ABOUT OUR EXPERT
Dr Chung is the Senior Director (Leadership Development) at Anglican Preschool Services and an ECDA Fellow. To her, being a mentor means investing in the lives of early childhood educators and leaders so that they develop the conviction, courage and commitment to excel.
By Dr Jacqueline Chung
In my close to 30 years as an early childhood (EC) leader, I have held leadership roles in large preschools and am now at the HQ level. Among the most meaningful and enjoyable moments of my career have clearly been mentoring educators in different stages of their careers.
What stands out for me is the shared journey with each mentee, particularly the excitement in discussing where we will go, what we hope to see and do, and what preparations and plans need to be made.
As a mentor and guide, I help my mentees look forward to milestones they will face, and show them how to stay safe and sane so as not to get derailed. My mentees feel assured having me as a companion on their EC journey.
Each mentee, being a unique individual, brings along fresh and different lenses that enrich my learning and experience, making each mentoring journey special in its own way.
MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS THAT GO BEYOND SURFACE LEVEL
For a mentoring journey to succeed, both mentor and mentee need to share their observations and perspectives openly. Recurring questions that shape my conversations with mentees include “What do I see?”, “How do I feel?”, “What do I think?” and “What should I do or not do?”.
When mentoring preschool educators, classroom observations and sharing of perspectives are crucial to help the mentee understand and apply EC principles.
To dig deeper, we discuss the mentee’s analyses and interpretations of their initial observations, feelings and thoughts, and how these connect with theory and practice. I guide mentees to question existing assumptions and anchor our discussions on sound theoretical underpinnings. What is aligned? What is dissonant? And most importantly, why?
It is critical for both mentor and mentee to be active and attentive listeners. Sharing stories and perspectives is key to mutual engagement when both parties are interested and curious. This leads to both sides asking questions that elicit richer responses to enhance understanding and application of EC principles.
Referring to resources like theories, frameworks, books, journals and articles can be helpful. Skilful mentors weave these in small doses to avoid overwhelming mentees. The latest edition of ECDA’s Mentoring Matters — published in February 2025 — is a useful guide for supporting other educators.
