Dandelion Mentor
Narelle Walker
Pronouns:
She/Her
Location (Region/Town):
Alstonville Community Preschool
Current Role / Organisation:
Director/Nominated Supervisor
Qualifications:
Diploma of Teaching/Bachelor of Education (Riverina College of Advanced Education)
Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management (CELA)
About my experience:
I have worked in early childhood education for over 40 years, mostly as a teaching Director in preschools across regional NSW and Victoria. My current role is as a non-teaching Director of a 50 place community based preschool at Alstonville in northern NSW.
I have been fortunate in my career to have some exemplary teachers, colleagues and friends who have provided support and guidance in my development as a teacher and a leader. These people, experiences and the communities I have worked with, have shaped in me a deep sense of the importance of community and a strong collaborative focus as a leader.
I am passionate about the privilege and responsibility we have as educators and leaders, to create the very best learning environments and possibilities for young children and enjoy working with families, as the community of the preschool, to achieve this.
The motto for Alstonville Community Preschool is “Together we Can” and is a reflection of the collaborative community spirit that built our preschool and continues to guide our work with children.
What mentoring means to me:
I said yes to the Dandelion Project and continuing my involvement with Sarah and Early Education Leadership because of the value I have found in conscious leadership and the connection and understanding of like minded early childhood professionals that I have met along the way. I believe this program is a wonderful opportunity for Educational Leaders to experience this same mentoring and network of support in their journey towards effective leadership.
Strengths and wisdom I bring:
I have a particular interest in nature pedagogy and the benefits of this type of learning for children. We currently have a nature education program as one of our weekly 2 day groups operating from a learning space in a nearby park, which the children affectionately call “Bushworld”.
I work with a distributed leadership approach to utilise the skills and talents of the many leaders we have in our staff team, and strive to foster a calm, supportive and positive work environment where all of our staff can have the opportunity to play a part in the everyday bigger picture of our preschool.