Insights from the Bright Start Conference in Athens

Insights from the Bright Start Conference in Athens

Ms Kathryn Xuereb started her career as a Kindergarten Assistant in 1995 after gaining a Diploma in Pre-school Education. She pursued her studies and acquired a BA in Youth and Community Studies in 2008 from the University of Malta, and then proceeded to attain her MA in Early Childhood in Education from the University of Sheffield in 2009. Kathryn moved on to teach in early primary and eventually to a lecturing position at MCAST, lecturing students for a Diploma in Children’s Care, Learning and Development. She later occupied the position of a Childcare Centre Co-ordinator with the Foundation for Educational Services (FES) and then moved to Head Office to work as a Programme Co-ordinator with the same Foundation. In her current position, Ms Xuereb provides professional development and technical support to Centre Co-ordinators to develop and implement quality programmes in line with the National Educational Policies. During these last two years she has trained staff in the FES childcare centres to initiate a child-centred approach in all the childcare centres. The 12 childcare centres are all now following a pedagogy based on the children’s interests. Kathryn is also an ECDAM committee member.

Ms Charmaine Attard is a Kindergarten Educator at San Ġorġ Preca College Ħamrun SS primary school. Apart from being one of the committee members of ECDAM, her latest achievement has been that of achieving a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Degree in Early Years Learning and Care with the Institute of Education in collaboration with MCAST. Ms Attard joined the eTwinning community in 2017 as a participant. In 2018, she was appointed as an eTwinning ambassador while still being an active eTwinner.  In 2020, together with her partners they won the European eTwinning Prize Runner Up Category 0-6 with the eTwinning project titled S.T.E.A.M-tastic that is still being used for practice sharing through an online eBook. 

Charmaine has been involved in the Early Years community through various opportunities. In 2021 she moderated a short course on the School Education Gateway in order to work cohesively in ensuring that the Early Years setting is given an opportunity to showcase how theories can still be applicable in a 21st century world and how inquiry-based learning can evolve.

Her students are her primary inspirations for what goes in her classroom and she documents everything that goes on through her Facebook page and Instagram account: Life in Kindy in which she keeps things realistic, fun, innovative and creative. Sharing of ideas is something Charmaine is constantly at, besides reading, researching and watching other educators for inspiration.

Ms Attard believes in ccollaboration and has worked with individuals, entities, institutes and companies to share her experiences, speak about Early Years and gave her contribution in dissertations, papers, interviews and focus groups. She has presented in seminars, webinars, face-to-face events etc., and this has helped build her knowledge, love and understanding of her kindergarten setting and most importantly networking with other educators.