Pre-primary teacher, Miss Zoe Lynch, is inspired by her students’ achievements. The three things she’d bring to a deserted island are winners, too!

What do you want students to take away from a year in your class?

I currently teach Pre-primary and due to their age, these students usually start the year being able to write their name and leave being able to write a simple story. While I am continually impressed and privileged to witness how massive this leap is for the children at this stage of their lives, I hope that a year in my classroom develops more than just academic gains.

My dream is that the children in my care leave my classroom knowing that they have developed a connection to myself and their peers, feeling safe to try something new and capable of advocating for themselves in the simplest of ways. I hope that all of these children feel valued and respected, no matter their gender, race, academic ability, neurodivergence, or learning style.

I would love if all children left my classroom a little more resilient, empathetic and independent than they started, having learnt how to accurately name how they are feeling and confident to access a variety of tools that work for them to successfully regulate their emotional and/or sensory needs.

Why did you want to be an educator?

I wanted to be an Early Years Educator (0-8 years) to create a safe environment that nurtures all of the qualities above. I am passionate about the importance of high-quality early years education and intervention and the massive impact that this has on all developmental domains. I wanted to create an environment reflective of neurodiversity affirming practices, ensuring my classroom is a safe place for all children, celebrating individual’s strengths, interests and differences.

Who or what inspires you to do your best?

My students, when I see the joy on their faces from achieving their own versions of success. This might be independently sounding-out their first word in a book, resolving their first disagreement with a friend, using a new strategy to regulate big emotions or teaching their parents something that they genuinely didn’t know before. I am also inspired by the parents who notice these little things and acknowledge that they are significant milestones and involve a great deal of effort.

How would you spend your ideal summer break?

Travelling to countries that I have not yet explored and immersing myself in different cultures. Personally, I like warmer climates which allows me to get involved in one of my favourite hobbies – scuba diving.

If you were stuck on a deserted island, what three things would you have?

I want access to my much-loved and eclectic range of music (naturally, this includes good-quality speakers or headphones!), my current rescue dog, Rocket, and scuba equipment.