Returning to Anita's First Love

Returning to My First Love

When I first came to Singapore, I was a young mother with no friends, no family, and an infant in my arms. Every morning, I would sit in the preschool foyer as my daughter began her first steps into learning. From the sidelines, I noticed the sparkle in children’s eyes, the warmth of their teachers, and the laughter that filled the room. It stirred something in me.

One day, the principal asked if I would read a story to the children. I said yes—and in that simple act, my life changed. From storybooks to crayons, from helping at the sidelines to stepping into the classroom, my heart was captured by the joy of teaching.

But the road wasn’t easy. My overseas degree wasn’t recognised, and I faced rejection after rejection. I almost gave up. Yet one stranger—someone I’ve never met—approved my application to pursue a Diploma in Early Childhood. That single act of trust gave me the chance to step into this calling.

For three years, I studied three nights a week, raised three toddlers, and even took the IELTS to prove my English. With God’s grace, I graduated top of my class. It taught me that to become a teacher requires perseverance, sacrifice, and an unshakable belief that every child is worth it. To remain a teacher requires the same—but with a heart that keeps choosing love, again and again.

After nearly two decades of teaching, I stepped away due to illness. But in that season of rest, one thought never left me—I missed the children. Their innocence, their honesty, their ability to love without condition.

Today, three years into teaching at Little Olive Tree Preschool, I have come full circle. I am back in the very organisation where a stranger once gave me my first chance. And here I am reminded daily: teaching is the most selfless profession. Teachers pour out energy, time, and love, often unseen, so that children can grow in confidence and character.

For parents, a teacher’s passion means more than just lessons taught—it means your child is seen, known, and cherished. And when parents support that passion—by partnering with teachers, by offering encouragement, by showing appreciation—it breathes new life into us.

Because in the end, teaching is not just about academics. It is truly about shaping hearts. And every teacher who continues in this calling is here for one reason: love.

I have returned to my first love. And I cannot imagine a better place to be.