achieve key milestones before moving up to primary level, as well as for supporting children entering the school setting.
One of the challenges I’ve faced in the classroom involves the assessment process and managing enrolment days for children as they transition into a new environment or centre. However, the school readiness tool has been incredibly helpful in aligning with the assessments we already have in place, allowing us to better determine a child’s readiness and track their development and growth.”
Genrisa Kovac – ECCE Teacher from the Federated States of Micronesia.
“As a teacher, school readiness refers to how well a child is prepared for school and the skills they need to succeed in a school setting. It is also a tool that helps teachers identify and understand the strengths and weaknesses of a child, enabling us to work on these areas to prepare them for the next school level or primary education. In my classroom, some of the most common challenges I encounter include understanding my students, managing time effectively, addressing student discipline, communicating with parents, dealing with bullying, and handling a lack of resources.
To overcome these challenges, I focus on building strong relationships with my students and their parents, as this fosters cooperation and understanding. I also teach new skills to promote appropriate behaviour, use positive reinforcement strategies, and ensure clear communication. The School Readiness Project has been invaluable in helping me understand my students better, allowing me to learn their strengths and weaknesses so that we can work together to support their success. My hope for the future of early childhood education in my community is to inspire children to develop a lifelong love for learning and to equip them with the skills they need to succeed in school and in life.”
Teuila Leota – ECCE Teacher from Samoa.
“The School Readiness initiative has touched on all areas of learning and is designed to monitor children’s progression. A central question for us as teachers is: what do we need to do, and how do we determine if a child is ready for primary school? To answer this, we must have a clear understanding of the child’s development—this includes their social and emotional skills, physical abilities, communication with peers, and cognitive growth. I believe school readiness is about preparing children holistically before they begin to draw, scribble, read, write, or count. This is where the transition comes in, and I can tell a child is ready for primary school when all these areas are well-developed. At age five, when 95% of a child’s brain is developed, there are countless opportunities to nurture their potential.
The School Readiness Project has helped me in many ways. In my teaching, I strive to contextualise the programme for Samoa, ensuring it aligns with the ECE curriculum and the eCHI tool. By observing and monitoring children’s activities, I can identify areas where they need extra support and provide targeted guidance.
Looking to the future, I dream of making my preschool a special place—a second home for young children. It should be a warm and calm environment where children feel safe to express themselves. Here, we can nurture their social, physical, emotional, and cognitive skills, ensuring that every child benefits from a supportive foundation for growth and learning.”
