BY BONNIE LAXTON-BLINKHORN, KINDICARE

5 JUNE, 2023

The Australian early education and care sector is bright with shining stars and Sarah Louise Gandolfo is one of them. 

Sarah Louise is the Founder and Principal Consultant at Learning to Lead in Early Childhood, a bespoke consultancy that works to increase the capacity of current and emerging early childhood leaders.  

This consultancy position is one of many hats Sarah Louise wears and we spoke to her to learn more about her career pathway.  

Sarah Louise dipped her toe in the ocean of early education at the age of 15, when she volunteered at the kindergarten her siblings attended.  

During high school she worked in a long day care centre and after finishing high school she enrolled at TAFE and gained her Diploma in Children’s Services. Since then, she’s never looked back.  

“My passion grew through my studies and my work experience, and I knew this would be my career,” she explains.  

After completing her diploma, Sarah Louise completed a teaching degree, two graduate certificate and a masters, while simultaneously powering through the ranks from co-educator to room leader, to educational leader, to assistant coordinator, before landing her first director’s job. 

While Sarah Louise very humbly describes her trajectory as ‘pretty standard’, her application to professional development and strong commitment to making the sector better for all stakeholders seems a step up from standard!  

The importance of ‘forever learning’. 

Sarah Louise describes herself as a forever learner and says this curiosity has been a key driver in her career to date.  

Above and beyond attending webinars and conferences Sarah Louise says some of her greatest professional development has come via casual conversations and networking.  

“Through visiting services that differ from my own, through my interactions on boards and committees, and through engaging in graduate level research and presenting my work back to others at conferences: having the time and space to listen, feel and reflect makes a huge difference to the way in which we learn and then apply this learning into practice,” she says.   

In fact, these grass roots connection are what Sarah Louise loves most about her job, “Being able to come into a service, or connect with someone over zoom, and truly be able to sit in a space of critical reflection and critical friendship is glorious,” she says.  

Sarah Louise says this is particularly impactful when the result is improved outcomes for families and children. 

Sarah Louise has seen huge changes in the early childhood sector over the years, including introduction of the NQF and more recently the Victorian Government’s commitment to providing two years of funded kindergarten, but she says there are still challenges aplenty!    

“We are in a crisis, particularly around our workforce. However, I think the biggest challenge we have as a sector is the need to redefine ourselves post-covid. We can’t work as we once did, it’s simply not possible.  We are tired. We are run down and burnt out,” she says.  

Sarah Louise says early education leaders have a frontline role in supporting staff through this. 

“Embracing kind leadership and slow pedagogies, while also learning how to engage in real acts of self-care, not token cupcakes and bubble baths, are some of the things we need to be thinking about moving forward,” she suggests.  

Sarah Louise offers three pieces of advice for people starting out in the early education sector. 

1. Find a mentor. 

Sarah Louise says it’s beneficial to find a like-minded soul to connect with no matter what stage of career you are.  

“Find a trusted other who can support you when you have questions or are doubting yourself,” she says 

This person could be a colleague or friend with experience in the sector. Some state governments also offer support for graduate teachers and Sarah Louise strongly recommends exploring these avenues. 

2. Join a sector association. 

Sarah Louise says joining a sector organisation, such as Early Childhood Australia is invaluable for new starters in the world of early childhood education.   

“Membership provides opportunities for networking and professional learning and enables you to stay informed about the changes and complexities that exist within the sector. It will also reduce any feelings of isolation,” she explains.

3. Choose the advice you follow wisely.

Everyone has an opinion about the early education and care sector and Sarah Louise says that with so many voices and forums it can be hard to learn which ones to listen to. 

“Social media can be a tricky place to navigate and sometimes we can be led astray because we see a post from a service leader who said that their way was the right way with little explanation as to their context.”   

“It’s important to always be critical about what you read, even what you’re reading now, and consider its application against the National Quality Framework as well as your own context,” she says  

The sky’s the limit for Sarah Louise who is heading back to Monash University next semester to complete her Graduate Certificate in Education Research, which she hopes will get her one step closer to a PhD.  

“I’m keen to contribute to the Australian research landscape on the concepts of love, kindness and leadership in early childhood education and care, so I’m having a bit of play with some of these big ideas at the moment.”  

“Outside of that, who knows! The sector is huge and the opportunities endless, so I look forward to the wind blowing me where I need to be to make the biggest impact I possibly can.”  

Visit the Learning to Lead in Early Childhood website or Facebook page.