The qualities of a great early years educator in 2026 extend well beyond patience and a love for children. Observation, emotional steadiness, adaptability, reflective practice and strong communication with families are becoming increasingly important, supported by ongoing training and classroom coaching.
Patience still matters. But it is only the starting point. According to Dibber International Preschools South Africa, a skilled educator notices the child who has gone quiet, recognises frustration before it becomes overwhelming and understands when to intervene or give a child more time.
“The quality of an early year’s educator is often visible in what they notice,” says Ursula Assis, Managing Director of Dibber International Preschools South Africa. “It may be a friendship beginning, a child losing confidence or a new skill that is close to falling into place. Those tiny moments matter.”
Emotional steadiness is equally important. Preschool classrooms can be noisy, unpredictable and full of strong feelings. Children look to the adults around them for cues, which makes a calm and consistent educator an important source of security.
Great educators also reflect on their own practice. They ask why something worked, why it did not, and what could be done differently next time.
“Experience is valuable, but experience without reflection can become habit,” Assis says. “Strong educators remain curious about their own practice and about the children in front of them.”
Adaptability sits alongside that curiosity. No two children learn in the same way, and an activity that works beautifully for one group may fall flat with another. A capable educator can alter the plan without losing sight of what the children need to learn.
Families are part of that work too. Parents increasingly want to understand what their child is experiencing at preschool and why particular approaches are being used.
“Parents know their children in one context, and educators see them in another,” Assis explains. “When those observations are shared well, both sides gain a fuller understanding of the child.”
Dibber believes these qualities develop through training, mentoring, feedback, and regular classroom observation rather than simply being natural personality traits.
At Dibber, this approach forms part of the development of its Engaged Educators™, with ongoing coaching and reflective practice built into their professional growth.
“The work of an early years educator deserves to be treated as a craft,” says Assis. “There is always something more to notice, understand or improve.”
Patience and warmth will always matter in early childhood education. What increasingly distinguishes a great educator is the ability to observe, remain steady, adapt thoughtfully and keep learning.
For young children, the adult in the room can shape far more than the day. They can shape how learning itself begins.
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