Mrs Candice Carlisle has had a worldly teaching career over the past 24 years. Joining Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School 10 years ago, she has brought with her many unique and innovative teaching techniques to her classes which have greatly benefited her students.

I have been teaching in Early Childhood for 24 years. I have been fortunate enough to travel extensively and work on four different continents. I came to BCGS 10 years ago and prior to that was working at an International School in Beijing, China. International schools follow the International Baccalaureate Program. They use an inquiry model for teaching and the focus is on concepts, skills, and attitudes.

I have always loved working with younger children and did lots of babysitting as a teenager. School for me personally was not a very positive experience, so I guess I was inspired to come back and make a difference. I truly believe that Early Childhood Education is where the ‘magic happens’!

My own children were fortunate to go to our Primary school from Kindergarten to Year 6. I am so grateful that I was able to share that learning journey with them and be part of all the wonderful opportunities that are on offer here. In Africa, we have a saying, “it takes a village to raise a child” and the Primary staff were that village for my children.

I have begun incorporating Claire Warden’s Talking and Thinking Floorbook Approach in my class. It is a fantastic tool for making thinking visible for younger students. It encourages children to be part of the planning process and have agency over their learning. Another thing I have also enjoyed with my students are Talking Tubs. Talking Tubs provoke interest and spark curiosity while 3D mind maps ‘map out’ the inquiry process, provide opportunities for children to make connections and develop their ideas and opinions. Floorbooks, Mind Maps and Talking Tubs are used at the start of an inquiry topic and throughout the learning journey in Pre-primary.

Five years ago, I was fortunate enough to be offered the BCGS Foundation Fellowship Grant which allowed me to travel to Scotland and Northern England to visit schools who embrace Nature Pedagogy. I am passionate about embedding outdoor learning into my teaching practice and fostering children’s connection with nature. Our school is very lucky to be surrounded by such beautiful bushland and weekly visits to the “Wildspace” are definitely a highlight in Pre-primary.