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SINGAPORE – When 33-year-old Eudora Tan made the switch to early childhood education from architecture five years ago, many people questioned his decision.
She had spent five years studying to be an architect at the National University of Singapore, including completing a master’s degree.
“To them, architecture seemed like a profession that took me so long, but I quit after a few years of work,” said Ms. Tan.
He found the job too demanding due to the long hours involved and decided to try something different.
“I’ve always had the opportunity to be with children in terms of Sunday school at church or even with my nephews, and that made me think that I like working with children,” he said.
In 2014, Ms Tan made the leap by obtaining a Diploma (Conversion) in Early Childhood Education – Teaching at Singapore Polytechnic.
She joined St James’ Church Kindergarten (Gilstead) as a math teacher in 2015 and was promoted to principal in July of this year.
She received the Outstanding Early Childhood Teacher Award at the virtual ceremony of the Early Childhood Development Agency Awards for Excellence in Early Childhood Development on Saturday (November 28).
“I just enjoy going to school; the kids are amazing. I just love conversations with them. They reveal their curiosities and their thought processes.”
Her training as an architect has been put to good use, said Tan, who is married with a two-year-old son.
“Being an architect is not just about designing, but about seeing a project, thinking about how to solve problems and working on the details.
“It has translated into how I work with children, helping them solve problems rather than just giving them the answers,” he said.
“I may not be designing a building, but I am building the lives of children, and that is very useful.”
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