'They don't see me any differently': Preschool aide with disability finds joy in nurturing kids

SINGAPORE — The joyous laughter of children alongside shouts for “teacher Ashley” filled the air at a playground in Taman Jurong as 23-year-old Ashley Collins helped a class of three- and four-year-olds down a slide.

To any onlooker, Ms Collins is like any other preschool staff member. The preschool teacher assistant is one of 40 persons with disabilities working in the early childhood sector.

Just this February, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) approved a programme to train persons with disabilities to take on jobs in the early childhood sector.

Helmed by voluntary welfare organisation Presbyterian Community Services (PCS), the Educator Aide Training (ECAT) programme equips persons with intellectual disabilities with skills to support preschool teachers. This includes changing diapers and handling administrative work.

The course was first piloted in 2017 by PCS, and scaled up further in 2019 following funding from SG Enable. Currently, preschools under PCS and PCF Sparkletots have hired people like Ms Collins to provide an extra pair of hands in schools.

An ECDA spokesperson told TODAY that approving the programme is part of efforts to achieve the Enabling Masterplan vision to increase the employment rate of persons with disabilities to 40 per cent by 2030.

“Persons with disabilities are able to contribute to the growth of the manpower pool that preschools need to provide quality care and education for children,” said the spokesperson.

“As we seek to make preschools more inclusive towards children with diverse needs and backgrounds, our early childhood workforce is diversifying, too. Our children can also, from a young age, learn to be more empathetic and accepting of others who differ from them.”

Agreeing, Ms May Koh, general manager of Enabling Academy under SG Enable, said: “Persons with disabilities also display resilience amid challenging life circumstances, placing them in good stead to serve as positive role models for children.”

She said the course is also a bridging programme that allows persons with disabilities to seek further mainstream training programmes, which could open doors for job progression.

FROM BAKER TO PRESCHOOL AIDE

Growing up, Ms Collins knew she was “different”. While studying in a mainstream school, she was often bullied by her peers before she moved to Grace Orchard School and later, Assumption Pathway School.

She then found a job as a baker in a central kitchen, but she struggled as she disliked the pace and work environment. It was during those moments that her Chinese preschool teacher came to mind.

“She was very kind and I love her smile,” Ms Collins said. Although she could not recall exactly what the teacher had done, her kindness still left an indelible mark.

So when Ms Collins learnt about ECAT, she signed up.

“The course was not too difficult since I have taken care of my brother, but I learnt how to better communicate with children,” she said.

In February 2023, she joined PCF Sparkletots at Taman Jurong as an assistant teacher on a year-long contract. While it may have been only six months, the children under Ms Collins have bonded with her.

To them, she is just “teacher Ashley”, not a person defined by her mild intellectual disability. And for Ms Collins, their smiles and laughter made the job switch all worth it.

Coming in to work at around 8am, Ms Collins aids her two colleagues — who are teachers — by keeping the children focused during their classes.

She also helps put the children to sleep, change their diapers if needed, and serve food during meal times. 

“I’ve learnt this from my (fellow) teachers, to point and ask the children what’s going on so they focus in class and are not distracted,” she said.

Calming children down when they are upset is also part of her job scope, which she said is something she learnt from the ECAT programme.

When it’s time to take the children on their walks, she helps them put their shoes on, organises them into their rows and guides them around the Taman Jurong neighbourhood.

Things can get stressful for Ms Collins when there is a lack of manpower in the school. While she mainly cares for 19 nursery children with two other teachers, there are times where the teachers may not be in school and a relief teacher will stand in for them.

“The children are not used to them and will come up to me to ask questions. The teachers are also not used to the classroom and may ask me things,” she said. “It can be quite overwhelming.”

She thanks her colleagues for being supportive and understanding.

“I’m quite nervous and shy, but I’m more confident now. They’re the ones who pushed me to do this interview,” Ms Collins admitted sheepishly.

“They always check in on me, provide clear instructions. When I make a mistake, they don’t shout or scold me but remind me. They don’t see me any differently.”

Her growth as a preschool aide is not lost on her colleagues.

Ms Amina Begum, 54, who teaches English, admitted that she was uncertain when she was first told that Ms Collins would be a teaching aide.

“She’s our first colleague with mild intellectual disability, so I was unsure about whether my interactions with her would be different compared with my other colleagues,” said Ms Begum.

“But she listens well to our instructions, and confides in us just as we do with her. She’s like any other colleague.”

Parents who spoke to TODAY said they were not aware that Ms Collins has mild intellectual disability, but added that she is a competent teacher.

While their interactions are minimal — Ms Collins is usually around to help them pick up their children — one parent said her son is always talking about her.

“He’ll come back home and say what happened in school, and what Teacher Ashley did. He really likes her,” she said.

However, there are also some parents with reservations about preschools hiring persons with disabilities. Mrs Tan, in her 30s, who declined to share her full name or occupation, said that she would be concerned about her child's safety.

“While it would be good as my children can have more exposure, I would want them to be also under another watchful eye of a teacher with experience,” said the parent of a four- and six-year-old.

In response to queries, ECDA said it has not received any negative feedback about ECAT graduates from parents. Rather, parents have been “generally supportive” and “do not treat them any different”.

Ms Karen Bay, assistant director for special needs services at PCS, said: “In fact, we have been given feedback that some of the kids with special needs are naturally drawn to the ECAT graduates, like there is some sort of affinity.”

Mr Albert Seah, senior director of the human resource division at PCF, said Ms Collins is one of the 20 persons with disabilities hired by PCF Sparkletots.

“We will continue to support inclusive hiring in the coming years, with more educarers such as Ashley onboard with us to contribute towards enriching a quality preschool education in every child,” he said.

As a preschool aide, Ms Collins enjoys watching the children draw during their free time. She is also working on being more firm with children when they act up — something she struggles with as they can be “too cute” at times.

What's next for her? Ms Collins hopes to become a full-fledged preschool teacher.

And perhaps one day, to run her own preschool too.