School’s out for Fran

HIGHLY regarded teacher Fran Peters has retired after 45 years of brightening the lives of students and staff at kindergartens and TAFE campuses.

The early childhood educator recently finished her role at Chisolm Institute’s Wonthaggi campus.

Fran was drawn to teaching from an early age, originally setting her sights on primary teaching.

However, an open day at Melbourne Kindergarten Teachers’ College (MKTC) in Kew led her to realise that was the ideal setting for her.

After finishing high school, she went on to complete a Diploma of Early Childhood Teaching at MKTC, later also completing a bachelor’s degree.

Fran’s passion for teaching was quickly apparent when she started at Balnarring Preschool in 1976.

“It was a brand-new centre and had no equipment, so I spent the whole of the Christmas holidays buying equipment and setting up the kinder,” Fran said.

That passion carried through to her move into the TAFE sector.

In 1981, she joined Frankston College of TAFE, now Chisholm Institute, and established the Early Childhood course there, writing the curriculum.

She remained there until 1984, returning to the kindergarten sector the following year.

Fran was the directress of Frankston preschool, then moved into that role at Corinella’s JLM Preschool.

Since the year 2000, Fran’s been back in the TAFE system, continuing to educate future childcare professionals.

She has brought life, colour and humour to Chisholm Institute’s Frankston, Berwick, Dandenong and Wonthaggi campuses.

Fran has always believed in a holistic approach to teaching, taking account of the whole person.

The teaching environment is important to her and she’s ensured her class rooms were warm and inviting, regardless of whether that was at kinder or TAFE.

Transitioning between teaching young children and teaching young adults preparing for childcare careers was a simple process for Fran.

“I didn’t find the difference between four-year-olds and 19-year-olds difficult at all,” she said.

“You use the same discipline methods of rewarding positive behaviour and modelling good behaviour.”

As a passionate musician, Fran plays piano accordion, guitar and piano, and music has been an important feature of her classes.

It has proven an effective tool for helping some children with disability.

“I have taught children with severe disabilities, so I use music a lot with children with autism and ADHD and music’s very calming for them,” Fran said.

Her Early Childhood students often learned dances to teach their young charges, with outdoor musical accompaniment from Fran.

Her small piano accordion has been on many adventures, including travelling to China with her Early Childhood students.

“Music is a common language,” Fran said.

Fran’s decision to retire was largely prompted by a forced move into online teaching due to Covid.

She noted her students didn’t apply to do an online course and, that in the last couple of years, she has been unable to meet some of them face-to-face.

“I’ve taught for 45 years and I thought it’s time for me to follow some of my own interests,” Fran said.

She plans to add the ukulele to the list of instruments she can play.

There’ll be more time to spend in her San Remo garden, with gardening another passion. I want to do some more craft work and I love going to brekky with Les,” she said.

Les is her proud husband who said Fran is much admired in the childcare sector in Victoria and further afield.

Fran’s colleagues at Chisholm Institute paid glowing tribute to her and the contribution she made there. They noted her creative flare, humour, support of other staff and passion for helping students achieve positive learning outcomes.